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Funeral Song Selection
By Kim Gibson
Funeral songs and music have an important role in
funeral or memorial services. Funeral songs can help
sooth grieving guests, and can help you communicate your
feelings and emotions. There are literally thousands of
funeral songs from several different genres, including
religious, gospel, pop, country, jazz, rhythm & blues
and more. This wide selection can sometimes make
selecting the right funeral songs a daunting task. To
help make this task easier, here are some suggestions to
help you make the best selections.
Consider the general "tone" of the service
If the funeral is religious-based and held in a church
or place of worship, you may want to consider religious
or gospel music selections. The church may have a list
of standard songs that are suitable for funerals. The
church may also offer the use of their choir, pianist or
organist to give renditions of funeral music. If the
funeral or memorial service is more contemporary, or
more of a "celebration of life" service, you may want to
consider more upbeat or contemporary music. If you are
considering playing secular or contemporary music in a
church or chapel, you may want to check with church
officials first.
Use favorite songs (or artists) of the deceased
Very often, favorite songs of the deceased are played at
funerals and memorial services. Hearing these favorite
songs can invokes strong feelings and memories of the
deceased, and make the service very special. Consider
having a soloist or live singers sing a favorite song,
or play the instrumental version to make it even more
special. Playing music that was special to your loved
one also helps to make the service a much more personal
experience.
Consider songs that convey special feelings and meaning.
There are so many songs that can help you express your
feelings about the deceased. There are many songs that
describe relationships between you and your loved one.
There are songs about mothers, fathers, friendships and
other relationships. There are also songs that describe
traits and characteristics of a person. Songs that
describe your loved one's patience, love, dedication,
loyalty and zest for life are very appropriate
selections for a funeral. There are several Internet
websites that you can consult that have funeral songs
categorized by relationship and theme that can help you
choose the right songs. There are also many religious
songs that describe going to heaven or leaving the earth
to go to a better place.
Once you have selected your songs, have the family
review your selections. Also, take time to listen to the
lyrics of the songs that you have chosen to ensure that
all the words are appropriate and non-offensive. If you
would like your guests to sing along, publish the lyrics
in the funeral program, or memorial service bulletin.
Also, ensure that the funeral location has an
appropriate sound system that you can use. With a little
effort, you can select funeral songs that will help make
a memorial service very memorable.
Kimberly Gibson is the owner of Elegant Memorials
Funeral Program Templates. She also writes and publishes
a wide range of articles in funeral and memorial
planning, including articles on funeral songs. |
