Most popular funeral songs [by David Lehman]

In the age of sabermetrics, they ("they, they who are known as they," as Kenward Elmslie has it), have tallied up the songs (and versions of same) most popular to play in funerals. Click here for a full run-down, or take away these teasers.

-- Sinatra leads the pack with "My Way." 

-- Both Richard Rodgers and Harold Arlen are represented in the top ten, though the most popular version of Arlen's "Over the Rainbow" is said to be by Eve Cassidy rather than the star of "The Wizard of Oz" -- and people would apparently rather hear Gerry and the Pacemakers sing "You'll Never Walk Alone" than, say, John Raitt.

-- Nat King Cole's "Unforgettable" comes in at number ten.

-- -- Vera Lynn's "We'll Say Goodbye" makes the list, which reminds me that the song puts in an appearance at the end of "The Singing Detective" -- which makes exceedingly smart use of songs popular in the year of the action, 1945: "Peg o My Heart," "Accentuate the Positive," "I've Got You Under My Skin," "It Might As Well Be Spring," "Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall" . . .but I see I'm digressing into a different list. 

According to Mark Stevens and Annalyn Swann, authors of the celebrated biography of Willem de Kooning, say that the painter would have liked to have Sinatra's "Saturday Night is the Loneliest Night in the Week" to be playing at his funeral.

As for me, I'd have an orchestra play Arnold Newman's "Street Scene" as the funeral goers arrive. In a ceremony I would play a recording of Leonard Bernstein's "Some Other Time" as sung by the song's lyricists (Betty Comden, Adolph Green) with Nancy Walker as a third voice. I think that recording is from 1960. As the ceremony ends, I'd like "Goodbye" played by Benny Goodman and His Orchestra. An instrumental. But at a party in someone's apartment later, people will play Sinatra's vocal from the 1958 album, "Sinatra Sings for Only the Lonely."

Meanwhile, I think of the wit of Larry Rivers, the painter who started out as a jazz musician and loved playing his saxophone to the end of his days. Larry arranged to have his own recording of "Everything Happens to Me" to cap his funeral. For Sinatra's memorial the choice was inevitable: his signature song on radio and TV, "Put Your Dreams Away."

from the archive; posted March 17, 2013, reposted February 24, 2021.

Comments

[Denise Duhamel]

These are all great, David! I remember this original post--when we were all 8 years younger. I would like to add Peggy Lee's "Is That All There Is?"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCRZZC-DH7M

[Dr. Earle Hitchner]

Since you mentioned Vera Lynn, I thought I'd add this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsM_VmN6ytk

“We’ll Meet Again,” sung by Vera Lynn (1917-2020)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3GOaa05SU0

Roger Waters concert in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on June 1, 2017: “Vera” and “Bring the Boys Back Home” [“Vera” refers to Vera Lynn. For those wishing to delve deeper, it’s the 17th track on Pink Floyd’s THE WALL album.]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IVBsmkBirk

Here’s an introspective rendition of “Vera” and “Bring the Boys Back Home” by Roger Waters. Be sure to read his open letter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DHM6vRFtZU

DAME VERA LYNN: WE'LL MEET AGAIN: a BBC film tribute made in 2017 to celebrate her 100th birthday.

Finally, it's hard to eclipse these albums by Frank Sinatra: SONGS FOR SWINGIN' LOVERS, IN THE WEE SMALL HOURS, and FRANK SINATRA SINGS FOR ONLY THE LONELY. His June 25, 1958, recording of Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer's "One For My Baby (And One More for the Road)" never loses its shiver threshold for me.

[Dr. Earle Hitchner]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwFiWCUkk4M

I’ve heard this moving song performed at several funeral services. It’s Vince Gill singing his own song “Go Rest High on That Mountain,” accompanied by Alison Krauss and Ricky Skaggs.

[David Lehman]

Great comments. Denise, you're right about Peggy Lee's song. It was written by Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller, but she wrote some excellent songs herself early in her career. Dr Earle, thank you once again. From the "Wee Small Hours" album, I'd nominate Harold Arlen's "Last Night When We Were Young" (lyrics Yip Harburg) for a funerary occasion.

[JoanieMackowski]

Great post. Songs to go out to, to be gone by. I second or third Denise's nomination for "Is That all There is"-- such a weird & wonderful song. My own nomination is "Words of Love," as sung by Mama Cass Elliot: a song for going to new places-- https://youtu.be/2b6rm5yTx44