6 Popular Funeral Songs for a Meaningful Ceremony

6 Popular Funeral Songs for a Meaningful Ceremony

1. My Way – Frank Sinatra

A classically beautiful song, Frank Sinatra’s My Way has become popular at funerals or celebrations of life for its themes of reflection and satisfaction with a life well lived. “I’ve lived a life that’s full I traveled each and every highway/And more, much more than this/I did it my way.” It reminds us that even though they were taken from us, our loved one has hopefully lived a full and happy life that we can look back on as we remember them.

2. Hallelujah – Jeff Buckley/Leonard Cohen

A gentle, timeless song that everyone knows, Hallelujah is an ode to love. It’s also versatile enough to slot perfectly into any point of a church ceremony.

3. See You Again – Wiz Khalifa

A more recent song that has become very popular for funerals and celebration of life ceremonies, See You Again expresses loss in a beautiful way, but also celebrates fond memories, love, and looking back at things. It expresses the most universal parts of grief.

4. Angels – Robbie Williams

Angels is an ode to our loved ones that have passed on and the thought that they’re looking down on us as we carry on our days. Williams has said of the song’s meaning: “Angels’ isn’t about anybody, it’s about the thoughts that loved ones that have passed on come back and take care of you.” It’s a beautiful and comforting idea to carry with you throughout a funeral service.

5. Let It Be – The Beatles

This song is the definition of peace and acceptance, and although those things are difficult to conceive of in the face of loss, having a song like Let It Be as part of the ceremony can provide a guiding light in an immensely difficult time. “And when the broken hearted people living in the world agree/There will be an answer, let it be”

6. You Raise Me Up – Brian Kennedy

A beautiful song that has been covered by multiple artists, and truly become a classic since its release. It pays tribute to the transformative power of love and support. It has religious/faith-based undertones, which makes it fit perfectly into a ceremony context, or it works just as well in a less religious or traditional service.

We hope that this list will help make planning your funeral or celebration of life ceremony a little easier. ChurchMusic.ie is a massive database of musicians in Ireland who are available to hire for your ceremony – we have a wide range of genres and music styles, so there is truly something for everyone. In addition to this, our musicians themselves are very versatile – with the likes of choirs, female and male solo singers, groups and instrumentalists all being available to choose from. Visit ChurchMusic.ie to explore Ireland’s most talented musicians and find the perfect accompaniment for your ceremony.