Funeral Service Music: Guidance On How To Choose The Right Songs

Funeral Service Music: Guidance On How To Choose The Right Songs

Music is a way for us to share both our immense joy and our grieving sorrow. When you are grieving a loved one, music will bring tears to your eyes or a smile to your face, and many times can fill you with comfort. By choosing the right music to play at your loved one’s funeral, it allows everyone in attendance to remember the deceased by bringing back their best memories.

Purpose of Music

Funeral music is usually selected to fulfill one of a few purposes:

• Express our religious beliefs about death and everlasting life
• To commemorate the personality and the life of the person who has passed on
• To convey feelings for the deceased

Selecting the Music

If the deceased had a favorite song that would be appropriate for a funeral service,  that would certainly be appropriate. If there are special hymns that have meaning to your family, you could choose to play those as well.

Remember that it’s not necessary to fill every moment of the service with music. You’ll want to choose music for guests coming into the ceremony, and depending on the type of service you have, some religious music may be played throughout the service. As the guests are leaving the funeral, you may choose to play an appropriate song at that time as well.

When you choose music for a funeral that incorporates a religious service, you should speak to a clergy member about rules regarding certain selections. Some religions don’t allow popular music at any religious service. If you must play popular music, perhaps you can do so at the wake or while people are taking their seats.

Funeral Music Resources

A live performance by someone who was close to the deceased lends a personal touch to the service. Church choir members and musicians may also sing at the service.

Most funeral homes and churches will have their own sound system, but check ahead of time to make certain. This way, you can bring along your own CD to play if they do not have any way to accommodate a live musician or singer.

If you are truly at a loss for the type of music you can select, or the songs you’ll want to play, ask your funeral director or clergy person for assistance. There are certainly many appropriate songs available that are played at funerals again and again, so having some guidance may help you in selecting the songs that will speak when words can’t, helping everyone through this most difficult time. If you have additional questions or are seeking advice on music selection for a funeral service, a funeral home like Schmutzler-Vick Funeral Home & Cremation Service can be of assistance.