I have to admit that I am a John Cusak nerd. Couple that with my love for music and you have to assume I own a copy of High Fidelity and your assumption would be right! This weekend I watched it again and after that Top 100 I put myself through I thought a little fun was in order. So here’s the deal. I want to do a weekly Top 5 list and have all you post your answers in the comments, on your blog (and link back here), or wherever as long as it gets noted here so the rest of us can play along! I’ll pick the topic, feel free to suggest topics for next week in the comments or on twitter, and put up a five song tape and then you knuckleheads respond by posting your own answers. Now try to be as quick as you can in response, this isn’t a deep thought exercise or anything, just fire it off. I know this one has one of my guilty pleasure songs…
This weeks Top 5 is: What are the Top 5 songs, regardless of genre, that you want played at your funeral or wake?
Now it’s your turn…(don’t forget to send me ideas for next week)
AUTOPSY IV’S ANSWERS:
I decided to take the approach of just answering with the mp3’s I have here on my work computer….so here’s what I came with (it has a pretty fitting mood as well):
As people are filtering in for the funeral:
John Mellencamp – If I Die Sudden
Eilen Jewell – Fading Memory
During the service:
JJ Grey & Mofro – The Sun Is Shining Down
As the casket is being wheeled out for cremation:
Slim Cessna’s Auto Club – Children Of The Lord
As people are leaving the service:
Possessed By Paul James – Take Off Your Mask
33 Responses to “TOP 5 SONGS I WANT PLAYED AT MY FUNERAL:”
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1. Arcade Fire – Neighbourhood 1 (Tunnels)
-Very elegiac, very appropriate.
2. Waylon Jennings – The Wurlitzer Prize
-Works just as fine as a love song as a mourning lament.
3. Anybody doing “Will the Circle Be Unbroken”
-Tears a hole in you.
4. Against Me! – 8 Full Hours of Sleep
-Aww yeah, grainy and sad.
5. Bright Eyes – I Believe In Symmetry
-Definite closer. Sort of optimistic.
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Funny. I thought you were talking about the book at first. I used to make Top 5 lists of everything but now really only keep up with my “Top 5 songs I will never get tired of no matter how much I hear them”.
This is actually a really hard one. Not at all happy with this, but here it is:
1. Elliott Smith – Fond Farewell or See You Later
2. Jeff Buckley – I Shall Be Released (cover)
3. Lucero – The Prayer (off Eight Paces to Jackson)
4. Neko Case – I Wish I Was The Moon
5. Tim Barry – Wait At Milano
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Good one! Let’s see….
1. Back Home – Eric Clapton
“I don’t know what I will do if I can’t get back home…”2. Heaven Sent – The Steeldrivers
“I know our days are Heaven Sent. Lord knows I know not where they went. Shake my head and I wonder how I’ll ever get to Heaven now.”3. Last Goodbye – Kenny Wayne Shepherd
“I could lose myself, I could curse like hell, but I’ve lost the will to even try. If you ever doubt, listen to the sound. No lies, no, no, no, this is my last goodbye.”4. I Shall Be Released – Bob Dylan & The Band
“Any day now, any way now, I shall be released.”5. Let’s Call It A Life – Darrell Scott
“I only wanted to be in B Movies, be kind to strangers and call it a life.”
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Keg On My Coffin – Push Stars
Everything’s Gonna be Alright – Al Green
To Live Is To Fly – Townes Van Zandt
In The Light – Led Zeppelin
Why Me Lord – Kris Kristofferson
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In no particular order:
“Going to Your Funeral” (tie) “Things the Grandchildren Should Know” – eels
“Good Day to Die” – William Elliot Whitmore
“Beer in Heaven” – Matt Woods
“He’s Simple, He’s Dumb, He’s the Pilot” – Grandaddy
“Here” – Pavement
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John Prine’s “Please Don’t Bury Me” will do.
Either that, or “I Must Be In A Good Place Now” from Bobby Charles.
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So Devoted to Lonesome- The Dexateens
To Live is to Fly- TVZ
Nickel & A Spoon- Alejandro Escovedo
Angels Wings- Social Distortion
Average Man- The Dry County Crooks
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1. John Lee Hooker, “My Dream”
2. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, “No Second Thoughts”
3. Dizzy Dean Sings “Wabash Cannonball”
4. John Prine, “Jesus, The Missing Years”
5. Little Milton, “Grits Ain’t Groceries”
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Dunno if I can come up with a whole five.
1. Half A Mile A Day – Johnny Cash
2. No Depression – Uncle Tupelo (Yes, I actually do like the Uncle Tupelo version better than the Carters.)
Maybe 3. There’ll Be Joy, Joy, Joy – Carter FamilyI’ll have to really think to come up with two more…
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Great topic! Here’s 5 from the tip of the iceberg (i hope there are enough people that love me or hate me that the party could last a day or three)
Peace in the Valley (Johnny Cash, from San Quentin)
Here Lies a Good Old Boy (James Hand)
Ride Me Down Easy (Billy Joe Shaver)
When I Get My Wings (Billy Joe Shaver)
Precious Lord, Take My Hand (Merle Haggard)and one more that just came to me
I’ll Fly Away (Johnny Cash)
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1…Withered & Died…..Kate Rusby
2…Remember Me My Friend…Moody Blues
3…Old And Wise…The Alan Parsons Project
4…Water,Paper & Clay…Mary Hopkin
5…Dust In The Wind…Kansas
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New song I just discovered now that would be great on my list:
Deadman – When The Music’s Not Forgotten
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I always thought funerals should be more like rock concerts.
1. There She Goes, My Beautiful World – Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2. It Won’t Be Long – Cory Chisel & The Wandering Sons
3. Two Daughters and a Beautiful Wife – Drive-By Truckers
4. Weary Kind – Ryan Bingham (from Crazy Heart. Amazing song)
5. Plow You Under – Scott H. Biram (to lighten the mood)
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Harvest Moon – Neil Young
Closer to Fine – Indigo Girls
Polyester Bride – Liz Phair
Naked as We Came – Iron and Wine
I Will Follow You into the Dark – Deathcab for Cutie
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personally, I am surprised no one mentioned “Sing Low Sweet Chariot”
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“There’ll Be Joy, Joy, Joy” <— well played, sir.
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“Deadman – When The Music’s Not Forgotten”
good song.
Imma have to check that band out.
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Thought about this on the drive in to work today…
Fade Into You – Mazzy Star (let’s get ‘em cryin right off)
With or Without You – U2 (would like to hear the bass on this one echoing in a church before I’m dead)
Feelin Good Again – Robert Earl Keen (this one will be playin on the jukebox when I get wherever I’m goin)
Sweet Home Chicago – Blues Brothers live version (please feel free to sing along to my all-time favorite karaoke song)
Higher and Higher – Howard Huntsberry (send em out smiling and clapping, hopefully there will be a large choir involved)
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Time Ain’t Nothin’ – Green On Red (If only one song is played when I go, this has to be the one!)
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Stairway to Heaven! Tears in Heaven! Free Bird! I am kidding!
I would also request TVZ’s To Live is To Fly.
(I realize this is not a Top 5 list. I will do better next time.)
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A Tout le monde-Megadeth.
Life is beautiful-Sixx Am.
Somewhere over the rainbow-Tori Amos
That’s all I got.
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“Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain” – Willie Nelson
“Shiver Me Timbers” – Tom Waits
“When The River Meets the Sea”
“Far Side Banks of Jordan” – Johnny Cash/June Carter
“Keep Me In Your Heart for a While” – Warren Zevon
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“I’ll Be On My Way” – The Saw Doctors
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“Flyin’ Shoes” – Townes Van Zandt
“In My Life” – Beatles
“Desperadoes Waiting for a Train” – Guy Clark
“Good Old Boys Like Me” – Don Williams
“That Western Skyline” – Dawes (my most recent addition)re: your earlier comment about Deadman. Personally, I would recommend the first album Paramour. Have never gotten as much into the later stuff, this album was great.
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Bought and downloading from AmazonMP3 now.
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1. Genesis (Jorma)
2. I Shall Be Released (Dylan)
3. Redemption Song (Joe Strummer)
4. Salt of the Earth (The Stones)
5. Jungleland (Springsteen)
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Larry: “‘There’ll Be Joy, Joy, Joy’ <— well played, sir."
LOL, think ya missed the "Mrs." in Mrs. Romeosidvicious.
Autopsy IV, "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" almost made my list, but my 4yo requests I sing it almost every single day at naptime, and I think I've heard it enough to last this life *and* the afterlife.
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Congrats Romeo! You’ve done something I’ve yet to do….In all the years of doing this blog Ms. Autopsy IV has never once made a comment.
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I have thought about this before. Never came up with 5 but I would have to have “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed” by the Allman Bros.
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1. Angel Band – The Stanley Brothers
2. Windfall – Son Volt
3. All Along the Watchtower – Hendrix
4. Other Side – Josh Ritter
5. Blinded by the Light – Mannfred Mann’s Earth Band
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My apologies, MrsRomeosidvicious, I did miss the misses.
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I posted my list of five songs at my blog, Corduroy Mountain. Check the mp3 to one of the selections here:
http://corduroymountain.blogspot.com/2010/02/im-going-to-roam-no-more.html
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Jane’s Addiction “Ocean Size”
Symphony of Science “We Are All Connected”
Beastie Boys “Gratitude”
Jesus & Mary Chain “Just Like Honey”
Pixies “Wave Of Mutilation (UK Surf)”Choosing those last two is kind of a cheat, they were played at my wedding. (Pixies for the recessional, J&MC for our first dance.)