What songs should play at your funeral? Don’t tell me you haven’t thought about that. For some of us, it’s an inspirational classic like “I’ll Fly Away” or “Abide With Me.” For 
others, it’s something more raucous or uppity. At Wild Bill‘s funeral we played 50’s music. The do-wah do-wah’s were a perfect reminder of his sanguine nostalgia.
But if THIS AP report is any indication, more and more people are opting for untraditional fare.
ADELAIDE, Australia – Hymns are being replaced at funerals in one Australian city by popular rock classics like Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven” and AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell,” a cemetery manager said Wednesday.
At Centennial Park, the largest cemetery and crematorium in the southern city of Adelaide, only two hymns still rank among its top 10 most popular funeral songs: “Amazing Grace” and “Abide With Me.”
Leading the funeral chart is crooner Frank Sinatra’s classic hit “My Way,” followed by Louis Armstrong’s version of “Wonderful World,” a statement said.
The Led Zeppelin and AC/DC rock anthems rank outside the top 10, but have gained ground in recent years as more Australians give up traditional Christian hymns.
I’m all for different, but playing “Highway to Hell” at someone’s funeral seems, um, inappropriate. That is, unless they went there. But then who wants to talk about that? Yet, knowing what I know about the Bible, “I Did It My Way” is tantamount to a “Highway to Hell.”
According to the report, there’s other less conventional choices like “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life” by the Monty Python comedy team, “Ding Dong the Witch is Dead,” “Hit the Road Jack,” and “Another One Bites the Dust.” Hey, why bury Mom to “Amazing Grace” when you can dance around her casket singing, “She’s gone where the goblins go, below – below – below…”
Okay, the thought of subjecting my grief-stricken loved ones to Shine On You Crazy Diamond and Nobody’s Fault but Mine is tempting. But for the sake of decorum, I’ll stick with Moby’s Into the Blue and All Saints’ Pure Shores. Sorry, but Amazing Grace is a tad too Prozac for me.
Definitely the love theme from Braveheart. I told my son (he’s a sound guy) that he has to play that song at my celebration. Wouldn’t mind the POTC theme either. Have to have Nothing But the Blood of Jesus, though. And some other Christian choruses, too. Maybe some Mylon LeFevre, too. (Obviously I’ve thought about it.)