What song do you want played at your farewell
Music has a way of saying what words sometimes can’t. At funerals, a song or piece of music can capture the very essence of a life lived — celebrating personality, values, and memories.
Whether chosen by the person themselves or by loved ones, funeral music has the special role of summing up a life. And interestingly, many of the most popular choices aren’t sombre at all — they’re uplifting, funny, and celebratory.
On RNZ Nine to Noon Ian Chapman (Honorary Senior Research Fellow in Music at the University of Otago) shares insights into the music people choose to farewell loved ones — and why these songs resonate so deeply. Listen here...
What song would you choose for your own farewell?