8 beautiful and powerful funeral songs from the 60s
Are you looking for a song from the 60s to play at a funeral? Explore 8 varied options in our guide.
Choosing the right song for a funeral can add a lot to the event. It can tell the attendees something about the person who died and stir powerful emotions.
There are songs from all periods and all genres that fit the bill. In this article, we're looking at a fertile time for popular music: the 1960s.
We've barely scratched the surface, yet here are eight songs that have the beauty, power and nostalgia value you could be looking for. We hope it helps.
1. Karen Dalton: Little Bit of Rain (1969)
Written by the American singer-songwriter Fred Neil, "Little Bit of Rain" is a song that asks the question: how would you like to be remembered?
"If I should leave you," sings Karen Dalton, "Try to remember the good times / Warm days filled with sunshine / And just a little bit of rain."
It's a soft, swaying song with country inflections. The lack of drums gives it an intimate quality, as though you're sitting on the floor at a 1960s house party.
2. Bob Dylan: Restless Farewell (1964)
The closing track from his 1964 album The Times They Are A-Changin', Bob Dylan's "Restless Farewell" is a song of defiance at closing time.
The melody is borrowed from the Scottish traditional song "The Parting Glass". Dylan learnt this from The Clancy Brothers, fellow performers on the Greenwich Village folk circuit.
But where the traditional song is about leaving home, Dylan's is about keeping on in the face of judgment: "So I'll make my stand / And remain as I am / And bid farewell and not give a damn".
3. Procol Harum: A Whiter Shade of Pale (1967)
If you love the music of the Summer of Love, you'll doubtless be familiar with this hit from English rock band Procol Harum.
We say "rock" – but this track is characterised by its combination of church-like organ (based on J.S. Bach's "Air on a G String") and jazzy drums.
The sheer nostalgia of the track and the cathartic release into the chorus make this a popular choice at funerals. There's also an instrumental jazz version by
King Curtis, used to great effect in
Withnail & I to convey the passing of the 60s.
The Kinks: Days (1968)
Gratitude is a keynote of every funeral – and "Days" by The Kinks communicates the feeling simply and effectively.
Thank you for the days
Those endless days, those sacred days you gave me
I'm thinking of the days
I won't forget a single day, believe me
It was written by Ray Davies for his sister Rosie when she moved to Australia. He later
explained: "It's a goodbye song, but it's also an inspirational song… It could also mean a new beginning."
This combination of melancholy and hope is reflected in the music with its ballad-like strings and toe-tapping groove.
5. The Beatles: In My Life (1965)
Taken from The Beatles' Rubber Soul album, "In My Life" is a song that looks back over a life and reflects on the people who made it what it was:
All these places had their moments
With lovers and friends, I still can recall
Some are dead and some are living
In my life, I've loved them all
With its warm guitar tone, delicate harmonies and gorgeous melody, "In My Life" is a song that's once heard, never forgotten.
6. The Left Banke: Walk Away Renée (1966)
This classic song from American band The Left Banke is perhaps best known for its soaring chorus, all trembling strings and aching close harmonies.
With its harpsichord-led arrangement and flute solo, it's a song that's as 60s as they come. A song of parting, it's characterised by a sincere, pained delivery that could well resonate at a funeral.
For lovers of Motown, there's also a version by
The Four Tops.
7. The Band: The Weight (1968)
Written by The Band's guitarist Robbie Robertson, "The Weight" has cryptic lyrics filled with Biblical references and larger-than-life characters. But at its core is a message of friendship and support in difficult times.
The feeling of camaraderie is reflected in the rising, layered vocals. Meanwhile, the shimmering piano and wordless falsetto help create a mood of hope, possibility and contemplation.
"The Weight" has been recorded by many artists, including gospel group
The Staple Singers.
8. Joni Mitchell: Both Sides Now (1966)
In "Both Sides Now", Joni Mitchell reflects on the duality of life. Clouds bring beauty and block the sun. Love can be a fairytale or a nightmare. Life can bring pleasure and pain.
Yet at the end of the day, Mitchell sings, "It's life's illusions I recall / I really don't know life at all". This introspective looking-back makes it a popular choice at funerals.
With its gently strummed guitar and silvery vocals, "Both Sides Now" is a 60s classic for a reason. In 2000, she recorded a
lush orchestral version for her song cycle of the same name.
How to choose a funeral song
Choosing a song for a funeral isn't always easy. Usually, people want to choose something that was meaningful to the person who died while at the same time fitting the mood of the occasion.
In our opinion, it's not something you can get wrong so long as you tick these two boxes. The song could be sombre, humorous or both – it all depends on the spirit of the person who died and the mood of their send-off.
Akshardham Funeral Directors is a North London-based
independent funeral director. We provide a compassionate and flexible service to people from all faiths and backgrounds. Do you need our support? Please call on 020 8355 7876 – our lines are open 24/7.
