Best Funeral Music to Aid Reflection
Every person who appreciates music knows how poignant and evocative music can be. In the process of grieving, reflection is an active component of the healing process. Music is an excellent medium through which to explore and reflect on previous experiences, captivating many members of the audience with a relatability prose can never mimic. In this article, you’ll be able to explore a wide discography of funeral songs from different genres, from classic rock to nostalgic pop classics.
Reflective Funeral Song Suggestions
Rock
- Going To California by Led Zeppelin.
- Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd.
- Stairway To Heaven by Led Zeppelin.
Blues
- Ain’t No Sunshine by Bill Withers.
- Lilac Wine by Jeff Buckley.
Pop
- Nights in White Satin by The Moody Blues.
- He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother by The Hollies
Jazz
- Cry by Johnnie Ray
Rock Reflective Funeral Song
Going to California, Led Zeppelin
Purchase Going to California via Apple Music
Famous Covers
An instrumental mix of this song featuring only Page’s guitar and Jones’ mandolin is also available, and is arguably more evocative than the original. Amy Lee of Evanescence fame also produced a beautiful cover of this song using the aforementioned instrumental version.
Spent my days with a woman unkind
Smoked my stuff and drank all my wine
Made up my mind to make a new start
Going to California with an aching in my heart
Someone told me there’s a girl out there
With love in her eyes and flowers in her hair
Took my chances on a big jet plane
Never let ’em tell ya that they’re all the same
Oh, the sea was red and the sky was grey
I wonder how tomorrow could ever follow today
The mountains and the canyons start to tremble and shake
The children of the sun begin to awake (watch out)
It seems that the wrath of the gods got a punch on the nose
And it’s startin’ to flow, I think I might be sinkin’
Throw me a line, if I reach it in time
I’ll meet you up there where the path runs straight and high
To find a queen without a king
They say she plays guitar and cries and sings, la-la-la
Ride a white mare in the footsteps of dawn
Tryin’ to find a woman who’s never, never, never been born
Standin’ on a hill in the mountain of dreams
Tellin’ myself it’s not as hard, hard, hard as it seems
Going to California is one of the greatest ballads of all time, written collaboratively by the musical greats Jimmy Page and Robert Plant. While Led Zeppelin are a rock band, their folk influences are evident in this evocative tune. This song was recorded completely acoustically, with Plant providing vocals, Page playing the acoustic guitar and John Paul Jones playing the mandolin. This makes the ambience of this tune perfectly deep, dark and emotive, making it easy to get lost in your own thoughts and emotions.
Oh, the sea was red, and the sky was grey
Wondered how tomorrow could ever follow today
The mountains and the canyons start to tremble and shake
The children of the sun began to awake
Wish You Were Here, Pink Floyd
Purchase Wish You were Here via Apple Music
Famous covers
Human Drama released a version of this tune with a similar powerful tone to the original. Also, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra produced a beautiful rendition of this song, so you have many great versions to choose from.
And disciplinary remains mercifully
Yes and um, I’m with you Derek, this star nonsense
Yes, yes
Now which is it?
I am sure of it
So, so you think you can tell
Heaven from hell?
Blue skies from pain?
Can you tell a green field
From a cold steel rail?
A smile from a veil?
Do you think you can tell?
Did they get you to trade
Your heroes for ghosts?
Hot ashes for trees?
Hot air for a cool breeze?
Cold comfort for change?
Did you exchange
A walk-on part in the war
For a leading role in a cage?
How I wish, how I wish you were here
We’re just two lost souls
Swimming in a fish bowl
Year after year
Running over the same old ground
What have we found?
The same old fears
Wish you were here
The result of a collaborative writing effort between David Gilmour and Roger Waters, this tune possesses all of the characteristics of a great Pink Floyd song: power, sentimentality and emotionality. This song has been appreciated by many for almost 50 years- as evidenced by its feature at No. 302 on Rolling Stone’s ‘500 Greatest Songs of All Time’.
How I wish, how I wish you were here
We’re just two lost souls swimming in a fishbowl year after year
Running over the same old ground, what have we found?
The same old fears, wish you were here
Stairway to Heaven, Led Zeppelin
Purchase Stairway to Heaven Apple Music
Famous Covers
According to secondhandsongs.com, Stairway to Heaven has been covered by an impressive 188 artists! No matter the personal tastes you’re hoping to suit, you’ll be sure to find the ideal cover to memorialize your loved one. Notable covers have been released by the following artists:
Kui Lee Original
Instrumental covers which would also be perfect for funerals include the following versions:
There’s a lady who’s sure
All that glitters is gold
And she’s buying a stairway to heaven
When she gets there she knows
If the stores are all closed
With a word she can get what she came for
Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh
And she’s buying a stairway to heaven
There’s a sign on the wall
But she wants to be sure
‘Cause you know, sometimes words have two meanings
In a tree by the brook
There’s a songbird who sings
Sometimes all of our thoughts are misgiven
Ooh, it makes me wonder
Ooh, it makes me wonder
There’s a feeling I get
When I look to the west
And my spirit is crying for leaving
In my thoughts I have seen
Rings of smoke through the trees
And the voices of those who stand looking
Ooh, it makes me wonder
Ooh, it really makes me wonder
And it’s whispered that soon
If we all call the tune
Then the piper will lead us to reason
And a new day will dawn
For those who stand long
And the forests will echo with laughter
Oh whoa-whoa-whoa, oh-oh
If there’s a bustle in your hedgerow, don’t be alarmed now
It’s just a spring clean for the May Queen
Yes, there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run
And there’s still time to change the road you’re on
And it makes me wonder
Oh, whoa
Your head is humming and it won’t go
In case you don’t know
The piper’s calling you to join him
Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow?
And did you know
Your stairway lies on the whispering wind?
And as we wind on down the road
Our shadows taller than our soul
There walks a lady we all know
Who shines white light and wants to show
How everything still turns to gold
And if you listen very hard
The tune will come to you at last
When all are one and one is all, yeah
To be a rock and not to roll
And she’s buying a stairway to heaven
Nobody can deny how iconic this song is, with evidence showing that in the 1970s United States, it was the most requested song on the radio. This is especially surprising given the length of the song at almost eight minutes, and the song never being released as a single. Just like Wish You Were Here, Stairway to Heaven was placed on the Rolling Stone ‘500 Greatest Songs of All Time’ list, placing at No. 31.
There’s a feeling I get when I look to the West
And my spirit is crying for leaving
In my thoughts I have seen rings of smoke through the trees
And the voices of those who stand looking
Blues Reflective Funeral Songs
Ain’t No Sunshine, Bill Withers
Purchase Ain’t No Sunshine via Apple Music
Famous covers
This song also has been covered by many artists, so you have lots of freedom in which version of this song you can choose. We recommend the following artists’ cover versions:
Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone
It’s not warm when she’s away
Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone
And she’s always gone too long
Anytime she’s goes away
Wonder this time where she’s gone
Wonder if she’s gone to stay
Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone
And this house just ain’t no home
Anytime she goes away
And I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know
Hey I oughta leave young thing alone
But ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone, woh woh
Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone
Only darkness every day
Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone
And this house just ain’t no home
Anytime she goes away
Anytime she goes away
Anytime she goes away
Anytime she goes away
Combining early rhythm & blues and soul influences, Ain’t No Sunshine was arguably Bill Withers’ songwriting magnum opus. His inspiration for this song was the film representation of the love shared by two alcoholic protagonists in the 1962 film, Days of Wine and Roses. Nonetheless, the emotional depth and rhythmic intensity of this simple tune are evocative to most listeners, independent of personal situation.
Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone
It’s not warm when she’s away
Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone
And she’s always gone too long
Anytime she goes away
Lilac Wine, Jeff Buckley
Purchase Lilac Wine via Apple Music
Famous Covers
Eartha Kitt recreated this epic in collaboration with Henri René and His Orchestra, and also more recent recreations have been produced by Katie Melua, Susan Boyle and Vitamin String Quartet. You’ll have plenty of choice, from instrumental and vocal editions along with covers depicting the tune in different musical genres.
I lost myself on a cool, damp night
I gave myself in that misty light
Was hypnotized by a strange delight
Under a lilac tree
I made wine from the lilac tree
Put my heart in its recipe
Makes me see what I want to see
And be what I want to be
When I think more than I wanna think
I do things I never should do
I drink much more that I oughta drink
Because it brings me back you
Lilac wine is sweet and heady, like my love
Lilac wine, I feel unsteady, like my love
Listen to me, I cannot see clearly
Isn’t that she coming to me? Nearly here
Lilac wine is sweet and heady, where’s my love?
Lilac wine, I feel unsteady, where’s my love?
Listen to me, why is everything so hazy?
Isn’t that she, or am I just going crazy, dear?
Lilac wine, I feel unready for my love
Feel unready for my love
The story of Jeff Buckley is a tragedy in itself, and this aura of melancholic mystery pervades Lilac Wine. This iconic song is actually a cover of a song written by James Shelton and popularized by Nina Simone, but Jeff Buckley brings new life to the classic. Lilac Wine explores themes of grieving and bereavement, with the lyrics speaking from the perspective of someone who recently lost their partner. This could make Lilac Wine a great song to reflect upon at the funeral of a partner who was intensely loved.
Lilac wine, I feel unsteady, where’s my love?
Listen to me, why is everything so hazy?
Isn’t that she, or am I just going crazy, dear?
Pop Reflective Funeral Songs
Nights in White Satin, The Moody Blues
Purchase Nights in White Satin via Apple Music
Famous Covers
This song has been covered by artists from many different genres, including the following and more musical greats.
Nights in white satin
Never reaching the end
Letters I’ve written
Never meaning to send
Beauty I’d always missed
With these eyes before
Just what the truth is
I can’t say anymore
‘Cause I love you
Yes I love you
Oh, how I love you
Gazing at people
Some hand in hand
Just what I’m going through
They can’t understand
Some try to tell me
Thoughts they cannot defend
Just what you want to be
You will be in the end
And I love you
Yes I love you
Oh, how I love you
Oh, how I love you
Nights in white satin
Never reaching the end
Letters I’ve written
Never meaning to send
Beauty I’d always missed
With these eyes before
Just what the truth is
I can’t say anymore
Yes I love you
Oh, how I love you
Oh, how I love you
Yes I love you
Yes I love you
Oh, how I love you
Oh, how I love you
Breathe deep the gathering gloom
Watch lights fade from every room
Bed sitter people look back and lament
Another days useless energy spent
Impassioned lovers wrestle as one
Lonely man cries for love and has none
New mother picks up and suckles her son
Senior citizens wish they were young
Cold hearted orb that rules the night
Removes the colors from our sight
Red is gray and yellow white
But we decide which is right
And which is an illusion
While not containing many of the musical elements characteristic of pop music as we know it today, this entry was influential in ‘60s pop culture. In true Moody Blues style, this song contains many proto-progressive musical elements and can be argued to have influenced the development of the progressive rock genre in the following decade. Nights in White Satin blends raw emotion with symphonic and guttural musical elements to the effect of increasing the effective power of this hit, making it a perfect choice for a reflective funeral song.
Nights in white satin, never reaching the end
Letters I’ve written, never meaning to send
Beauty I’d always missed, with these eyes before
Just what the truth is, I can’t say anymore
He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother, The Hollies
Purchase He Ain’t Heavy He’s My Brother via Apple Music
Famous Covers
Donny Hathaway, Neil Diamond, Chér and Olivia Newton-John among other artists have created wonderful versions of this classic tune, so you’ll be sure to find a version which will please any funeral party.
The road is long
With many a winding turn
That leads us to who knows where, who knows where
But I’m strong
Strong enough to carry him
He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother
… So on we go
His welfare is of my concern
No burden is he to bear
We’ll get there
… For I know
He would not encumber me
He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother
… If I’m laden at all
I’m laden with sadness
That everyone’s heart
Isn’t filled with the gladness
Of love for one another
… It’s a long, long road
From which there is no return
While we’re on the way to there
Why not share?
… And the load
Doesn’t weigh me down at all
He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother
… He’s my brother
He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother
He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother
As the previous entry shows, the ‘60s were a decade when pop music could derive influence from a great range of genres. He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother epitomizes the free emotional expression typical of the music of the 1960s. This helps make this title a song which almost everybody can relate to, while combining baroque pop, gospel and soft rock into a melody that calms like a lullaby. This song would be a perfect feature in a memorial service dedicated to a brother or friend.
His welfare is my concern
No burden is he to bear
We’ll get there
For I know
He would not encumber me
He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother
Jazz Reflective Funeral Songs
Cry, Johnnie Ray
Famous Covers
Sam Cooke, Roy Orbison, Ray Charles and Paul Anka have all created amazing covers of Cry, developing on the original material in beautiful and often surprising ways.
If your sweetheart sends a letter of goodbye
It’s no secret you’ll feel better if you cry
When waking from a bad dream
Don’t you sometimes think it’s real?
But it’s only false emotions that you feel
If your heartaches seem to hang around too long
And your blues keep getting bluer with each song
Remember sunshine can be found behind a cloudy sky
So let your hair down and go on and cry
Johnnie Ray may not be so well-known in 2022, in the early 1950s he revolutionized pop music by showing that men could display heartfelt emotions in song without sacrificing their femininity. He was the first openly bisexual pop star, and he dressed in ways which were seen as effeminate in the ‘50s. He also spoke out on the emotional struggles of women- a theme continued in this single, written from the perspective of a friend consoling someone who had recently suffered a break-up. His untraditional characteristics caused him to create quite a stir in 1951, when he released Cry to the cheer of women everywhere, but sneers from many men at the time. Nonetheless, any woman alive in the 1950s in the US or UK will know and likely love this song, so it would be a nostalgic piece to feature at the funeral of someone born in the 1930s or 1940s.
If your heartaches seem to hang around too long
And your blues keep getting bluer with each song
Well now remember, sunshine can be found behind a cloudy sky
So let your hair down and go right on baby and cry
Frequently Asked Questions
What is reflection music for funerals?
Reflection music refers to any music used during a funeral service. Ostensibly, the nomenclature is derived from the traditional inclusion of solemn, contemplative songs at funerals– though, modern funerals typically ditch this tradition.
What is the number 1 funeral song?
Studies have shown that in the UK, My Way by Frank Sinatra is the song most commonly used at funerals.
What is a hymn of comfort for a funeral?
Biblical hymns such as Amazing Grace or Jerusalem are wonderful inclusions at any funeral, bringing calm and healing to any grieving believer.