Fresh Horses: Shiver me timbers

Do you know what I love most about Eden Riley? So much really, but mostly this week, that she sent me a text to check in on me. Late in the night. When she knew I would be struggling. That’s what being a friend is.

This week she has asked the people what they would choose as their funeral song. I LOVE thinking about my funeral music, which may be a little macabre, but tell me you haven’t ever once thought about your own funeral, and the people there, and how sad everyone is? OK. Maybe that’s just me. This post gives me a legitimate request to have this song played at my funeral, because it’s kind of weird every time this song comes on asking my husband to “make sure you play this at my funeral”. Kids don’t like those discussions. Weirdos. So. This is the song I want played at my funeral.
There’s no clip, just the magical, scratchy voice of Tom Waits. The song is about a sailor, it’s got not much to do with anything in my life, but the moment my now husband played this song to me in bed, in the wee hours of the morning when we first got together, screwing a lot, sleeping, not eating and just being in love, well I just fell in love with it. It makes me unspeakably sad. I can be in the car on the way to School and this comes on my ipod and I’ll cry, properly cry. I love it. It’s the perfect farewell song and I hope it makes all the fuckers really cry at my funeral. I also hope I have good egg sandwiches at my funeral. That and french champagne. Simple really.

I have one more. Can there be one more? It’s from a Swoon CD that I have filled with classical numbers chosen by someone at the ABC. Have you ever heard a choir singing in a church? I’m not overly religious, but find being in a church strangely comforting and familiar. If my funeral were to be in a huge cathedral, what with me being famous and the like, then I would want the best choir in the world to sing this song. In full harmony. I would want that sad, lonely violin to strain the air. It fills my soul with something, just like Tom does, but in a different way. Deep peace. That’s all you really want when you are dead isn’t it? Pay no attention to the weirdo clip attached – that’s just weird Youtube.

Go and check out what other funeral songs are out there, it’s fascinating.

Comments

  1. REALLY interesting choices! I’d never heard that Tom Waits song before, but it’s beautiful. I see why you love it.
    And the choral one gave me goosebumps.

  2. Is it wrong that I want a Justine Clarke song? “Think about something that makes you smile” Maybe it just reflects my exposure to music at the moment with young kids!

    I’ve also requested lolly bags be handed out at the end with all my faourite lollies in it? Weird maybe?

    At least Eden has your mind on something else after the week(s) you have been rollarcostering through!

    Luv your blog posts

    d xx

  3. Cool choices ๐Ÿ™‚

  4. Brilliant post babymac.

    I adore Tom Waits. What a awesome funeral song.

  5. Fab choices Beth! I so have to play along. Xxxx

  6. Spooky. I have specified good egg sarnies at mine too.

    xx

  7. Beautiful, emotive choices.
    I dare them not to bawl!
    ๐Ÿ™‚

  8. Oooh, love them.
    We had Tom Waits “All I want is you” at our wedding.
    My Mum had (her choice) “Here Comes the Sun” at her funeral, and every time I hear it now it still makes me teary.
    Hope you guys all get some sleep soon. I know what it’s like, truly.
    x

  9. Well I made the decision for my husband. Being a country boy (and just quietly, bald from a young age) he’s ALWAYS worn an akubra and many people don’t recognise him without it. So.. I told him that his funeral song should be Joe Cocker, “You can leave your hat on” I reckon it would make everybody crack up laughing and he liked that idea ๐Ÿ™‚
    Cheers
    Anne

  10. Tom Waits is awesome, his voice has seen a lot of life you can tell good choice

  11. Too good! I used to play this game with my sisters along with the names we’d call our children (bugger I had no girls!). My songs include Van Morrison’s “The Way Young Lovers Do” and Tom Waits “Take It With Me When I Go”.

  12. Egg sandwiches are a must at a funeral. And champagne.
    In my family no funeral or wake is complete without single malt whiskey either.

    Tom Waits voice seems a perfect match for a funeral.

  13. Oh I love love love. Can’t listen to your songs yet .. they will make me weepy and I need to get in the mood, know what I mean?

    Egg sandwiches a must – curried, actually. And blind rotten drunk trashed … I want people to get SO DRUNK at my funeral that they vomit. In honour of me.

    XXXXXXXX

  14. I often think about which music to have at my funeral.I’d like: Jose Feliciano “Ain’t no Sunshine”.A real tear jerker for a Funeral.

  15. I love your songs. And they both brought tears to my eyes.

  16. Both so evocative. There is no doubt there will be tears. And of course, REALLY good egg sandwhiches a must.

  17. oh i know what you mean about churches – so comforting and familiar.
    i love your song though – i can just picture it… bless.

  18. These songs are both so stirring.

    Egg sangas will be banned at my send off. Blergh! Never liked ’em

  19. Oh Tom. I love Tom So Much.

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