The modern funeral is a grief-bypass procedure?
Stewart Dakers is a 76 year-old voluntary community worker with a weekly column in the Guardian. He wrote a piece in last week’s Spectator about funerals. Here’s a taster: Funerals ain’t what they used to be. Today’s emphasis is more on celebrating a life past than honouring the future of a soul. While I am not […]
Singing them on their way
Posted by Tim Clark It’s our belief that the sound of unaccompanied natural voice singing, in three- or four-part harmony, can create a space for strong emotion; can console and comfort, can embody and say things we can’t say in prose or poetry alone. We sing in English and Welsh, with a scattering of Spanish, Gaelic, […]
Window shopping in Lubeck
Yeah yeah, it’s a rubbish photo, I know, I’m not blind. It’s the best I could do. It’s an undertaker’s window. In Germany. Me and the missus have been holidaying there. This undertaker is in the ancient city of Lubeck. As you can see (through a glass, darkly) the display is a series of objects […]
The stalemate of funeral choice
Posted by Richard Rawlinson Cherishing freedom of speech we often quote the line, ‘I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it’. So democrats proselytise in order to influence others, and sometimes those influenced leave one tribe and join another. A far cry from relativism, the message […]
Why live music is best at funerals
Posted by Richard Rawlinson A follow up to Charles’s lyrical piece about the inadequacy of music at funerals. With recorded music at funerals, people tend to sit down, listen, tap a foot, perhaps, and, if it’s really working its magic, meaningfully relate the music to the memory of the dead person. Whether pop lyrics or piano […]
No Way
Over in the Philippines, karaoke is a popular pastime. According to the New York Times, after a hard day’s work, there’s nothing a weary person likes more than to find a bar, glug a beer and belt out a classic or two. This is not a matter of audience indifference. You’ve got to be good […]
Red River Valley
From this valley they say you are going We will miss your bright eyes and sweet smile For they say you are taking the sunshine That has brightened our pathways awhile CHORUS: Come and sit by my side, if you love me Do not hasten to bid me adieu Just remember the Red River Valley […]
Gong With The Wind
A Musical Tribute & Dedication for ~ Mrs Emily H Levine~ July 13, 1924 – February 18, 2013 Gong & Original Music “Coming Sun” Performed and Composed by ~ David Leclerc Location ~Myakka River Park~ Sarasota, Florida February 2013 Natural burial grounds: you need one of these.
I Will Be Blessed — Ben Howard
Oh my ghost came by Said who do you love the most Who you wanna call before you dieOh my ghost came by here Said who do you love the most Who you gonna sing to ‘fore you’re goneOh hey heaven is the place we know Heaven is the arms that hold us Long before […]
No Tears In Glory
This old eye, is filled with sorrow Heartaches and pain, and tears that flow But when we reach there, city called Glory We won’t have to cry no more CHORUS There’ll be no tears, no tears in Glory Over there, no tears will flow There’ll be no tears, no tears Glory We wont have to […]
