Songs, Poems and Arrangements for a Funeral

Personally, I think that the choice must depend of the deceased and on those left behind. Since no funeral is really meant for the deceased, but rather for those left behind.I'm a wee bit Scottish, so there must be a piper.In Orange County, Calif, the Highland Games have always been held on Memorial Day weekend. And typically we'd always have a massed pipe band playing of "Amazing Grace" (the first time the massed bands piped in after the soloist, we the audience were all blown back a few centimeters in our seats).But one year, a solo piper played "Going Home" and I found it very moving. It's a spiritual that Dvorak incorporated into the second movement, Largo, of his "New World Symphony."

About five years back I went on a South of Spain cruise out of Southampton. A few thousand British passengers plus a couple hundred Americans, so we felt a bit outnumbered. I loved the English breakfasts (especially the bacon and the beans, but skipped on the puddings), liked the steak and kidney pie, kick myself for not trying the bubble and squeak, and made the right decision to not try the Marmite.Final night at sea is usually a big party on all cruises. The atrium ran nearly the full length of the ship and it was packed with passengers where they played all the popular British music. One of our party got into a very heated but friendly argument with a Brit over whether the Rolling Stones are British or American -- British in name, yeah, but they definitely crossed over.The last song was "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" whereupon the lights dimmed, the crowd quieted down, and everybody with a lighter lit it and held it high. And sang along. I guess it's their National Anthem now.