Funeral number three this year, this one is humanist, what to have in the place of hymns?

Sorry for your troubles. 🙁

Do you need any singing? Maybe have some nice readings instead?

I’m not a humanist, I’m just some guy that doesn’t believe in anything but the actual format of a funeral is nice… So my one demand is that they play Do You Realise by the Flaming Lips at mine, everyone gets a song sheet like at a faith funeral,and has to sing along. Faith uses music because it’s beautiful and uplifting and provokes memory, there’s no reason not to use it for the same reason imo.

Sorry for your loss. I suppose it doesn’t have to have any songs but if you fancy the idea of a sing-a-long pick something the deceased would have liked or a good old singalong song. Any decent beatles or queen song should get people singing along. Fat bottomed girls should raise a smile. I’m having ‘Are you gonna go my way’ at mine and everyone will be required to rock out at the guitar solo.

I went to one where they played the Ramones and Queen’s Flash Gordon – completely fitting and genuinely awesome. She would have loved it.

The one i went to played Bucks Fizz, The Land Of Make Believe. Moving. No, seriously.

Dads was a few readings and some music played, uncle Roy’s was much the same. Saves people mumbling hymns they have sung since school days.

When my dad died he had a humanist funeral and had ‘Is that all there is?’ by Peggy Lee playing at the end. No religious crap, nice readings, Somerset withy coffin, plant a tree on top etc. Proud of him to the end.

I’m sat with someone who was close and your suggestions have already helped us come up with, “always look on the bright side of life” which has got everyone in tears and agreement.

Brian would love it !

Thank you x

Start with a bit of his history and life stories. Cover all his life periods so all people can recognise something they recognise.
Middle bit can be more solemn or sad, it is a funeral and people need to grieve.
End with happy and uplifting but try to avoid cheeses comic.

Good luck and sorry for your loss

much as above for my dads, some stories some memories and some rachmaninoff to finish it was nice.

what to have in the place of hymns?

Just a few well chosen pieces of music – just to listen to, not to sing a long. It just gives some space in proceedings for people to think about someone rather than be told about them. Possibly obvious but…. the venue will require you to have any music you want on original media, you can’t bring a CDR or plug in your iPod.

The one I went to last week ended with One Step Beyond.

We had a reading

And another

http://www.ham.miamioh.edu/fitton/poem.htm

And two eulogies from friends.

And “all you need is love” by the Beatles.

At my dads we played a few songs, one of his mates did a speech about their friendship the humaist lady read out some stuff I wrote.

Death is nothing at all ,hardly original at a funeral!!Some people need to widen their horizons

My grandmother had a humanist funeral. A couple of readings, plus the summation of her life. She chose ‘always look on the bright side of life’ for the music to finish.

Death is nothing at all ,hardly original at a funeral!!Some people need to widen their horizons

what an utterly dickish thing to say

when my younger brother died we had a ‘committal’ at the crematorium which was only attended by immediate family + close friends.
a few days later we had a ‘celebration of life’ at a local venue for everyone.
We wanted the event to tell the story of his life, so various people spoke, we had a couple of readings and several pieces of music.
We had ‘something inside so strong’ by Labi Siffre, and ‘Walk this way’ by Run DMC at the end.