One thing that always puts me in my feelings is music. When my mom was sick, we did a lot of her funeral planning while she was with us so she could have some input. I think “funeral songs” was one of the things I googled the most. We just had a really difficult time finding songs that weren’t overused, but still related to our situation. At one point Anthony was like just play Jungle Love by Steve Miller Band, which was one of mom’s favorite songs. And I was like Anthony we cannot play Jungle Love in church. In the end we did play it in church because I used it on a slideshow I made that played before mom’s funeral. I thought to myself look at this mom, we played Steve Miller Band in church. Kevin, our minister, was like, “So, what’s the deal with Jungle Love?” I told him she loved that song, and mom, our friend Dawn, and I were actually supposed to see them in concert, but it was cancelled due to covid. Keep reading for songs we used for her funeral and songs I keep on my grief playlist for when I need a good cry.
Sissy’s Song by Alan Jackson
This was the song we had our friend, Steve, sing during mom’s funeral. I feel like this song is overused, but it’s because it’s fitting for so many women. It’s about Alan Jackson’s sister who passed, and the lyrics are so mom. “And she talks with Jesus and her loved ones waiting and I know she’s smiling saying, ‘Don’t worry bout me’.” Steve and mom messaged a lot on Facebook before she passed so she wanted him to be a part of her funeral. He had also just recently lost his sister, so it was a difficult song for him to sing, but he did a great job.
Blessed by Martina McBride
I was cleaning my house one day and listening to 2000s country on the tv (I do this a lot) when I heard this song. I had totally forgotten about it, and when I heard it, I thought the same thing as Sissy’s Song, it was so mom. The chorus especially, “I have been blessed, with so much more than I deserve. To be here with the ones that love me, to love them so much it hurts. I have been blessed.” Mom really liked Martina McBride and the word blessed, like not #blessed, she always said she was blessed, so I think she would like that this song was used.
Jungle Love by Steve Miller Band
No explanation needed. If your loved one has a favorite song, you should definitely use it at their services.
The Other Side by Lauren Alaina
My sister and I found this song when looking online for funeral songs. This song is about Lauren Alaina’s stepdad who passed from cancer. It’s basically your loved one telling you to go live a life worth living and they’ll be waiting for you to tell them about it once you’re together in heaven. I like to listen to this in the car when I need a good cry. “There’s gonna be a lot of sadness, a whole lot of happy days. I’ll try to think of this moment and this place and hear you say, ‘Don’t you cry for me cause I’m in God’s glory, and I can see his face it’s amazing. I know you have doubts, but I see him right now. I promise it’s real keep praying. I’ll be waiting, take your time, and go write a story that you can’t wait to tell me on the other side.’”
Mother Like Mine by The Band Perry
My sister and I also found this song when searching for mom songs. This is just a beautiful country song about your mom. The first part of the song has a line that goes “I’ve got the best and worst of her in me,” and I think that was when Kasey and I were like yep, we’ll use this one. The chorus is so mom though, it goes “the wars would all be over cause she’d raise us all as friends and no one would ever wonder if somebody wanted them.”
Those were the songs we used for mom’s slideshow, along with You’ve Got A Friend by James Taylor and I Can Only Imagine by MercyMe. Below are some songs I have on my “Songs for Mom” playlist for when I’m feeling sad or just need to cry it out.
The Best Day by Taylor Swift
If you’re a Taylor Swift fan, then you know this song about her mom. It’s a simple song, but it totally describes my relationship with my mom. The lyrics at the end of the song really hit close to home. “Now I know why all the trees change in the fall. I know you were on my side even when I was wrong. And love you for giving me your eyes, staying back and watching me shine. And I didn’t know if you knew so I’m taking this chance to say that I had the best day with you today.”
Soon You’ll Get Better by Taylor Swift
This song is about Taylor’s mom being diagnosed with breast cancer, and it is the saddest song ever. I played this for Kasey, and we just cried in the car together. The first lines remind me exactly how I felt when I went with mom to her oncology appointment back when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017. The lyrics at the end describe exactly how I felt when I realized mom was terminal. “And I hate to make this all about me. But who am I supposed to talk to? What am I supposed to do? If there’s no you.” I feel conflicted even sharing this song because it’s so sad, but it made me feel less alone in how I was feeling.
Like My Mother Does by Lauren Alaina
This song is about 10 years old, but I heard it on the radio the other day and had to send it to my sister and then add it to my playlist. If you’re mom’s still alive maybe send it to her. “I’ve got her spirit, and she’s always got my back. When I look at her I think ‘I wanna be just like that.’”
BeST,
Brittany
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