Elegy. Dirge. Lament. Requiem. There are many words for a funeral song. And there are also many emotions that these songs evoke. Sadness. Nostalgia. Anger. Hope.
In this episode, we lean into our inner goths and imagine the songs we’d want played at our own memorials…IF we even have one. One of us goes full velvet-draped drama with sweeping strings and tragic romance; the other is all about spiritual soulfulness, reggae-tinged resilience, and a send-off that feels more like a tipsy singalong than a dirge. We may have gone in completely different directions, but we both love the way music holds our grief and our joy, and how being a little “death positive” can actually make life feel more vivid.
Christine, our resident semi-goth, selected this theme and of course a beautiful and haunting funeral march: the Act I Prelude from Verdi’s “La Traviata.” An opera about love, confusion, and loss, the song begs you to listen to the quiet pulse of existence, to recognize how delicate and beautiful life is.
Christina, of course, took a vibes-based approach and selected a song from one of reggae’s greats, Jimmy Cliff, for her funeral march. Wistful and sad, but maybe hopeful? the song, “Many Rivers to Cross,” evokes feelings of the uncertainty and confusion that we feel on this journey, life. Is a river crossing factual or metaphorical? Does it matter? Discuss.
As always, we want to hear your personal picks for your dirge… requiem… elegy… whatever you call it. Share your funeral march songs with us on our Instagram page! And if you love this show, we hope you’ll give us a review or a rating on your favorite podcast platform!
Stereothematica 