Favorite song

[Krieg]

Paradise as written by John Prine but sang by my grandfather with my grandmother playing guitar.

As a child I spent a lot of time listening to my grandparents and their friends playing folk & bluegrass. I didn't appreciate it nearly as much as I should have a the time...and would give nearly anything to hear them sing one more time.

When I was a child my family would travel
Down to Western Kentucky where my parents were born
And there's a backwards old town that's often remembered
So many times that my memories are worn.

Chorus:
And daddy won't you take me back to Muhlenberg County
Down by the Green River where Paradise lay
Well, I'm sorry my son, but you're too late in asking
Mister Peabody's coal train has hauled it away

Well, sometimes we'd travel right down the Green River
To the abandoned old prison down by Airdrie Hill
Where the air smelled like snakes and we'd shoot with our pistols
But empty pop bottles was all we would kill.

Repeat Chorus:

Then the coal company came with the world's largest shovel
And they tortured the timber and stripped all the land
Well, they dug for their coal till the land was forsaken
Then they wrote it all down as the progress of man.

Repeat Chorus:

When I die let my ashes float down the Green River
Let my soul roll on up to the Rochester dam
I'll be halfway to Heaven with Paradise waitin'
Just five miles away from wherever I am.

Repeat Chorus:

My mother's family is from West Virginia rather than Kentucky but the words echo my childhood almost verbatim.

Should an epitaph really begin with "His Life Was Saved..."?

I suppose that would depend on whether you believe in an everlasting life....

As for my funeral song?

A traditional rendition of Thomas Moore's The Minstrel Boy (w/ the additional third verse):

The Minstrel Boy to the war is gone
In the ranks of death you will find him;
His father's sword he hath girded on,
And his wild harp slung behind him;
"Land of Song!" said the warrior bard,
"Tho' all the world betrays thee,
One sword, at least, thy rights shall guard,
One faithful harp shall praise thee!"

The Minstrel fell! But the foeman's chain
Could not bring that proud soul under;
The harp he lov'd ne'er spoke again,
For he tore its chords asunder;
And said "No chains shall sully thee,
Thou soul of love and brav'ry!
Thy songs were made for the pure and free,
They shall never sound in slavery!"

The Minstrel Boy will return we pray
When we hear the news, we all will cheer it,
The minstrel boy will return one day,
Torn perhaps in body, not in spirit.
Then may he play on his harp in peace,
In a world such as Heaven intended,
For all the bitterness of man must cease,
And ev'ry battle must be ended.

It's already written into my will.

 

[Torm]

My favorite song is Los Lobos's "Wicked Rain/Across 110th Street" medley, which I discovered by chance thanks to Yahoo streaming audio.

Man, I'm slow on the uptake, sometimes! I just realized what a surprise it is that THIS isn't your favorite song. I guess the times on Endor, they are a changin', eh?

 

[diaglo]

Favorite song? due to a combination dance, air guitar, fun nature...

Satisfaction -- Rolling Stones


Grave song?

Imagine -- John Lennon


Mellow song?


Dazed and Confused -- Led Zep

 

[MonsterMash]

Hell, choose one song!

A few bits and pieces - my commuting song - A13 Trunk Road to the Sea Billy Bragg

Lawyers, Guns and Money Warren Zevon

Grave Song - tricky to think

 

[reanjr]

Ummm... Well, I view Dream Theater's Metropolis Part 2: Scenes From a Memory as a single song spread amongst many tracks. I'll go with that.

 

[NeuroZombie]

Too hard, too hard... one song?

I guess currently it would have to be "Panzermensch" by And One

a few years ago I would have said "The Bog" by Bigod 20 or "Smothered Hope" by Skinny Puppy depending on wether I was feeling playfull (the former) or depressed (the latter)

A few tracks that always get me going at the club.

 

[glass]

It's a tough call, but my favourite song would probably have to be 'Behold! The Nightmare' by The Smashing Pumpkins.

But several of their songs are close contenders, as are quite a few other peoples'.


glass.

 

[nakia]

Funeral Song

So, here's a question:

Would it be overly distrcting to have a live version of a song as your funeral song? What if, while they are lowering you into the clay, the band gets introduced: "And on bass, Rick Taylor. Jimmy Halford on the drums . . ."?

(And, yes, I stole this from Nick Hornby. He wants the live version of Van Morrison's "Caravan" as his funeral song, but is worried because Van introduces the band in the middle of it. I just have this really funny image of these mourners looking sorrowful while Van Morrsion introduces his band.)

 

[howandwhy99]

Well for a long time I guess I would just say the entire "Passion" soundtrack from Peter Gabriel.

Lately I've developed a fondness for Beth Orton. "Lean on me" with Terry Callier would also qualify.

 

[SpringPlum]

Oh gee, I gotta pick just one? Never mind, can't do it. But here's a short list of songs that I will never, never be tired of.

1. I Love a Rainy Night - Eddie Rabbitt
2. Call Me Call Me - Steve Conte
3. Dante's Prayer - Loreena McKennitt (My grave song if I had to narrow it down)
4. Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters - Elton John
5. More - Bobby Darin

Honourable Mention:
Dance of Curse - from Escaflowne