krock Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 My best mate passed away a few days ago after a 2 year battle with cancer but he never stopped jamming with me the whole time he was ill. In his memory, a few of us performed for him. The songs I played were "shine on you crazy diamond," "City of Angels", and "Knockin on heaven's Door" It got me thinking, what songs would you play/have played for the ones you love? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stooge Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 That is really sad news Krock, sorry to hear about your friend, my thoughts are with you and his family. Cancer is a terrible disease, having said that I don't know really what I would play, it would probably depend on what music the friend, or loved one liked musically I suppose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 Around here, and at my age, such decisions tend to be made in advance by the deceased or his/her family. Me, I'd do whatever I was asked to do if it is any way in my ability to do it. A friend died some years ago and requested a mutual friend of ours, a bagpiper, to play Amazing Grace at his funeral. The deceased friend's family was of a different religious and musical bent, and refused the bagpipes. So... when a couple of weeks of blizzards ended, the piper and several other friends went to the cemetery where the song was played and the boys paid their respects. It was as much for them as for the decesased, but a promise made was a promise fulfilled. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elmer Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 Around here, and at my age, such decisions tend to be made in advance by the deceased or his/her family. Me, I'd do whatever I was asked to do if it is any way in my ability to do it. A friend died some years ago and requested a mutual friend of ours, a bagpiper, to play Amazing Grace at his funeral. The deceased friend's family was of a different religious and musical bent, and refused the bagpipes. So... when a couple of weeks of blizzards ended, the piper and several other friends went to the cemetery where the song was played and the boys paid their respects. It was as much for them as for the decesased, but a promise made was a promise fulfilled. m And so must it be. I bet it was gooseskin moment at the cemetery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaysEpiphone Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 Sorry buddy... I've done wake gigs. Was a long time ago for my Grand-pa, wrote a dirge for him. Another time a friend of a friend's baby died in birth. I played Amazing Grace on a 12 string for that one. Was sad, but made me feel good about giving some relief to suffering people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxson50 Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 You payed him the greatest compliment you could have, by just being there with him while his time slipped by, jamming with him, playing at his wake must have been really hard on you. Thanks for sharing the story, it is never easy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrosurfer1959 Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 Sorry for your loss it's always hard to lose people you care for. I lost my best friend about 10 years ago now to a brain tumor not a easy thing to watch, he put up a good fight they gave him 60 days he made it 13 months and it got harder and harder every day. He was 6'3" and 240 pounds when it started probably 160 pounds when he died. he use to have trouble with the drugs so he'd call me at ll times of the night lonely and hungry so I'd make him pancakes the syrup was one of the few things he could still taste enough to enjoy. We played Joe Walsh Rocky mountain way, and Life's Been Good to Me so Far, for him and buried him in his favorite harley jacket with his favorite dogs ashes at his feet. Not a bad way to go out, but I want something a little more mellow when I go though. Maybe She Talks to Angels and Warrens version of John the Revelator those would both work. Milo - yeah I hear you it has to be done that way sometimes. I honestly can't stand to hear Bag-Pipes any more after so many losses in both military and police, Ive heard them played for way too many really close friends lost in the L.O.D over the years, don't know what hurts worse anymore hearing the damn bag-pipes or watching them fold the flag... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrosurfer1959 Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 Sorry buddy... I've done wake gigs. Was a long time ago for my Grand-pa, wrote a dirge for him. Another time a friend of a friend's baby died in birth. I played Amazing Grace on a 12 string for that one. Was sad, but made me feel good about giving some relief to suffering people. Man that's gotta be one of the hardest things to ever do, a good friend that worked with me lost a set of twins due to complications losing both within two weeks of their births. I did Amazing Grace for them also and then I played Puff the Magic Dragon from Peter, Paul and Mary while the mothers sister sang most of the song before she broke down. It was chosen because the mother wanted a children's song for the kids and that was her favorite song as a child. I swear to god that was one of the hardest songs to play that Ive ever done. I couldn't even look up at the parents, when I played it. I don't think I could have gotten through it if I would have seen the mothers face, I could hear everyone crying even my wife who was right behind me, but who wouldn't shed a few tears when there's something just so wrong about those tiny baby coffins. But the mother said it helped her say goodbye and it was one of the things that helped get her through the service so it was worth it. I just kept my eye's on the fretboard the whole time like a kid that didn't know the notes yet, but I wasn't gonna look at anything but my J-185 fretboard or I wouldn't have been able to finish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T Bone Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 Very sorry for your loss, this is never an easy thing to go through. For my own, I've always liked the song Seagull by Bad Company (first album). I did play it for friends of mine (4 total) who died in a car crash back in '77 (didn't play it at their funerals, but in honor of their memory in private with some friends present). Amazing Grace is one I used to play, that would be appropriate for a funeral. I like it on the National with a slide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T Bone Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 Very sorry for your loss, this is never an easy thing to go through. For my own, I've always liked the song Seagull by Bad Company (first album). I did play it for friends of mine (4 total) who died in a car crash back in '77 (didn't play it at their funerals, but in honor of their memory in private with some friends present). Amazing Grace is one I used to play, that would be appropriate for a funeral. I like it on the National with a slide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saturn Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 I'm also sorry for your loss Kroc. Playing at a funeral can be tricky I think. You have to be careful not to pick anything that might sound cheesey or gimmicky if playing anything other than the standard funeral songs. I prefer instrumentals unless there is a song that has a personal meaning to the deceased. I was going to offer to play an acoustic solo version of "Ashoken Farewell" at a recent friends memorial. The intstruments were right there, but the appropriate time to do it never seems to come up, so I just let it go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fl00dsm0k3 Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 sorry for the loss as for the songs you played shine on you crazy diamond was a great choice i'm not familiar with the other songs though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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