Your Memorial Service Mix-tape

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I've been thinking that it might be worth the effort to put together a collection of songs to play whenever my check out time has come and my friends and family have gathered for my wake.  No, nothing imminent, it's just the Eagle Scout in me thinking "Be Prepared".  Of course, I won't be there, but I suppose my spirit might be, and some tunes I dig might help those gathered tap into it.

There's a lot of songs that would be poignant and touching, like "Who Knows Where The Time Goes," "Spirit In The Sky", "Both Sides Now", "Ripple", "Good Shepherd", etc., but I think it would be a nice touch to break up the solemnity of the occasion with some more fun and playful numbers, like Curtis Mayfield's "If There's A Hell Below, We All Gotta Go" or Devo's "Mongoloid", just to give it a Prankster spin.  

I figure I should have another 20-30 years left barring some sort of catastrophic mishap, but you never know.   I still haven't drawn up a last will and testament, so maybe I should take care of that first, but the idea of leaving a tape or two of some of my favorite jams intrigues me.

What tunes would you want played at your memorial event?

If I put together a memorial mix tape there would definitely be some there who say "He's still making me listen to this shit."

Hell in a Bucket, Black Throated, LLR, Little light, Don't Need Love, Tons of Steel, Heaven Help the Fool

No Jerry. That's been done.

Ryan Adams - Magnolia Mountain and maybe Dr. John 

The best service I went to was a Quaker service which is run like a Quaker meeting where everyone gathers and when people feel like speaking they do or when no one does there is just silence. Some songs would be a nice addition. 

At Saturday night's aya ceremony, while still in complete darkness, our teacher interrupts the spiritual music mix with a song that broke the somber silence with blaring trumpets, and brought a round of immense and relieving laughter from all......

Johnny Cash  -  Ring of Fire.  So perfectly timed :)

Jerry's been done but Sugaree would feel appropriate. For a little humor, Cab Calloway's 'I'll be glad when you're dead you rascal you' would go on the mix.

roll me up and smoke me....

there won't be any 

Frank Zappa - Sofa 

Aaron Neville - Going Home

and don't forget to put a "Complements of Dave" schwag bag at every seat, full of your old cassettes and memorabilia that you couldn't part with

 

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Love this topic.   Been thinking about it a lot as my mother in law just passed and I do hope my funeral is a little more cheery.   I've been thinking of writing a letter in the next couple of weeks for someone to read.  Seems like I can still have a few last words from beyond the grave.   

Also I asked my brother in law to play a 45 min Fire on the Mountain to torture all my relatives.  He's game.  

 

Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die

Drumz > Space

Willie - I Don't Go To Funerals https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_-J_keVBY8

I don't go to funerals, I won't be at mine
I'll be somewhere lookin' back at loved ones left behind
My life has been a wonder and I found my place in time
But I don't go to funerals, and I won't be at mine

I'll be somewhere singin' songs with all those friends of mine
Life is great, but I can't wait to make our memories rhyme
Now those, who've gone before me, will save my place in line
I don't go to funerals, and I won't be at mine

There'll be a big ol' pickin' party when it comes my time
Me and Waylon, John and Chris and our sweetheart Patsy Cline
Merle and Grady and Freddy Powers, and all those pals of mine
But I don't go to funerals, and I won't be at mine

Somewhere, I hear angel voices singin' in the wind
Sayin' how it won't be long 'til time to fly again
Life is sweet and love is good, and we have had a good time
But I don't go to funerals, and I won't be at mine

No, I don't go to funerals, and I sure won't be at mine

Row, Row, Row Your Boat

Dave, now that you've got me thinking about it, I think leaving money to sponsor a public coffin race would be a splendid idea. Followed by a an open party for friends and strangers. I'm pretty healthy and I plan on outliving most of my friends anyway, so this will boost attendance at any honorarium. And support the local arts.  Also the free schwag bags are a good way for me to finally get rid of all my old GD cassettes.

This would offset the hippy dippy natural green burial that my spouse and I agreed to.

The only challenge is the logistics, as I'm supposed to be buried shortly after death and the artists would need some time to build their vehicles...... I'll have to think about that.....

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You guys are all invited, by the way. (and thank you in advance for putting up with my posts and pictures)

Alan, thank you for the invite.  Can we schedule that so I can get it on the calendar? 

well Zang, not to divert Dave's tread, but I'm presently housebound with a bout of diverticulites flareup, and if you asked me that a couple days ago I would have answered, "maybe next week." However, this genocide I'm preforming on my microbiome seems to be doing the trick (who knew antibiotics could be so mind altering?), so I'll search the calendar for an auspicious date about 20 years from now. But I'm counting on you to build a cool art coffin for the race. 

>>I'm presently housebound with a bout of diverticulites flareup, and if you asked me that a couple days ago I would have answered, "maybe next week." However, this genocide I'm preforming on my microbiome

As someone who has had terrible diverticulitis, requiring surgery 4 years ago, I feel for you. Last year I had to take the nuclear option on my microbiome and do 3 days of IV antibiotics. The new guidance is to go on a liquid diet or a few days. If it doesn't get better or gets worse, then go in for antibiotics.

thank you Brian and yea, I've rediscovered the joys of bone broth. Today I'm getting fancy and adding instant mashed potatos. Unfortunately I've gone through this a couple of times before and I reluctantly went for the meds this time after a few days of fever. I'm not complaining though as some of you guys and gals have stuff going on a lot worse than me.  Fasting and purging are supposed to bring spiritual enlightenment, right?  I'm on the path! I just wish the antibiotics provided some kind of dopamine. They fuck you up. Love and good health to all. 

Ooh, mashed potatoes. That's big. My first move is always Cream of Rice.

'metal machine music'  and  'we're all bozo's on this bus' simultaneously on repeat

>>>But I'm counting on you to build a cool art coffin for the race. 

I'm all in.  Already hard at work.   Mine will crush the competition and compost with your body.   It's going to be sick, especially with the flames.   "Streetcoffin"

Alan, wishing you good healing and extended good health.

A public coffin race sounds like good fun but possibly tedious to organize as death gets closer. Starting now seems good, store them somewhere til needed.

Again, wishing you better health and different kinds of fun before then.

(You, too, BK. Actually, to all of us.)

A song for you - G Parsons on repeat is all I would need

Dave, I think you should create an assortment of such mix tapes and sell them in the store. I mean, as Judit implied, at the time they are needed, friends and family are usually dealing with other issues. Most people don't plan ahead.

I know everyone has already thought of it, but I've always thought that if you play the other side of the Garcia album, the Late For Supper > Spidergawd > Epp hour stuff gives your friends time to pass out all the analogue photos one has accumulated thru the years to attendees as souvenirs, and the To Lay Me Down gives people time to look at them and trade them around, and during Wheel you do the procession. And if you book a Third Line band at short notice....