Always look on the bright side...

By Alexis Akwagyiram
BBC News

Robbie's Angels, Sinatra's My Way and Queen's Who Wants to Live Forever are among the top choices of songs played at funerals. Putting aside what it says about the nation's musical tastes, is this the dumbing down of death?

And it's whispered that soon,
if we all call the tune
Then the piper will lead us to reason
And a new day will dawn
for those who stand long
And the forest will echo with laughter

Followers of those hell-raising 70s stadium rockers Led Zeppelin will recognise these words as the lyrics to the band's most famous anthem, Stairway to Heaven.

But it seems Zep's mystical musings are reaching a more unassuming audience, in the shape of funeral congregations.

Britons increasingly appear to be moving away from traditional funeral services in which religious songs provide the only musical accompaniment, and opting instead for tunes like REM's Everybody Hurts, Oasis' Live Forever and Led Zeppelin's Stairway to Heaven.

The songs were among those named in a survey of funeral favourites conducted by a digital television music channel.

Songs are often seen as a fitting way to celebrate a person's life

All of which is likely to come as a surprise to those accustomed to hearing the strains of more traditional music while remembering loved ones.

But anecdotal evidence suggests that the use of secular songs is becoming increasingly widespread.

"Playing a particular piece of music at a funeral has become more and more common over the last 10 years. People are more aware of ways in which they can tailor the service," says Adrian Pink, of the British Institute of Funeral Directors.

Songs of celebration

"Specifically selected songs add poignancy to the proceedings because they make the service more personal and help to celebrate the person's life."

He sees no reason to sneer at what some will no doubt see as the ultimate surrender to pop culture: the dumbing-down of death. Mr Pink boasts an extensive music collection for mourners to choose from and can now download obscure songs on demand.

The appeal of My Way could lie in existentialist philosophy

His views are echoed by Adam Heath, a spokesman for the National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD), who says around half of the services he is involved in feature specially selected music.

Some argue the trend goes hand-in-hand with the decline of organised religion in the UK.

"This practice reflects the fact that people increasingly don't have a religious foundation to their lives," says Julian Baggini, editor of The Philosopher's Magazine. "They want something that resonates with their lives. When church-going was more common, there would have been comfort in religious songs."

The bright side

Christian theologian Rev Andrew Goddard, of Oxford University, says the funeral "hit parade" should be welcomed as a challenge for organised religions in the UK to "articulate the hopes, concerns and fears" of local communities.

Rev Goddard suggests many Britons have stronger ties with pop songs than religious ones, but he stresses that the sentiments of some songs can be incorporated into a religious framework.

According to Baggini, the songs that topped the Music Choice TV survey - which drew on the responses of 45,000 viewers - reflect the nation's collective psyche.

Frank Sinatra's My Way and Monty Python's Always Look on the Bright Side of Life followed Angels in the poll, making up the top three.

The appeal of Angels may stem from its simplicity

Baggini, however, believes there are hidden levels of profoundness here. Sinatra's anthem, he says, pinpoints "the desire people have to be authors of their own life" - something identified by existentialist philosopher Jean Paul Sartre. Monty Python's irreverent song from The Life of Brian reflects the thinking of Albert Camus, who suggested that life is absurd - albeit in a quintessentially British way.

Existentialism relies on the notion that individuals constantly make choices that define their identity in a world which lacks moral and religious certainty.

"Camus talks about life being absurd in a miserable way, but that song reflects a very British sense of black humour by laughing at the absurdity of life," says Baggini.

The appeal of Angels, however, seems more straightforward.

"It's a nice melody and Robbie is talking about Angels. People want a sense that the person who died is an angel, so it's about being comforted."

'Participation event'

Cultural commentator Stephen Bayley sides with the mood for playfulness, although he would opt for more "style and intellect".

"Being self-conscious, I have, naturally, spent a lot of time thinking about funeral arrangements. Frivolous gravity is the mood required," he says, noting how he would like to mark his passing with a rendition of Cannonball Adderley's Mercy, Mercy, Mercy and JS Bach's Ich Habe Genug.

But the trend for pop songs at funerals does not necessarily mark the beginning of the end for religious ceremonies. Despite the nation's apparent love affair with Robbie, Adam Heath argues that traditional service structures remain popular.

"Hymns are still sung at some stage in most services that I'm involved in and classical music is popular."

Amazing Grace, Ave Maria and Elgar's Nimrod remain firm favourites, he says. And although he concedes that humanist and non-religious ceremonies are becoming more common, religious songs "make a service more of a participation event".

"They give relatives and friends the opportunity to sing together and grieve together. For that reason they remain very popular."