Searching for Music for Funeral Service

Unfortunately, yes, it is time to think about music choices for a funeral, this time for my aunt. My mother and I are the next of kin and next-next of kin, as Aunty never married and there are only cousins left apart from us. I am usually brilliant at thinking of the perfect music for any occasion, but this is a little harder, Aunty was 76, and we'd probably prefer to pick music she knows, though I know many beautiful songs that would otherwise suit. I also have the sinking feeling she and my mother would like the stereotypical songs like Wind Beneath My Wings, and Because You Love Me....

Yikes!

It will be a church service, so there will be traditional hymns involved, so that part will take care of itself fairly easily.

But a song for a photo montage, or to lift our spirits at the end of the memorial? That is what I'm looking into now.

I bloody know the songs I'd want for my own funeral, I don't know if I should admit this but I have even thought about songs for my parents (both alive and kicking), but this.... I'm not sure. I have to think about it.

The 10 Songs You Absolutely Should Not Listen to if Single on Valtentine's Day

... and the 10 you should


10 Songs I forbid in my house on Valentines Day when Single

• All By Myself, Eric Carmen
• I Will Always Love You, Whitney Houston or Dolly Parton
• Without You, Mariah Carey
• Save Me, Queen
• Walk On By, Dione Warwick or Cyndi Lauper
• Goodbye My Lover, James Blunt
• White Flag, Dido
• Here Without You, 3 Doors Down
• Stay With Me, Shakespeare's Sister
• The Story, Brandi Carlile

And 10 Songs I recommend for hope, and some fun

• True Love Will Find You in The End, Beck (hope)
• Somebody to Love, Queen (fun)
• All By Myself if performed in a spoof of Bridget Jones in equally tragic ironic style (fun)
• Try A Little Tenderness, Aretha Franklin (hope)
• New Soul, Yael Naim (hope and fun)
• Neapolitan Dream, Lisa Mitchell (fun)
• Smile, Lily Allen (fun with some revenge thrown in)
• I Will Survive (okay she's been dumped, but she's got her groove back)
• Fighter, Christina Aguilera (fightin' back)
• Hey Na Na, Katie Herzig (fun, and ready to hit on a new guy)

Ukulele... If Only I'd Known

I had the best public school music teacher in primary school... and thanks to her I have learned several instruments, however when she suggested I learn ukulele... I was less than pleased. At that age, the only exposure to ukulele music I had was that played by bum clowns and daggy scenes in television and movies. I felt the ukulele was beneath me. I wanted to learn something a bit classier... cello, flute, to compliment my other skills.

Now I seem to have taken quite a shine to some beautiful, quirky, ukulele songs and would LOVE to learn this instrument.....

Here are some of the songs that have changed my outlook:

Israel kamakawiwole "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"

Dan Kelly "Nothing Compares to You"

Priscilla Ahn "Never Find My Way Back Home"

Cat Power "Sea of Love"

Ingrid Michaelson "You And I"

Joe Purdy "Wash Away"

Jason Mraz "I'm Yours"

Sophie Madeleine "Take Your Love With Me"

If only I'd learned then, I could be playing them now! Its not too late, I'm young, I can learn... but where I live now, its hard to find a teacher... so I'm having some regrets. I am wondering if I have enough aptitude to learn from books and online alone.... I'll have to figure it out somehow.

Its No Meat Dress

My new catchphrase and benchmark for crazy is the MEAT DRESS worn by Lady Gaga... when someone says 'that's crazy' I just shrug and say 'Eh, its no meat dress'. I don't think I'll find anything for a long time that surpasses the meat dress. Not only was it repulsive, it sounds downright unhygienic to me!

Win Handmade Earrings

I have a contest on my other blog www.easygivingheart101.blogspot.com you can win these earrings by guessing the number of butterflies in my room, there are hints and tips to help you guess, and all contest details are in the post. Simply leave a comment below the post stating the number you wish to guess!

The Life Cycle of the Guitarist Across the Street

I have had the same neighbours across the street for perhaps fifteen years now, decent people, no domestic arguments, only one or two really HUGE parties... but sometime in that first year, the man of the house bought a guitar. Its been a long road for him and for me as the person primarily at home to hear his progress. This is, as I see it, the life cycle of the guitarist across the street.

In the beginning he cannot play an entire song. Cannot, in fact, play an entire verse. Having learned to play a number of musical instruments I can diagnose his problem immediately... he does not play on from an error, but starts at the very beginning, again and again. You'll never get anywhere that way mate I'd think, and groan at the monotony of it all.

In the early stages of his life cycle I cannot identify which song or even style of music he is trying to play. But it could be worse, it could be the piano and it could be Chopsticks over and over, though I probably wouldn't be able to hear that in my house so moot point.

I think I can't wait for him to improve.

After a few months, his family welcomes a newborn infant. Wifey lays down the law - he is not allowed to play when the baby is home as its too loud - so he doesn't play as often. For 10 years he plays only when I am studying for an exam, have a uni assignment, am on holiday and trying to read a book for the pleasure of it, I'm sick, or I'm trying to write.

He joins or forms a band, now he brings other people home to join in. Beware, this is a direct result of improving, another illustration of be careful what you wish for.

The children get older and he has a free rein on when he can play. He begins to improvise for large quantities of time, it seems to be some kind of blues music. He plays so often I think he surely cannot own a tv set or a game system.

Recently he has begun to think he is experienced enough to learn to play music by ear alone. He is now playing Chris Isaaks 'Wicked Game' over and over never making it past a certain point, just like in the early days only now I can hear in my head the correct music and want to run over and hum it for him till he gets it right.

I'm now anticipating the kids will begin to learn to play... in which case, I might want to move closer to the highway.

Can Rock Stars Do Anything They Want?

Hey, I'm not going to go into trashing hotel rooms, brushes with the law, or anything like that... but I was listening to The White Stipes cover of Jolene, and thought to myself, cool people can do anything can't they? I mean here is a guy singing "I'm begging of you please don't take my man" and I'm singing along. I've never done anything but cringe when Jolene comes on the radio... sure its catchy but daggy.... but ever since the White Stripes cover, I admit, I love to belt out my own accompaniment to the song. And even my teenage nieces and nephews don't say 'ooh that is so gay!" as they are prone to do.

What about Michael Jackson and the single white glove, yes many people said 'hey Michael that's a bit weird' but hasn't it become an iconic piece of music history. He gets away with it because he is a creative genius. RIP and I hope heaven has a decent glove shop for ya.

I am really stuck on the song Your Ex Lover Is Dead by Stars at the moment, totally missed it when it came out, just found it because I was researching songs used in the tv series The OC. Well it opens so dramatically with "when there is nothing left to burn you have to set yourself on fire", love it, so dramatic! sounds like it might be taken out of a horror movie but I'll have to get around to researching that... maybe they did it all themselves.

I guess I'm just amazed by what some people can be praised for and other people can be totally panned for. Bjork, so hot one minute, wearing a swan for a dress to the Oscars the next... so was she ever cool? Will Lady Gaga ever just totally misread what we are willing to put up with in the 'fashion' stakes?

And what do you think is cool that might otherwise be considered dicey at best, lame at worst?