There are so many memorial songs in the world and so many more that weren’t written as such but have been reappropriated for mourning. Sometimes all we need to get through the day or night is to have one more good cry while listening to a song that could only have been written by someone who understands.
Music has always been magic but there’s something further magical about picking up the former pieces of a broken heart and making something beautiful out of them, something that honors what’s been lost.
When someone’s father passes away, a piece of them passes along with him. But somehow, losing that piece of the self helps wake a person up to their own life, which is a blessing. We know we need to move on, but we know we have to “pay our respects” first, whatever that means for us. Many times, we never quite figure that part out. If only we had our own song about this moment, one that could encapsulate what we’ve experienced and how much we love the person we’ve lost.
A Perfect Memorial Song for Dad
The perfect memorial song for Dad is, first of all, about him. Prewritten songs like “Hero” by Mariah Carey often get the job of trying to crystallize the way funeral-goers remember the deceased, and they almost invariably fail.
Those songs weren’t written about our own fathers and thus, at best, have to be excused at least in spots for being inapplicable. The alternative is a song whose lyrics are so vague that they’re never really wrong, but also never really right.
That’s why it can be so powerful to commission a custom memorial song for Dad. You pour your heart out to the composer, describing as much as is therapeutic about what you’re going to miss and what you want to remember the most. As the years pass, you’ll inevitably forget some of what you said–knowing that is why loss is so hard–but whatever makes it into the song, you can take with you forever.
The Power of Healing with a Celebration Song
While we’re alive, we do our best to make our lives help somehow. Many (most?) of us aren’t sure what that even means in any concrete terms but we know that, in some sense, we want the angels to whisper about us, “Good thing that guy happened.” We want this even though we know that the greater our value, the more devastating our loss. Somehow, we know the devastation is worth it.
But we also know the angels don’t say that about everyone. We tell ourselves that only people like Hitler miss out on such divine approval, but we know it’s not just them. This anxiety is summed up beautifully in one sentence in the song “Why Georgia”: “I wonder sometimes about the outcome of a still-verdictless life.”
This is why well-lived lives inspire celebration songs. Why memorial services can rightly be called celebrations of life. “He did it,” we say. And we look to him for inspiration to live similarly well.
A memorial song for Dad should be one of the most joyful celebration songs. Here was a guy who taught us how to live better; and now that he’s gone, any vicarious living-through-him we’ve been doing is forced to stop. His passing forces us to wake up to our own lives and live them in a way that will be worth celebrating when they too have ended.
Key Considerations for Funeral Songs
The most important consideration for a memorial song for Dad or anybody is the song’s significance. It’s even more important than whether you would regularly call it a “good song”. Coming back to the “Hero” example from earlier, despite its popularity at funerals, it has lyrics like, “Lord knows dreams are hard to follow but don’t let anyone tear them away.” Inspirational? Sure. Possible to relate to your deceased father? Perhaps. Immediately evocative of him? Probably not.
If there isn’t a song that was already special about your dad but you know that he deserves a memorial song, talk to a songwriter about creating one just for him. You can order professional packaging with a CD jacket and pictures, but then you can also make a copy for every attendee. This is something special that can help everybody through their mourning process.
A Trusted Partner for a Memorial Song for Dad
Jim Asleson, the founder of Tall Tribute, wrote a memorial song for his own dad. He’s not just a guy with a guitar; music is how he pays the tallest of his own tributes and, over the years, he’s found that the things he writes have resonated with others as well.
Most often, his custom songs are to honor special occasions and accomplishments. But having experienced nearly six decades of life and the common-to-all-of-us loss of loved ones along the way, memorial songs for dads, moms, grandparents, and even children are never too far from his mind.
If you’re interested in a custom memorial song for your dad but aren’t quite sure you want to make the commitment, request a sample. For the cost of a bouquet of flowers, Jim can send you just the chorus. If you love it and decide you want the full treatment, that price will be deducted from your package’s cost.
There is nothing available to us humans that can take away the pain of loss. And there is nothing available to capture and honor every little thing about those we’ve loved and lost. But the glory of mourning is found in doing what you can. Reach out today to start your song. Your fellow survivors will thank you for it.