Songs In The Key Of Death

Cracking story in the Mail on Wednesday about Redditch Crematorium offering people the chance to have funerals broadcast on a pay-per-view internet site. But what got me thinking was the factbox listing 20 typical and unusual funeral songs.

Why don't record companies produce CD collections giving people a selection of funeral songs? We get compilations focusing on dance music, indie music, rock music, morris dancing music (probably) and jazz music. You can also find songs suitable for Mother's Day, Christmas, St Patrick's Day etc etc. So why no death compilations? What happens if someone doesn't want "Wind Beneath My Wings", "All By Myself" or "Without You" to be blasting out as the coffin is lowered or sent into the flames?

So with that in mind, here is a comprehensive list of songs I think would fill a double CD "Greatest Funeral Songs Album In The World...Ever!" collection:

1. One Step Beyond - Madness
2. Going Underground - The Jam
3. Death Disco - Public Image Ltd
4. That's The Way Life Goes - Jimmy Cliff
5. Long Shot Kick De Bucket - The Pioneers
6. Hell is Round The Corner - Tricky
7. Don't Fear The Reaper - Blue Oyster Cult
8. It's All Over Now - The Rolling Stones
9. Way Out - The Las
10. Fade Away - Blondie
11. Death Trip - Iggy And The Stooges
12. Sound Of Silence - Simon & Garfunkel
13. Go Now - The Moody Blues
14. That's No Way To Say Goodbye - Leonard Cohen
15. Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now - The Smiths
16. Highway to Hell - AC/DC
17. Great Gig In The Sky - Pink Floyd
18. Who Wants to Live Forever - Queen
19. The End - The Doors
20. The Next Life - Suede

There, think I've covered all the bases with that one...