Springsteen track for a funeral

[Grapes of Wrath]

It's got to be the one and only Born to Run!

It always brings a lump to my throat, and its in my final 3 for my own funeral. Hopefully not too soon!

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

You misunderstand them, as many do...

He's misunderstood by people who only listen to the choruses - eg George Bush's attempt to adopt Born In The USA as some sort of pro-American anthem.

But even worse was when I was at a World Series game and they introduced the winners of the Little League World Series by blasting Glory Days over the PA. Had anyone listened to the verses, they might have spotted that the song is all about the transitory nature of success, the inevitability of disappointment, the fading of early promise and the sadness of living on past glories. All likely to follow for these poor kids, but perhaps it was a bit insensitive to warn them about it on that occasion ...

 

[Superphil]

...

 

[Norman Potting]

Land of Hope and Dreams?

 

[blue'n'white]

The acoustic version of "The Ghost of Tom Joad"
"The highway is alive tonight, where it's headed everybody knows"
Read all the lyrics on the Springsteen website - it's perfect

 

[desprateseagull]

Going Down. end of thread.

 

[Frutos]

Bobby Jean could work well depending on the context of your relationship with the deceased.

 

[The Sock of Poskett]

May or may not be appropriate, but Further On Up The Road is gritty but full of hope ...



Lyrics are here: http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/brucespringsteen/furtheronuptheroad.html

 

[Nitram]

Born to run

 

[drew]

Any idea why, after posting the thread, Merryprankster hasn't made any additional comment. As others have said, a bit of context would help!

 

[Bad Ash]

Any idea why, after posting the thread, Merryprankster hasn't made any additional comment. As others have said, a bit of context would help!

He's probably too busy listening to Bruce's back catalogue.

 

[The Merry Prankster]

Any idea why, after posting the thread, Merryprankster hasn't made any additional comment. As others have said, a bit of context would help!

He's probably too busy listening to Bruce's back catalogue.

Not yet but I'm looking forward to getting a Springsteen education.

Gary was a good friend. Aged in his early sixties when he died he had lived, until he got sober 20 years ago, a hard life, a lot of it in prison, His wife died when he was banged up. I met him in my first AA meeting. He could see that I was terrified and about to do a runner so he took me under his wing. We met up every week for the next 15 years. He was long estranged from his family and I've now found out that his brother had predeceased him. A massive depressive episode about eight years ago from which he never fully recovered narrowed his world considerably as he found large groups of people difficult to handle. He was the best read man I have known especially in world affairs and modern history. A football fanatic and the only Man Utd supporter I've ever known actually born and bred in Manchester, I managed to get him to the AMEX once which he loved. Equally passionate about tennis and cricket, he would talk knowledgeably about all of them. He spent his last years quietly seeing a small group of close friends who all miss him badly. The end, when it came was sudden, a mere two weeks from "take these pills and you'll be right as rain in a week" to death from liver cancer. Although able to see his close friends before he died, he was too unwell to put all his affairs in order which distressed him. He was however remarkably accepting of his fate. The treatment he received at the Royal Sussex was excellent and dignified for which he was very grateful. His death when it came was both a release and a relief.

He was a kind man and as good a friend as one could ever hope for.

 

[drew]

Bobby Jean lyrics seem to sum that up!


Well I came by your house the other day, your mother said you went away
She said there was nothing that I could have done
There was nothing nobody could say
Me and you weve known each other ever since we were sixteen
I wished I would have known I wished I could have called you
Just to say goodbye bobby jean

Now you hung with me when all the others turned away turned up their noise
We liked the same music we liked the same bands we liked the same clothes
We told each other that we were the wildest, the wildest things wed ever
Seen
Now I wished you would have told me I wished I could have talked to you
Just to say goodbye bobby jean

Now we went walking in the rain talking about the pain from the world we hid
Now there aint nobody nowhere nohow gonna ever understand me the way you did
Maybe you'll be out there on that road somewhere
In some bus or train traveling along
In some motel room therell be a radio playing
And you'll hear me sing this song
Well if you do you'll know Im thinking of you and all the miles in between
And Im just calling one last time not to change your mind
But just to say I miss you baby, good luck goodbye, bobby jean

 

[chimneys]

For me-The Rising. Haunting music and I think very appropriate lyrics having read Merry Pranksters' touching eulogy:

Can't see nothin' in front of me
Can't see nothin' coming up behind
I make my way through this darkness
I can't feel nothing but this chain that binds me
Lost track of how far I've gone
How far I've gone, how high I've climbed
On my back's a sixty pound stone
On my shoulder a half mile line

Come on up for the rising
Com on up, lay your hands in mine
Come on up for the rising
Come on up for the rising tonight

Left the house this morning
Bells ringing filled the air
Wearin' the cross of my calling
On wheels of fire I come rollin' down here

Come on up for the rising
Come on up, lay your hands in mine
Come on up for the rising
Come on up for the rising tonight

Li,li, li,li,li,li, li,li,li

Spirits above and behind me
Faces gone, black eyes burnin' bright
May their precious blood forever bind me
Lord as I stand before your fiery light

Li,li, li,li,li,li, li,li,li

I see you Mary in the garden
In the garden of a thousand sighs
There's holy pictures of our children
Dancin' in a sky filled with light
May I feel your arms around me
May I feel your blood mix with mine
A dream of life comes to me
Like a catfish dancin' on the end of the line

Sky of blackness and sorrow (a dream of life)
Sky of love, sky of tears (a dream of life)
Sky of glory and sadness (a dream of life)
Sky of mercy, sky of fear (a dream of life)
Sky of memory and shadow (a dream of life)
Your burnin' wind fills my arms tonight
Sky of longing and emptiness (a dream of life)
Sky of fullness, sky of blessed life (a dream of life)

Come on up for the rising
Come on up, lay your hands in mine
Come on up for the rising
Come on up for the rising tonight

Li,li, li,li,li,li, li,li,li

 

[The Mole]

Terry's Song has to be the ultimate compliment for anyone at a funeral. I don't know who Terry was, but he must have meant a lot for Bruce to write such great, simple lyrics

 

[HAILSHAM SEAGULL]

Not yet but I'm looking forward to getting a Springsteen education.

Gary was a good friend. Aged in his early sixties when he died he had lived, until he got sober 20 years ago, a hard life, a lot of it in prison, His wife died when he was banged up. I met him in my first AA meeting. He could see that I was terrified and about to do a runner so he took me under his wing. We met up every week for the next 15 years. He was long estranged from his family and I've now found out that his brother had predeceased him. A massive depressive episode about eight years ago from which he never fully recovered narrowed his world considerably as he found large groups of people difficult to handle. He was the best read man I have known especially in world affairs and modern history. A football fanatic and the only Man Utd supporter I've ever known actually born and bred in Manchester, I managed to get him to the AMEX once which he loved. Equally passionate about tennis and cricket, he would talk knowledgeably about all of them. He spent his last years quietly seeing a small group of close friends who all miss him badly. The end, when it came was sudden, a mere two weeks from "take these pills and you'll be right as rain in a week" to death from liver cancer. Although able to see his close friends before he died, he was too unwell to put all his affairs in order which distressed him. He was however remarkably accepting of his fate. The treatment he received at the Royal Sussex was excellent and dignified for which he was very grateful. His death when it came was both a release and a relief.

He was a kind man and as good a friend as one could ever hope for.

Thanks for posting that, sorry for your loss. Sounds like he went through the mill a fair bit.

Another suggestion, again from the Rising, which is a poignent album anyway due to 9/11
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www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/brucespringsteen/nothingman.html

 

[HAILSHAM SEAGULL]

Terry's Song has to be the ultimate compliment for anyone at a funeral. I don't know who Terry was, but he must have meant a lot for Bruce to write such great, simple lyrics

Terry was Terry Magovern, Bruce's long term personal assistant and one of Bruces closest friends.

http://belmardays.blogspot.co.uk/2007/08/belmar-native-terry-magovern.html

 

[Frutos]

Bobby Jean lyrics seem to sum that up!

Agreed.