As I lay in the sun listening to music a weird thought came into my head. the sun will do; it can make you crazy. What music would I like to have played at my funeral/memorial service/wake if there is one? I actually thought the entire album Moondance or Astral Weeks by Van Morrison might be appropriate. He is obviously religious; I am not. Yet I loved his songs, even his religious songs. I particularly like “Into the Mystic”. But I do not intend “mystic” in any literal sense. At least I don’t intend “the mystic” to be a reference to something out there beyond those incredibly blue skies we have here in the desert nearly every day. I mean the mystic that is here and now. Right here and right now. That is my kind of mystic.
Here are the words (but you really should listen to it; the words are a small part of the song)
“Into The Mystic”
We were born before the wind
Also younger than the sun
Ere the bonnie boat was won as we sailed into the mystic
Hark, now hear the sailors cry
Smell the sea and feel the sky
Let your soul and spirit fly into the mystic
And when that fog horn blows I will be coming home
And when the fog horn blows I want to hear it
I don’t have to fear it
And I want to rock your gypsy soul
Just like way back in the days of old
And magnificently we will flow into the mystic
When that fog horn blows you know I will be coming home
And when that fog horn whistle blows I got to hear it
I don’t have to fear it
And I want to rock your gypsy soul
Just like way back in the days of old
And together we will flow into the mystic
Come on girl…
Too late to stop now…
When that fog horn blows I will be coming home. That is as good as any song I can think of. Can you think of a better one?
Perhaps it is not that uncommon or weird to think about the music at one’s funeral because I also have thought about it. I thought Leonard Cohen’s Closing Time might be appropriate.
As I was about to board a plane years ago with some work folks I had not met before I was stuck for small talk. I had heard on the radio that morning that it was Leonard Cohen’s birthday, so I mentioned it as a starter. “Oh! That’s right! Remind me to call Leonard when we land,” she said with no hint of sarcasm. Hmmm. Kidding? Serious?
I hate small talk.
Anyway, good to hear that music planning is well in hand, but who will play you in the movie? Now THAT is a question worthy of pondering.
Unfortunately Walter Matthau is no longer available