I have been considering the last songs I want played at my final events. I will have an atheist funeral so no hymns. But as I write those words, I think of older family members that will be shocked that if I didn’t have some sort of religious element in my send off. Still, I can’t be dishonest so no compromises. The funeral songs will be secular, and reflect my love of jazz and soul music.

My wake will be a good party, going on for several hours. A good party means good music, so my playlist will have soul and ska classics, jazz dance, two step, lovers rock as well as some songs that are the soundtrack to my life, and which will mean something to those who know me.

And, if I still have enough money left, I will tell my executor to organise a memorial celebration on my birthday.  And this should give him enough time to book a good live band. I will make the playlist for the gig.

I will be able to create these lists of musical choices thanks to My Last Song.  In the music section, you can create playlists and then put them in your Vault. Then they can be accessed by your executor or close family member when you pass, happy in the knowledge that your passing will be commemorated by the music you have chosen.

Neat, hey?

I’ve often thought how strange it is that people aren’t around to enjoy the best party of their lives. When my mother died, the reception was a gathering of everyone she held dear. My sister said to me how much mum would have enjoyed it.

I’ve been to other funerals where the reception turned into a full on party, in particular the sending off of a reggae singer.

So I read with some pleasure a blog by Richard Smith, brother of Arthur, advocating living funerals.  His argument is that the event would be far more pleasurable than one where the subject of the gathering is dead and so more people would come and enjoy themselves.

He had been to a living funeral and it was clearly a good time, not least because the dying friend’s favourite music was played.

Which is great news for someone who is getting a website called My Last Song off the ground. It stresses the importance of choosing the right music for your farewell, and a logical extension is to be there to enjoy the music and the party it’s being played at.

Also encouraging is Richard Smith’s assertion that living funerals ’seem not to be rare in America’.  So, I hope that you music lovers Stateside use My Last Song to store your playlists and the party plans for last big get together.