Suitable music for someone with terminal illness

Faith177

What about somewhere over the rainbow by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole?

It is a Hawaiian version of the song from the Wizard of Oz.

We played it at my mums funeral as it is just beautiful and a very happy version of the song and everyone commented afterwards that it was just perfect

amistupid

AlisonHarrison wrote: »

They have a swimming pool in the garden and the kids will be splashing etc, so I was going to put Waterloo on top of that.

Handel's water music would be good classical accompaniment.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kuw8YjSbKd4

GlasweJen

does the man know he's terminal? If he does then I don't see why you can't include his favourites even if they are "sad" tunes. The party is for him so his choices should be taken into consideration.

I've been there (hours from death when I got a transplant) and the worst thing about being terminal is suddenly you can't be you any more, you have to be "brave", "a fighter", you have to explain to people that it's fine to listen to Eva Cassidy, play the real love hour on the radio and act normal because being terminal is the new normal to the sick person.

You spend more time hearing about how upset everyone else is, how brave they think you're being and yes it's sad that everyone else will be "left behind" but no offence, the sick person only has a limited amount of time to listen to his favourite tunes so just let him, even if they are sad.

fivetide

I think you need to think about him and his tastes. I am sure he'd be happy with his favourite tunes and they will take on more significance after he passes.


For example, the 'song' as we left at my uncle's funeral was actually Murray Walker commentating on the TT. He'd asked for it because it was a race he really remembered. Should have seen people's faces when the engines revved. Really broke the mood.


Good thing you are doing.

Slinky

GlasweJen wrote: »

.

I've been there (hours from death when I got a transplant)

Wow, I remember reading a long time ago that you had a terminal diagnosis, so glad for you that you got the treatment you needed.

Sorry OP to go off topic.

belfastgirl23

I think I'd be wary about anything that the person with the illness really loves - I wonder if it might make the film unwatchable for the rest of the family at later stages? My ideal would be to find a few songs they like and try to come up with modern day or slightly offbeat equivalents if possible. As an alternative suggestion, Pharrell's 'Happy' works really well with a lot of different images and hopefully the day will be a happy day. And it is an upbeat song which (in my mind anyway) kind of acknowledges that happiness is a state of mind, which might be a helpful thing for the family to think about.

It's a big ask of you, you should be proud of yourself for rising to it.

bylromarha

What a wonderful thing you are doing

Can I suggest you look at some track listings for 80s party type CDs on Amazon and get some ideas from there? It might prompt some thoughts

Like this?

"It must be love"/"You're my favourite waste of time" when your friend is with their partner on the video
"She drives me crazy" over footage of the MIL?
"Red red wine" while the drunkest person at the party is staggering across the screen...?

You get the idea.

Hope the party is everything they all want it to be.

bylromarha

Oh, and make sure Happy Hour by the Housemartins is on it somewhere.

Such an upbeat tune that will go with most of the footage I suspect.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Splish Splash? It's a fun fifties song. Surfin' USA?

Fun, party music all the way. You're My Best Friend for any moment when they're cuddled up/smiling together whilst the party goes on around them?

Cut to snippets of conversations during the party, the daft stories, the messages from them to him, going back to songs in between.

And maybe keep it upbeat for the first songs, followed by something softer for an epilogue, complete with a montage of photos of him and his family and friends, ending on her favourite photo just of him with some sort of message he wants to give everybody. One that you recorded him saying at the party as the last scene, but typing/quoting it.

Might be quite a bit of work, but there's plenty of video editing suites available for free. And it'll be worth it.

sheramber

AlisonHarrison wrote: »

Thanks again for all of these replies. Yes, I will definitely get some of his favourite music.
They are all trying to be upbeat at the moment, so some of his favourite music might not be suitable right at this moment. eg Angels by Robbie Williams. I know she wants the music to be cheerful at the moment, but after he dies I may change it to something more personal and poignant depending on what she wants. (I am uploading it to dropbox or You tube. I haven't decided yet)
So its upbeat or something to make you smile at the moment I was looking for.

Remember there are restrictions on what music you can use

https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/3376882?hl=en-GB