Funeral Songs to Say Goodbye
Saying goodbye is the hardest part. The right song doesn't make it easier — it makes it honest. These are the farewell songs families choose most, from the soaring “Time to Say Goodbye” to the raw grief of “Tears in Heaven.”
Funeral Songs to Say Goodbye
Funeral songs to say goodbye include “Time to Say Goodbye” by Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman, “See You Again” by Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth, and “My Way” by Frank Sinatra. These funeral goodbye songs are chosen because they address farewell directly — not through metaphor but through lyrics that name the moment of parting. The best goodbye songs give mourners permission to feel the weight of the final farewell.
“Time to Say Goodbye” — Andrea Bocelli & Sarah Brightman
The #1 funeral song in the UK since 2024. Its operatic grandeur elevates the moment of farewell into something transcendent. The Italian lyrics ("Con te partiro" — "I will go with you") transform goodbye into a journey together rather than a separation.
Time to say goodbye, to countries I never saw and shared with you...
“See You Again” — Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth
Written as a tribute to actor Paul Walker after his death, this song reframes goodbye as temporary. Especially popular with younger families and for unexpected losses. The piano melody is instantly recognisable.
It's been a long day without you, my friend, and I'll tell you all about it when I see you again.
“My Way” — Frank Sinatra
The ultimate farewell for someone who lived life on their own terms. Held the #1 funeral song spot for over a decade. Works as a final statement rather than a mourner's lament — the deceased saying goodbye to life with no regrets.
“Tears in Heaven” — Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton wrote this after his four-year-old son fell from a 53rd-floor window. The raw authenticity of genuine grief makes it one of the most emotionally powerful farewell songs ever recorded.
Would you know my name if I saw you in heaven?
“Danny Boy” — Traditional Irish
The quintessential Irish farewell, sung at funerals for over a century. The melody (Londonderry Air) predates the lyrics by decades, carrying generations of grief in its notes. Especially powerful when sung live.
But come ye back when summer's in the meadow, or when the valley's hushed and white with snow.
Final Goodbye Song at Funeral
The final goodbye song at a funeral is the last piece of music mourners hear — typically the recessional played as the casket exits or as people leave the venue. This moment carries enormous emotional weight. “Time to Say Goodbye” by Andrea Bocelli is the most common final goodbye song, followed by “Amazing Grace” and “My Way” by Frank Sinatra. The final goodbye song at a funeral should match the tone families want to leave with: a solemn farewell, a hopeful promise, or a celebration of life lived fully.
Funeral directors recommend the final song last 3-4 minutes — long enough for everyone to exit but not so long that the room empties before the music ends. Some families choose two songs: one emotional farewell as the casket leaves, then something lighter or upbeat as guests file out, creating a transition from grief toward hope.
Funeral Songs to Say Goodbye to Dad
Funeral songs to say goodbye to dad honour the unique bond between fathers and their children. Frank Sinatra's “My Way” captures the independent spirit of a father who lived on his own terms, while Eric Clapton's “Tears in Heaven” speaks to the profound pain of losing a parent. Josh Groban's “You Raise Me Up” acknowledges how fathers lift their children through life's challenges.
“My Way” — Frank Sinatra
For dads who did things their own way. The lyrics read as a life lived with conviction — exactly how many children remember their fathers.
“You Raise Me Up” — Josh Groban
The title says it all. This song captures how fathers elevate their children, providing strength and support that you only fully appreciate after they're gone.
“Tears in Heaven” — Eric Clapton
Though written about losing a child, the question "Would you know my name if I saw you in heaven?" resonates for anyone who has lost someone central to their identity.
Funeral Songs to Say Goodbye to Mom
Funeral songs to say goodbye to mom celebrate the nurturing presence that shaped your life. “Wind Beneath My Wings” by Bette Midler is the most requested farewell song for mothers, recognising the quiet sacrifices they make. Ed Sheeran's “Supermarket Flowers” captures the small details of a mother's life — the things you only notice once she's gone.
“Wind Beneath My Wings” — Bette Midler
Acknowledges the unsung hero role many mothers play — always supporting, rarely taking credit. The lyric "Did you ever know that you're my hero?" is what many wish they'd said.
“Supermarket Flowers” — Ed Sheeran
Written after his grandmother's death. Specific domestic details — half-empty cups of tea, supermarket flowers by the bed — make this one of the most authentic goodbye songs for a mother or grandmother.
“I Will Remember You” — Sarah McLachlan
A gentle promise to carry her memory forward. The simple melody and honest lyrics create space for both grief and gratitude.
Farewell Songs by Moment
Different moments in a funeral call for different farewell energies. Here's how to match goodbye songs to each part of the service:
Processional
As the casket enters and people settle.
- • “Time to Say Goodbye”
- • “Danny Boy”
- • “Ave Maria”
Recessional
As people leave — the final farewell.
- • “My Way”
- • “Amazing Grace”
- • “What a Wonderful World”
Graveside
The most intimate farewell moment.
- • “Tears in Heaven”
- • “I Will Remember You”
- • “See You Again”
All Farewell Songs for Funerals
Browse the complete collection of goodbye and farewell songs. Each has been chosen by thousands of families for saying a meaningful final farewell.
Andrea Bocelli & Sarah Brightman
A powerful duet about parting that combines classical grandeur with emotional depth.
Why it's meaningful: The soaring vocals and orchestral arrangement create a moment of beautiful farewell.
Best moment: Often chosen for the final farewell or committal.
One Sweet Day
Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men
A powerful duet about missing someone and looking forward to reunion, expressing all the things left unsaid.
Why it's meaningful: The soaring harmonies and emotional vocals create a cathartic release while offering hope of eventual reunion and expressing unspoken love.
Best moment: Emotional peak moment during service, allows congregants to fully feel their grief.
It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday
Boyz II Men
Boyz II Men's acapella ballad about parting ways, made iconic by the movie Cooley High.
Why it's meaningful: The harmony-driven vocals capture the collective grief of saying goodbye, making it perfect for young people or tight-knit groups.
Best moment: Powerful for younger generations or honoring friendships and brotherhood.
End of the Road
Boyz II Men
Boyz II Men's emotional R&B ballad about reaching the painful end of a relationship.
Why it's meaningful: The raw emotion in accepting that we've reached the end captures the finality of loss.
Best moment: Emotional choice for 90s music lovers or expressing the finality of loss.
Frank Sinatra
An anthem of living life on one
Why it's meaningful: Celebrates individuality and a life lived with conviction.
Best moment: Perfect for honoring someone with a strong, independent spirit.
I Will Remember You
Sarah McLachlan
A promise to keep memories alive despite the pain of parting.
Why it's meaningful: Acknowledges both the joy of having known someone and the sorrow of goodbye.
Best moment: Beautiful as a personal tribute or during memory sharing.
The Parting Glass
Traditional Irish
A traditional Irish farewell song, often the last song of the night, bidding goodbye with warmth and gratitude.
Why it's meaningful: The ultimate farewell song in Celtic tradition. 'I gently rise and softly call, goodnight and joy be to you all.'
Best moment: Final song of the service or wake. The traditional ending to an Irish funeral.
Eric Clapton
A deeply personal song about loss and the hope of reunion.
Why it's meaningful: Written after tragic loss, it speaks to the universal experience of grief.
Best moment: Particularly meaningful for untimely losses.
Neither One of Us
Gladys Knight & the Pips
Gladys Knight's heart-wrenching ballad about the painful inability to say goodbye to great love.
Why it's meaningful: Captures the specific pain of not being ready to let go, honoring the difficulty of accepting inevitable loss.
Best moment: For sudden losses or relationships where there wasn't time to prepare.
Softly, As I Leave You
Frank Sinatra
A 'deep cut' alternative to My Way. Frames death as a quiet, considerate departure: 'Softly, I will leave you... before you wake.' The protective instinct of a father.
Why it's meaningful: Speaks to the Silent Generation man who wished to spare his family grief. Intimate, whispered, and devastatingly beautiful.
Best moment: Committal or curtain closing at crematorium. The narrative of slipping away while loved ones sleep is a perfect metaphor.
Danny Boy
Traditional Irish
An Irish ballad of farewell that has become a funeral standard.
Why it's meaningful: The haunting melody and words of parting resonate across cultures.
Best moment: Especially meaningful for those of Irish heritage.
See You Again
Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth
A modern tribute to friendship and the promise of reunion.
Why it's meaningful: Speaks to younger generations about loss and remembrance.
Best moment: Resonates particularly with younger mourners.
So Long, Farewell
The Sound of Music Cast
The beloved farewell song from The Sound of Music, a lighthearted goodbye that can bring bittersweet smiles.
Why it's meaningful: For families who want a moment of lightness. The innocence of the song honours grandparents who loved musicals.
Best moment: Recessional for a celebration of life. Brings gentle humour to farewell.
Bye Bye Love
The Everly Brothers
A classic rock and roll farewell with the Everly Brothers' unmistakable harmonies.
Why it's meaningful: The simplicity of the goodbye, sung in perfect harmony, captures the pain of parting with grace.
Best moment: Recessional or celebration of life for someone who loved 1950s music.
Hello, Good-Bye
Michael W. Smith
Written for friends who lost their infant son, this gentle song acknowledges the brief hello before the devastating goodbye, with hope of reunion in heaven.
Why it's meaningful: Speaks directly to parents who barely got to know their child before losing them, honoring even the shortest lives as infinitely meaningful.
Best moment: Especially meaningful for infant loss or short lives.
Las Golondrinas
Traditional / Narciso Serradell Sevilla
Mexico's ritualized farewell — migrating swallows symbolize the soul's departure. Played at the precise moment the coffin is lifted.
Why it's meaningful: So culturally embedded that hearing the opening notes induces immediate tears in older generations. A Pavlovian trigger for finality.
Best moment: The moment of departure — coffin lifted from home/church, or crypt sealed.
Un Puño de Tierra
Antonio Aguilar
A stoic ranchera: 'Ya muerto voy a llevarme nomás un puño de tierra.' Rejects vanity in favour of a life fully consumed.
Why it's meaningful: The masculine counterpart to Amor Eterno. Accompanies the tequila toast onto the grave — celebrating vitality, not mourning loss.
Best moment: Graveside toast or reception. For patriarchs who lived on their own terms.
El Rey
José Alfredo Jiménez
Asserts dominance even in death: 'Con dinero o sin dinero, hago siempre lo que quiero.' The deceased is 'The King,' bowing to no one but destiny.
Why it's meaningful: Standard in northern Mexico. Rejects the vulnerability of death in favour of defiant identity and independence.
Best moment: Reception or celebratory wake. Often accompanies the tequila toast at graveside.
Happy Trails
Roy Rogers & Dale Evans
The quintessential cowboy goodbye: 'Happy trails to you, until we meet again.' The clip-clop rhythm mimics a horse walking into a sunset.
Why it's meaningful: Rejects death's finality — temporary separation, not ending. Written in 20 minutes, adopted by ranching community as sincere farewell.
Best moment: Recessional. Almost exclusively the final exit music — ending the 'show' of a life well-lived.
Que Te Vaya Bonito
José Alfredo Jiménez
A non-religious blessing: 'Ojalá que te vaya bonito' (I hope it goes beautifully for you). Mature, resigned grief without bitterness.
Why it's meaningful: Gentle where other songs are raw. Shifts focus from survivor's pain to a sincere wish for the departed's peace.
Best moment: Reflection or final farewell. A gentler alternative to Amor Eterno's intensity.
Popular Recessional Songs
Recessional songs play as people leave the service. These are the most-requested songs for that final moment, ranging from solemn to uplifting.
Traditional
A timeless hymn of redemption and hope that has comforted mourners for centuries.
Why it's meaningful: This beloved hymn speaks of salvation and the journey from loss to grace, offering profound comfort to those grieving.
Best moment: Often played during the processional or as a closing hymn.
Louis Armstrong
The quintessential New Orleans jazz funeral song, starting somber then exploding into joyful celebration during the second line.
Why it's meaningful: Embodies New Orleans jazz funeral tradition - mourning the loss while celebrating the soul's journey to heaven.
Best moment: Recessional or second line celebration, especially for New Orleans funerals.
Traditional Hymn
A majestic hymn praising God
Why it's meaningful: Offers hope of reunion in heaven and celebrates faith
Best moment: Powerful as a congregational hymn or solo performance.
Spirit in the Sky
Norman Greenbaum
Psychedelic rock-gospel fusion with a gritty fuzz guitar riff. The most direct funeral instruction in rock history.
Why it's meaningful: Reframes death as preparation for the 'place that's the best.' The stomping beat forces a march-like exit, turning the recessional into a parade.
Best moment: Recessional. The definitive choice for the 'cool dad' or rock-and-roll enthusiast.
Simply the Best
Tina Turner
80s power anthem with synthesizer stabs and Turner's raspy, powerful vocals. A direct eulogy in song form.
Why it's meaningful: Validates the grief (we are sad because you were the best) while celebrating the person's value. Allows leaving with heads held high.
Best moment: Recessional. Particularly popular for spouses and sports fans.
Don't Stop Me Now
Queen
High-tempo, piano-driven rock about having the time of your life. Freddie Mercury's vocals are ecstatic and infectious.
Why it's meaningful: The 'Party Funeral' anthem. Suggests the deceased's life was a continuous burst of energy that death cannot fully arrest.
Best moment: Recessional for young people or those who lived joyful, hedonistic lives.
Here Comes the Sun
The Beatles
George Harrison's gentle acoustic anthem about darkness giving way to light. One of the most hopeful songs ever written.
Why it's meaningful: Frames grief as a long winter that will eventually end. The simple melody and warm acoustic guitar provide genuine comfort.
Best moment: Recessional or end of service. Universally appropriate and deeply comforting.
Jerusalem
William Blake / Hubert Parry
Blake's visionary poem set to Parry's majestic march. A secondary national anthem in England evoking fierce resilience and the triumph of building heaven on earth.
Why it's meaningful: Less about personal grief, more about collective resilience and victory. Sends the congregation out on a triumphant, defiant note.
Best moment: Almost exclusively a recessional. The rousing march requires a strong organ and confident congregation.
You Raise Me Up
Josh Groban
An uplifting tribute to someone who was a source of strength.
Why it's meaningful: Celebrates how loved ones lift us up and continue to inspire even after death.
Best moment: Powerful during tributes or as a recessional.
I'm Still Standing
Elton John
Elton John's defiant pop-rock anthem of resilience and survival against all odds.
Why it's meaningful: Chosen for those who fought long illnesses or overcame adversity. Celebrates resilience and the refusal to be defeated.
Best moment: Recessional for fighters — those who battled cancer, addiction, or hardship with dignity.
Common Questions
What is the most popular funeral song to say goodbye?
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"Time to Say Goodbye" by Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman is the most popular farewell funeral song in 2026, according to Co-op Funeralcare's survey of 90,000+ UK services. The song overtook Frank Sinatra's "My Way" for the top spot in 2024. Its soaring operatic duet captures the grandeur and finality of a last farewell without being mournful. "See You Again" by Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth is the most popular modern alternative, especially for younger families, written originally as a tribute to actor Paul Walker. For traditional services, "Danny Boy" remains the quintessential Irish farewell, while "Amazing Grace" works universally across denominations.
When should goodbye songs be played during a funeral service?
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Goodbye songs work at three key moments during a funeral. The recessional — as the casket exits and mourners file out — is the most traditional placement, with songs like "Time to Say Goodbye" or "My Way" providing a powerful final moment. The graveside or committal service is another natural fit, with gentler choices like "Danny Boy" or "I Will Remember You" accompanying the final physical farewell. Some families also place a goodbye song immediately after the eulogy, creating an emotional transition. Funeral directors recommend choosing different goodbye songs for each moment rather than repeating the same one, creating an emotional arc from sorrow to acceptance.
What are good goodbye funeral songs for a dad?
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The best funeral songs to say goodbye to a dad depend on his personality and your relationship. For fathers who lived boldly, Frank Sinatra's "My Way" captures that independent spirit. "Tears in Heaven" by Eric Clapton resonates deeply — Clapton wrote it after losing his own child, and it speaks to the pain of separation with raw honesty. "See You Again" works well for fathers who connected with their children through pop culture and shared experiences. For traditional or older dads, "Danny Boy" offers a timeless Irish farewell. Josh Groban's "You Raise Me Up" honours the way fathers lift their children through life. Pair a farewell song with something he actually loved — even an unexpected choice — to truly honour who he was.
What are good goodbye funeral songs for a mom?
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Saying goodbye to a mother calls for music that honours her nurturing presence. "Wind Beneath My Wings" by Bette Midler is one of the most-requested funeral songs for mothers, recognising the quiet sacrifices mothers make. "Supermarket Flowers" by Ed Sheeran was written about losing his own grandmother and captures the small, domestic details of a mother's life — the things you only notice once she's gone. Sarah McLachlan's "I Will Remember You" pairs gentle melody with a promise to carry her memory forward. "One Sweet Day" by Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men speaks to believing you'll meet again. For religious families, "Amazing Grace" or "How Great Thou Art" provide familiar comfort during the hardest goodbye.
Can you play upbeat songs as a farewell at a funeral?
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Absolutely. Upbeat farewell songs are increasingly popular, especially for celebration-of-life services and as recessional music. Queen's "Don't Stop Me Now," Monty Python's "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life," and Katrina and The Waves' "Walking on Sunshine" are all regularly chosen as final farewell songs. The key is matching the song to the person — a fun-loving, irreverent dad would probably prefer "Highway to Hell" by AC/DC over a sombre hymn. Funeral directors report that upbeat recessional songs often help mourners transition from grief to celebration, sending people out with a smile that honours the person's spirit. If in doubt, pair an emotional goodbye song earlier in the service with something uplifting at the end.