John
04-16-2009, 12:48 PM
TV themes more popular than hymns at funerals
TV theme tunes and pop songs are now more popular than traditional hymns at funerals, a new survey reveals.
Abide With Me, Amazing Grace and Jerusalem have been eclipsed by Frank Sinatra, Celine Dion and Robbie Williams.
And the theme music from comedy Only Fools and Horses and soaps like Coronation Street and Emmerdale are among the most popular choices.
The Benny Hill theme time and Monty Python's Always Look On The Bright Side of Life also among the most requested tunes.
A survey of 30,000 funerals conducted last year found that hymns were now the most popular requests at only 35% of services.
My Way by Frank Sinatra was the most popular, followed by Wind Beneath My Wings by Bette Midler and Time To Say Goodbye by Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman.
You Raise Me Up by Westlife and Angels by Robbie Williams made the top 10, while X Factor winner Alexandra Burke's Hallelujah was at number 26 only months after topping the Christmas chart.
Priests reject one in 10 requests, including for AC/DC's Highway To Hell and Another One Bites The Dust by Queen.
Lorinda Sheasby of Co-operative Funeralcare said the findings indicated that tastes are changing, with television programmes and chart hits influencing people's choices.
"Today's tear-jerking chart topper is extremely unlikely to be tomorrow's funeral classic but it's quite possible it will figure highly in the months or even years to come."
TV theme tunes and pop songs are now more popular than traditional hymns at funerals, a new survey reveals.
Abide With Me, Amazing Grace and Jerusalem have been eclipsed by Frank Sinatra, Celine Dion and Robbie Williams.
And the theme music from comedy Only Fools and Horses and soaps like Coronation Street and Emmerdale are among the most popular choices.
The Benny Hill theme time and Monty Python's Always Look On The Bright Side of Life also among the most requested tunes.
A survey of 30,000 funerals conducted last year found that hymns were now the most popular requests at only 35% of services.
My Way by Frank Sinatra was the most popular, followed by Wind Beneath My Wings by Bette Midler and Time To Say Goodbye by Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman.
You Raise Me Up by Westlife and Angels by Robbie Williams made the top 10, while X Factor winner Alexandra Burke's Hallelujah was at number 26 only months after topping the Christmas chart.
Priests reject one in 10 requests, including for AC/DC's Highway To Hell and Another One Bites The Dust by Queen.
Lorinda Sheasby of Co-operative Funeralcare said the findings indicated that tastes are changing, with television programmes and chart hits influencing people's choices.
"Today's tear-jerking chart topper is extremely unlikely to be tomorrow's funeral classic but it's quite possible it will figure highly in the months or even years to come."