After the funeral service for my father, there was a reception at which we played some of his favourite music. I had a number of people tell me that they thought it was a great idea, and that they really enjoyed hearing those songs and learned more about my dad through them.
Putting the playlist together also helped me a lot. I listened to a lot of stuff from my childhood, and was reintroduced to artists I hadn’t listened to in decades. Listening to my dad’s music made me feel closer to him. And it made me realize that the reason my taste in music is so eclectic is probably because my dad’s taste was just as varied.
A lot of the songs my dad liked best were war songs. I don’t know if it was because of his military background or because of his interest in history. Or maybe it was just because such songs often portray the strongest emotions. My dad’s musical preferences also ran to the singer-songwriter folk musicians; the storytellers who spoke their truths simply, weaving their timeless magic with words and melodies and speaking from the heart.
My father was always thought of as “Mr. Math-Science-and-Engineering”, and upon first meeting him, some thought him abrupt. But once you actually knew him, once you touched his soul, you immediately understood that he was the kindest, warmest and most loving individual you could ever hope to meet. I think you can really get a sense of this through the music he loved best.
So, without further ado, here is a small subset of the playlist I put together for my dad’s reception. It’s called “Songs My Father Loved”…
Weekend Playlist #4: Songs My Father Loved
- Seven Daffodils – The Brothers Four
- Bang the Drum Slowly – Emmylou Harris
- Song for the Mira — Anne Murray
- City of New Orleans – Willie Nelson
- Lodi – Creedence Clearwater Revival
- Starwalker – Buffy Sainte-Marie
- Ring of Fire – Johhny Cash
- Ramblin’ Rose – Nat King Cole
- The Rose – Nana Mouskouri
- Blowin’ In the Wind – Joan Baez
Do you have any songs that you associate with your father or your childhood; songs that still make you smile when you hear them today? Please share them in the comments section below!
Wow. Nice tunes. Your father sure had excellent, eclectic taste in music!
Nana Mouskouri? I am glad people on this side of the pond are aware of her and her music. I wish music were still like that, but good thing you can find the classics!
It is so awesome that you know who Nana Mouskouri is! 🙂 I absolutely love her stuff… her voice is just incredible! My dad used to take me and my sister to her concerts whenever she came to town. I think he was actually introduced to her music through my mother.
We did the same for the service of my dad, and it was fitting since he was known for being a real audiophile. We found several that not only were sort of trademarks of him, those songs he always loved that we associated with him, but also songs that spoke of great character and of life and love that reminded us fondly of him. Needless to say, there was not enough Kleenex to go around at the service! The music was a terrific catalyst to bring the emotions out that we needed to vent, because sometimes the pain is so much that you can’t cry, even though you know you need to. In the coming months, though, it became difficult to listen to many of those songs–it was just too painful. Slowly and eventually, though, I am able to associate the songs with not so much a feeling of pain in loss, but in pride and love of him.
I always listen to the radio when I am driving. Sometimes out of the blue, an old, obscure song that he had always liked will come on, and I will get all tingly, smile, and often get choked up. And then always, I say, “Hi, Dad… I sure do miss you and love you.”
I think it’s wonderful that you have put this collection of songs together especially as a tribute to your father and also for yourself and those who knew and loved (love) him. It is a great testament to him and I appreciated and enjoyed getting to know a bit more about this man you called Dad.
In the coming days, weeks, and months, perhaps longer, he may be the subject of a lot of your posts. And I’m glad for that. I am so grateful to you for talking about it and sharing your experiences and feelings with us. You may not realize it, but what you are doing is helping me to continue in the process of healing as well. Thank you Nathalie, and bless you always.
Thank you, Ayla. That really means a lot to me. Writing about all of this helps me to deal with it, and I am so glad that other people who are reading about my experiences are finding it helpful in their own journeys. And I’m glad you are getting to know my dad through these posts… I wish everyone could have known him. I don’t think there is anyone out there whose life was not enhanced by having had him in it… he was so special.
I’m finding the same thing with listening to my dad’s songs that you did. I played them over and over again the first few days… it was like I couldn’t stop. But then it just hurt too much to hear some of them (I cannot hear “Bang the Drum Slowly” right now without crying, for instance). But I know that, someday, I will get to the same point as you, where I can hear the songs and remember without the pain.
What was your dad’s favourite song? In this playlist, my dad’s two biggest favourites were “Song for the Mira” and “Seven Daffodils”. 🙂
What lovely comments. Thank you so much for sharing and I wish I knew him. Through you, however, I get to feel something of his presence, so it certainly lingers and I get to also experience a wonderful human being who made this world a better place and enhanced the lives of those who knew him. I am glad to be indirectly part of that.