Memorial Songs – Podcast E85

Matt talks about popular memorial songs to remember loved ones lost on your wedding day.

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Podcast Transcript

Thank you for tuning into the 85th episode of the Wedding Songs Podcast. I am Matt Campbell and today I am going to be talking about memorial songs you can play during your wedding day, to remember loved ones you have lost. Before I get started I just wanted to give a shout-out to all of the wedding professionals who stopped at our booth at the Wedding MBA. With more than 5400 in attendance, I have to say it was great meeting all the DJs, Wedding planners, Wedding venues, and all of the wedding professionals that stopped by our booth. It was great meeting everyone and sharing our Wedding son suggestions. So, again, thank you very much and we look forward to next year.

Now, to get started, I am going to talk about very popular songs to play for particular members of your family that may have passed away. Starting off with your father, three of my favorites are “Dance With My Father” by Luther Vandross, “In The Living Years” by Mike & The Mechanics, and “Thank You For Being My Dad” by Jon Barker. Next up is Mother and my three favorites are “Two Of Us’ by Louis Tomlinson (former member of One Direction), “Bye Mom” by Chris Janson, and “Supermarket Flowers” by Ed Sheeren. If you lost a child, you may consider “Tears In Heaven” by Eric Clapton, “Heaven Bound Balloons” by Granger Smith, and “Who You’d Be Today” by Kenny Chesney.

If you lost a friend then “See You Again” by Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth which was featured in the Fast and Furious series, “Drink A Beer” by Luke Bryan, and “Broken Halos” by Chris Stapleton. And, if you lost a military member then “Arlington” by Trace Atkins, “The Ones Who Didn’t Make it Back Home” by Justin Moore, and “Some Gave All” by Billy Ray Cyrus. So, that is just a few to get your mind thinking a little bit about how you want to remember a loved one during your wedding day. If you want to read the list or listen to the list you can do so on our website

MyWeddingSongs.com. While you are there make sure you sign up for our newsletter of all the new wedding songs released in the prior month including some great trending songs you can add to your wedding day playlist.
On our website, I do feature one hundred songs. I am not going to go thru all of them today. I do have favorite lyric quotes for each song so that way you get a vibe for what each song is about. Let me cover just a few of those to give you an idea. The first one I want to mention is by a new artist HunterGirl, who was on American Idol, with her new song “Red Bird”. Now the “Red Bird” song actually has meaning to us because we lost an Aunt and any time we saw a red cardinal we would always think of her and think that she was present. That is kind of what this song is saying with the lyrics…‘Cause I could use a redbird right now, One from the other side of the clouds, I’m feeling lost and empty, Letting me know that you’re still with me. Try to select a song that really reminds you of the person that you lost. Maybe it is a song that you danced to with them, maybe it is a song you had a special meaning with them. That would be the first and foremost song I would choose on your wedding day.

Another choice in the Country genre (which is where I am going to start) would be “Bye Mom” by Chris Janson. Lyrics include…And that’s a special kind of love, And it’s only there for a lifetime, then it’s gone, And it’s bye mom. Another one that is really popular is Carly Pearce’s song “Show Me Around” with the lyrics…And we’ll get to spend forever talkin’ ’bout whatever, When I get there, promise you’ll track me down and show me around. Another song, released in 2019, is “Drowning” by Chris Young with the lyrics…How you were taken way too soon, It ain’t the same here without you, I gotta say, missing you comes in waves, And tonight I’m drowning. Like I said if you lost a child “Heaven Bound Balloons” because Granger Smith did lose a child. Lyrics include…Sometimes I guess you gotta see it to believe it, ‘Cause right then I knew those blue sky prayers were gettin’ through, When we let go of those heaven bound balloons.

I know on one of the awards shows this song was played to remember those lost, and it is “I’ll Carry You Home” by Trisha Yearwood. Lyrics include…But if you wander too far into the great unknown, You know I will find you, I’ll carry you home. “Forever Loving You” by Tanya Tucker was released after the death of Glen Campbell, with the lyrics…I don’t know why it has to be this way but there’s nothing I can do, So I’ll go on living, forever loving you. Another song I want to mention, released in 2016, is Cole Swindell’s song “You Should Be Here” with the lyrics…And you know that if I had just one wish it’d, Be that you didn’t have to miss this, You should be here. If you have a friend that you didn’t really know very well, then a very popular song is “People Are Crazy” by Billy Currington. Lyrics include…And I drop by today, To just say thanks and pray, And I left a six-pack right there on his grave, And I said, God is great, beer is good, And people are crazy.

Released in 2005 with two superstars, Brad Paisley and Dolly Parton, is “When I Get Where I Am Going”. Lyrics include…I will love and have no fear, Yeah, when I get where I’m going, Don’t cry for me down here. “Remember When” by Alan Jackson in 2003 with the lyrics…We won’t be sad, we’ll be glad, For all the life we’ve had, And we’ll remember when. The last Country song we have today is “One More Day” by Diamond Rio. It won’t leave a dry eye in the place. Lyrics include…I’d hold you every second, Say a million I love you’s, That’s what I’d do with one more day with you. So those are a few country songs, I definitely have more on the list.

I want to talk about a few Indie Memorial songs as well starting off with one you probably haven’t heard of. Released in 2021 is “One More I Love You” by Alex Warren with the lyrics…‘Cause there ain’t nothing in this world, Nothing in this world I wouldn’t do, To say one more I love you. We The Kings featuring Elena Coats with “Sad Song” with the lyrics…Without you, I feel broke, Like I’m half of a whole, Without you, I’ve got no hand to hold. Next up I am going to cover a few Rock Memorial songs starting with “Lifetime” by Three Days Grace. Lyrics include…You were the one that I wasn’t supposed to lose, I thought I’d have you for a lifetime. Hollywood Undead with their song “Coming Back Down” with the lyrics…So I guess you had to leave, You were born with wings, But you were never happy, Til the angels sing. The Killers’ song “Goodnight, Travel Well” with the lyrics…There’s nothing I can say, There’s nothing we can do now, Goodnight, travel well. And the last song in the Rock genre is “The Last Song” by the Foo Fighters in 2005. Lyrics include…This is the last song that I will dedicate to you, Made my peace and now I’m through, This is the last song that I will dedicate to you. There are quite a few more Rock songs you can check out on our website.

Next up we have Pop wedding songs starting off with Coldplay and Selena Gomez and their song “Let Somebody Go (Piano Version)” with the lyrics…Now turn off all the stars, ’cause this I know, That it hurts like so, To let somebody go. One of my favorites on the list is “Visiting Hours” by Ed Sheeran in 2021. Lyrics include…I wish that Heaven had visiting hours, And I would ask them if I could take you home. A song you probably haven’t heard before, “Glitter” by Patrick Droney with the lyrics…See grief, it’s just like glitter, It’s hard to brush away, Bright light and it still shimmers, Like it was yesterday. I just have to read the lyrics from this famous song that would be for a mother that passed away, called “Supermarket Flowers” by Ed Sheeran. Lyrics include…You were an angel in the shape of my mum, When I fell down you’d be there holding me up, Spread your wings as you go.

Now if you have a lot of nostalgia then “Candle In The Wind” by Elton John is a good song to play. “Angel Standing By” by Jewel with the lyrics…So don’t you worry, I’m your angel standing by. Another famous song is “Gone Too Soon” by Michael Jackson with the lyrics…Born to amuse, to inspire, to delight, Here one day, Gone one night, Like a sunset, Dying with the rising of the moon, Gone too soon.

Next up are R&B Memorial songs starting with “A Mother’s Prayer” by K. Michelle in 2013 with the lyrics…Last night I prayed on a fallen star, That you never have a broken heart, Though the world is cold, please remember who you are. Another one of my favorites, “It’s So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday” by Boyz II Men with the lyrics…How do I say goodbye to what we had? The good times that made us laugh, Outweigh the bad. Next up are a few Hip Hop Memorial songs I have to mention. “See You Again” by Wiz Khalifa with the lyrics…We’ve come a long way, From where we began, Oh, I’ll tell you all about it when I see you again. Another one about losing your mother is “Dance” by NAS with the lyrics…But mom you could never be replaced, I’d give my life up, Just to see you one more day. Two more popular Hip Hop songs include “I’ll Be Missing you” by Puff Daddy and Faith Evans, and “The Crossroads” by Bone Thugs-N-Harmony.

Next, is Folk Memorial songs starting off with Jenn Bostic’s song “Jealous Of The Angels” with the lyrics…God must need another angel, Around the throne tonight, Your love lives on inside of me, And I will hold on tight. Another one about losing a child is “21 Days” by Brian Fallon with the lyrics…We do the leaving, We do the crying, We do the healing, And they say, 21 days ’til I don’t miss you. “On Your Side” by The Innocence Mission with the lyrics…I have not gone, She’d say, The light is bright around you now, And I’m always on your side. Last up I am just going to talk about a few variety genre’s starting off with Punk and “With Me” by Sum 41 with lyrics…I’ll hold on to this moment, you know, As I bleed my heart out to show, And I won’t let go. “The Lucky One” by Alison Krauss. Lyrics include…You’re the lucky one, I know that now, Don’t ask you why, when, where, or how, No matter where you’re at, it’s where you’ll be, You can bet your luck won’t follow me.

There you have it, a few Memorial songs to remember loved ones on your Wedding day. If you prefer to read the list or listen to the list you can do so on our website MyWeddingSongs.com. You can just search for Memorial songs and the list will pop up. Make sure you check that out. While you are there make sure you sign up for our monthly newsletter, called the Music Letter, of all the new wedding songs released in the prior month plus all the trending songs. Next up I am going to be talking about Classic Rock love songs. Thanks and gave a great day!