By Still Standing Contributor Lindsey Henke of PALS and Still Breathing
The other night I was in a down mood. My sadness had found me as I was cooking dinner before Nick got home.
I usually cook with music on so I decided to turn the song up. It was a song I listened to when Nora was alive and it was called, “The Big White Gate,” by Grace Potter and The Nocturnals.
It’s a song about being on your death-bed and contemplating life here and after.
I love it. It resonates with me.
So at that moment I turned it up and started belting out the words at the top of my lungs.
I think no matter what our ability is to hit the right pitch or not, there is something releasing about singing.
Something is harmonious (and not just the notes) about music. Its connection to the soul opens a special passageway to healing.
Music Helps With Grieving One Song At A Time
Music Therapy is a clinical and evidence-based practice of using musical intervention to attend to one’s mental health.
The idea of using music to help the bereaved heal from grief is to help the bereaved person.
Dr. Joy S. Berger states in her article Playing with Playlists in Techniques of Grief Therapy: “Tell and retell their story both as orators and listeners.” She also talks about how using songs for the bereaved continue to create bonds through the music they associate with the deceased.
Ultimately, Berger states, this is, “orienting (the bereaved) to both loss and restoration.”
This songs for the bereaved remain a huge hit on my personal blog Still Breathing.
The list has grown oh so much with people adding their own songs in the original post.
The first seven on this list are from my personal playlist.
The rest I gathered from other bereaved moms on Instagram and then updated last night to include recommendations that have come in over the last year and a half from other bereaved parents.
I hope you enjoy it.
If you have a song to add, just leave it in a comment at the bottom of the post. I would love to know about it.
50 Songs for Mourning Your Child
Stars by Grace Potter & The Nocturnals
Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen
Ave Maria by Beyonce
A Mother’s Prayer by Celine Dion
Just Give Me A Reason by Pink
Lullaby by The Dixie Chicks
I Dreamed a Dream from Les Miserables
See You Again By Carrie Underwood
Beautiful Boy by John Lennon
Baby of Mine by Alison Krauss
Angel by Beverly Mitchell
Truly, Madly, Deeply, by Savage Garden
Fly by Celine Dion
Small Bump by Ed Sheeran
Holes by Passenger
In the Arms of an Angel by Sarah McLachlan
Slipped Away by Avril Lavigne
Baby Blue by Dave Matthews Band
Sweet Baby James by James Taylor
I Will Cary You by Selah
Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Israel (IZ)
Home by Philip Phillips
Who You’d Be Today by Kenny Chesney
Here Comes Goodbye by Rascal Flatts
I’ll Be Missing You by Faith Evans & Puff Daddy
Far Away by Nickel Back
Let It Be by The Beatles
Real Love by Regina Spektor
I Will Follow You Into The Dark by Death Cab for Cutie
Tears in Heaven by Eric Clapton
Lullaby by Billy Joel
Gone Too Soon by Daughtry
Hey Ho by the Luminers
Elizabeth, You Were Born to Play That Part by Ryan Adams
The Sun Goes Down, The Stars Come Out by The Wanted
Carry by Tori Amos
Your Hands by JJ Heller
I Will Wait by Mumford and Sons
If I Die Young by The Band Perry
You Are Goodbye by Holly Conlon
With Hope by Steven Curtis Chapman
Still by Gerrit Hofsink
Beam Me Up by Pink
I’ll See You Again by WestLife
Smallest Wingless by Craig Cardiff
Borrowed Angels by Kristin Chenoweth
Hug Him Once for Me by Erica McClure
The One Who Knows by Dar Williams with Alison Krauss
A Visitor From Heaven by Twila Paris
My Name by George Canyon
Cathy says
There is a haunting beauty in IL Divo’s rendition of Amazing Grace when the bagpipes play that really grabs your soul.
Amy says
I played Hero by Family of the Year for my son’s funeral. Fit him perfectly.
Charlotte Ross says
Brand New Day (the dragonfly song)
You Raise Me Up – Josh brogan
Close To You – The Carpenters
One More Day