Sad Funeral Songs | Sad Goodbye Music

When we grieve, it’s important that we let our emotions out. That’s why playing sad music when someone dies can be quite healing. The wistful words and sombre chords help us focus our feelings and express them in a healthy way. Are you looking for sad songs to play at a funeral? Here are some suggestions:

Sad funeral songs by subject matter

Sad goodbye songs

Leonard Cohen – Hey, That’s No Way to Say Goodbye

Leonard Cohen wrote many songs about sadness and loss. In this famous tune, he grieves for a failed relationship. ‘Your eyes are soft with sorrow,’ he sings. ‘Hey, that’s no way to say goodbye.

George Michael – Careless Whisper

‘Careless Whisper’ is probably one of the best-known sad songs about loss. It’s a classic tearjerker that is commonly used at funeral services.

Sad songs about the death of a friend or loved one

Rascal Flatts – Why

In this sad country funeral song, Rascal Flatts pays tribute to a person who took their own life. It looks at the difficult mix of emotions we feel when a friend dies young.

Thea Gilmore – I’ll Remember You

‘I’ll Remember You’ was originally released by Bob Dylan in 1985. Thea Gilmore’s version gives the song a modern sound and makes it feel a little more delicate.

Sad songs about missing someone who died

Diamond Rio – One More Day

Have you ever thought, ‘I’d do anything to see that person again’? That’s the message of ‘One More Day’ – a sad, slow song with a classic country sound.

Mariah Carey – Bye Bye

Mariah Carey wrote this sad song about the death of her father, who passed away in 2002. The music is quite upbeat, but the lyrics focus on Carey’s feelings of grief, regret and longing. It would make a fitting funeral song for Dad – but it’s just as suitable for ‘sisters, brothers, friends and cousins’.

Sad funeral songs by genre

Sad rock songs about death

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Distant Sky

‘Distant Sky’ received widespread acclaim when it was released in 2018. It’s a sad song about dying and going to a mysterious new place. ‘Let us go now, my only companion. Set out for the distant skies.’

Nine Inch Nails – The Day the World Went Away

‘The Day the World Went Away’ isn’t a typical funeral song. It starts with slow, churning guitars and sorrowful lyrics before bursting into a big, powerful finale.

Sad folk songs about death

Townes Van Zandt – Nothin’

Townes Van Zandt’s life was as dark and tragic as his songs. In this particularly sombre tune, he explains how tough times have made him feel hopeless and emotionally numb.

Simon & Garfunkel – He Was My Brother

If you want a sad song about a brother’s death, try this poignant folk ballad by Simon & Garfunkel. The lyrics tell a true story about a friend and a civil rights activist who they lost in 1964.

Sad oldies songs about death

Dick Haymes – You’ll Never Know

‘You’ll Never Know’ is a slow, beautiful and sad song with an easy-listening sound. The words ‘You went away and my heart went with you’ are sung over a backdrop of sparse piano and gentle drums.

Elvis Presley – That’s Someone You Never Forget

There are lots of sad Elvis songs that would suit a funeral. We’ve picked ‘That’s Someone You Never Forget’ because the lyrics are full of grief, memories and meaning.

Sad rap songs about death

Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth – They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)

‘T.R.O.Y.’ uses upbeat music to tell a sad story. Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth wrote it for their friend and fellow rapper Troy Dixon, who passed away in 1990.

Atmosphere – Became

In ‘Became’, Atmosphere member Slug raps about a camping trip where his friend goes missing. He follows a set of wolves’ paw prints into a forest but eventually gives up. He can’t find any sign of his friend – only more paw prints, which trail off into the distance. The song is meant as a symbol for someone who has taken the wrong path in life, even though it wasn’t their fault.

Sad instrumental funeral music

Harold Budd & Brian Eno – Late October

‘Late October’ would work well as a sad song for a funeral slideshow. It has no words but expresses a deep melancholy with its roaming piano lines and atmospheric noises.

Max Richter – On the Nature of Daylight

This track has been used in lots of films and television shows, including Eastenders and The Handmaid’s Tale. The violins give it a very mournful sound – with just a hint of hope.