Uplifting Funeral Songs
If you want the service to lean hopeful rather than heavy, this list collects the songs families pick when they want the room to leave a little lighter than it came in.
The songs
Suggested in no particular order — choose what fits them best.
Somewhere Over the Rainbow
The Iz ukulele arrangement is the most chosen uplifting song at services and slideshows.
What a Wonderful World
Universally recognised and warm. A common closer for slideshows.
Here Comes the Sun
Used for celebrations of life and outdoor services.
Three Little Birds
Light, warm, and reassuring. Fits outdoor or celebration-of-life services.
I Can See Clearly Now
About things lifting after a long stretch. Often chosen for the recessional.
Lean on Me
Often sung at memorials for community-focused people.
Stand by Me
Warm and recognisable. Good for a recessional or wake.
Spirit in the Sky
Often chosen when the family wants the service to end on a confident note.
You Are the Sunshine of My Life
Warm and gentle. Often chosen for the slideshow or reception.
Always Look on the Bright Side of Life
An unconventional but increasingly common pick. Used when the family wants to send people out with a smile.
You've Got a Friend in Me
Fits services for someone who was a friend to many. Lighter tone.
Beautiful Day
Often used for the recessional or end of slideshow.
Don't Stop Believin'
Used at celebrations of life for someone who wouldn't want a heavy service.
Walking on Sunshine
Strictly for celebrations of life. Too upbeat for a traditional service but right for a reception.
Better Days
A more recent uplifting pick. Holiday undertones, but works year-round.
I'll Fly Away
Lighter tempo than most hymns. A common celebration-of-life choice.
Soon and Very Soon
An uplifting gospel piece often sung at services with a gospel tradition.
When the Saints Go Marching In
Often used at New Orleans-style services and second-line processions.
Time of Your Life (Good Riddance)
Despite the title, often chosen as a hopeful goodbye at modern services.
Better Place
About someone making the world better. Often used at celebrations of life.
Still nothing feels right?
If no existing song captures who them was, we'll write one. Original lyrics built around your stories, them's name, and the things you loved.
When uplifting is the right choice
Not every service should feel heavy from start to finish. Uplifting songs land best when:
- The service is a celebration of life rather than a traditional funeral.
- The person was someone who would not have wanted a heavy service.
- The song plays at the recessional, slideshow, or reception, not during the religious portion of a Mass or church service.
- The room is mixed — uplifting songs help younger family members participate in a service that might otherwise feel distant.
Most services include at least one uplifting piece even when the rest of the music is traditional. The recessional is the most common place for it.
When you want an uplifting song written for them
If you want an uplifting original — a song that includes their name and what they were known for, in a warm and hopeful style — we can write and produce one. From $49, delivered in three days.
Questions families ask
Other ideas
Write a song just for them.
Share who them was — the stories, the things you loved — and we'll write and produce an original song with them at the heart of it.