Funeral songs for Mom

Eva Cassidy's hushed version of the song from The Wizard of Oz, third on Co-op Funeralcare's 2025 list of UK funeral songs.

Bette Midler's song of thanks from the film Beaches, for the one who held the family up. Often chosen for a mother or a partner.

A slow ballad that swells to a big finish, sung by Josh Groban. Families choose it to thank a mother or father.

Ed Sheeran wrote it after his grandmother died, in his mother's voice; a gentle choice for a mother or a grandmother.

Tina Turner's proud, upbeat hit, often called Simply the Best. One of the songs most chosen at British funerals, and fitting to walk out to.

Schubert's Ave Maria, a quiet prayer to Mary sung at many Catholic funerals and often chosen for a devout mother.

Lizzy of the Canadian twin duo wrote it after a friend died; a gentle goodbye that made Britain's top ten funeral songs in 2023.

C. Austin Miles wrote it in 1912, picturing Mary Magdalene at the empty tomb. A gentle favorite of many grandmothers and keen gardeners.

Paul McCartney wrote it after dreaming of his late mother. A calm, comforting choice for a mother or for anyone.

Dolly Parton wrote it and Whitney Houston made it famous in The Bodyguard. A loving farewell, chosen for a partner or a mother.

A story song about a man who loses his grandmother as a boy and his wife years later. For a grandparent, a husband or wife, or a mother.

Cecil Frances Alexander wrote it for children in 1848. A bright hymn for someone who loved their garden, the countryside or their animals.

Thomas Chisholm wrote the words in 1923, and churches of many kinds still sing it. Suits a parent whose faith held through good years and hard ones.

Joseph Scriven wrote it in 1855 to comfort his mother in Ireland. A gentle, familiar hymn for someone who prayed every day.

Fanny Crosby, blind from infancy, wrote the words in 1873. A cheerful old hymn for someone whose faith made them glad.

Jan Struther, who created Mrs. Miniver, wrote it in 1931 to the Irish tune Slane. A gentle choice for a mother or grandmother.

Will Thompson wrote it in 1880, and it closed many a revival meeting. A tender choice for a mother or grandmother who sang it in church.

Carey Landry's song to Mary from 1975, simple and gentle. A natural choice for a Catholic mother or grandmother.

A 1905 gospel hymn about trusting God's care, made famous by Ethel Waters and Mahalia Jackson. A gentle choice for a mother or grandmother.

A slow gospel song from 1925 about the memories of loved ones. A tender pick for a mom, a dad or a grandparent.

Steve Green's 1988 song about passing faith on to the next generation. Fitting for a parent or grandparent who lived their faith.

J. W. Vaughan wrote this gospel song in the 1920s as a tribute to his own mother. A tender old favorite for a mother of deep faith.

Shirley Caesar's 1989 song in honor of her own mother, full of memories from her childhood. A tender choice for a mother's homegoing.

Three goodbyes across one woman's life, the last at her mother's bedside. Often chosen by a daughter for her mom.

Lori McKenna wrote it as advice for her own children. Families choose it for a mom or dad whose values they carry on.

A parent's hopes for a child heading out into the world. Families choose it for a mother, and for a son or daughter.

Carrie Underwood wrote it as a grown daughter's thanks to her own mother. Families often play it for a mom.

Dolly Parton remembers the patchwork coat her mother sewed for her as a poor child. For a mom who made a lot from a little.

Martina McBride sings as a mother about the bond with her daughter. Families play it for a mom or for a daughter.

A grown woman goes back to her childhood home and the memories in every room. For parents who made a family home.

Johnny Cash remembers a poor family that sang together at home, and a brother now gone. Lively, for a mom or dad who loved to sing.

Judy Garland's wistful song from The Wizard of Oz. A gentle, hopeful choice for a mother or grandmother.

Lynyrd Skynyrd's slow rock song built around a mother's advice to her son. Families choose it for a mom, or for a son.

Stevie Nicks wrote it at a crossroads in her own life, and it is quiet and searching. A gentle choice for a mother, or for anyone.

Doris Day sang it in Hitchcock's The Man Who Knew Too Much. A light, loving choice for a mother or grandmother.

Celine Dion's song of thanks, from the film Up Close & Personal. Families choose it for a parent or a partner.

A slow R&B thank-you to a mother from Boyz II Men, written for the film Soul Food. Chosen for a mom by her children.

Elton John's farewell to Princess Diana, reworked from his 1973 song. A gentle choice for a mother or a grandmother.

ABBA's tender song about a mother and her growing daughter. Families choose it for a daughter, or for a mom.

Dean Lewis wrote it after his father was diagnosed with cancer; for a last goodbye to a father or a mother.

Louis Tomlinson wrote it after his mother, Johannah, died in 2016; a son's grief with a little hope in it, for a mother.

An old Irish ballad about a mother's love, recorded by many Irish singers and often chosen for a mother's funeral.