Imagine seeing your beloved aunt lowered into the ground, only to hear dunn dunn…The odds of a shark attack during a funeral are low (but never zero) but apparently a lot of people across the pond are having plenty of fun with it, as the theme from Jaws has seen an uptick in usage at such mournful events.
John Williams’ theme to Jaws was named as one of the most commonly used unique and unusual songs used at funerals, according to Co-op Funeralcare, which has been studying the usage of music at the ceremonies for two decades and drew from more than 90,000 services. As per Daily Record, Jaws ranked #3, with another movie favorite, “Ding Dong! The Witch is Dead” from The Wizard of Oz ranking ahead of it. Other pop culture inclusions were the theme to British game show Countdown and the theme to Shipping Forecast, a BBC radio weather broadcast.
Outside of the main Jaws theme, The Wizard of Oz and game shows, the list of unique funeral songs included Vengaboys’ “We Like to Party”, AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell” and Tone and I’s “Dance Monkey” – whatever the hell that is.
As stated by Co-op Funeralcare’s managing director Gill Stewart, “Music has a powerful way of bringing back memories, reflecting our personalities, and connecting us to loved ones. Choosing a song that is meaningful to you can be an important part of saying goodbye, whether it’s a traditional hymn or something light-hearted and quirky. While every funeral is unique and deeply personal, our annual music chart highlights the tracks that continue to resonate across the nation.”
Some of the more traditional songs found in Co-op Funeralcare’s study include “My Way” by Frank Sinatra, “The Best” by Tina Turner and “Wind Beneath My Wings” by Bette Midler, which itself has a movie connection, having ranked on the AFI’s 100 Years…100 Songs list for its usage in Beaches. But ever the cheeky ones, we do have to give the Brits credit for featuring the Jaws theme so prominently at their funerals.
Which movie theme or song would be the best to play at your funeral? Give us your farewell song in the comments section below!
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