Best gospel choir songs for funerals
Ranked #202 in Music, #5,906 overall
Church choir music for memorial services
Funeral, memorial service, celebration of life, homegoing. Whatever they call the service, it is one that will be remembered for a long time. A tribute to someone who was a beloved part of a community.
In most Christian funerals, the music selected is hopeful, focusing on the expectation of eternal life. In some instances, the "homegoing service" will be a genuinely uplifting occasion, with feelings of joy and inspiration right along with the tears and memories. And the soul-stirring sounds of gospel music can be an unforgettable addition to the program for any Christian memorial service.
Here are suggestions of some of my favorite gospel songs for choirs to sing during funeral services.
And please, if you have a suggestion for a good gospel choir song for a funeral, please add your song!
(gravesite photo by GrzegorzPetka at Wikimedia Commons)
This page is a part of my collection of web pages about Gospel Choir Music.Samples of gospel songs for funeral services
Index of choir songs for funerals
With each song I will also give my opinion about how easy or hard each song is for the singers and for the musicians. These difficulty levels are expressed on a scale of 1 to 5, so "1/5" means that a song is very easy, while "5/5" means that it is very challenging. In my opinion, anyway; you're free to disagree.
Click on a title to go straight to that song.
And remember, if there's a particular song that was a favorite of the deceased, it always makes a touching addition to the music for the memorial service, even if the song isn't "on topic".
Bye and Bye
by the Georgia Mass Choir
Amazon Price: $0.99 (as of 02/23/2012)
"Bye and bye, bye and bye
When I reach, that home, beyond the sky
The wicked will cease from troubling
And the weary will be at rest
Every day will be Sunday bye and bye"
An old-fashioned foot-stomper.
Tempo: Fast
Key: Bb
Resource links:
- Lyrics for Bye and Bye
- Chords for Bye and Bye
Difficulty level:
- For singers: 2/5
- For musicians: 2/5
Going Up Yonder
by Walter Hawkins
Amazon Price: $0.99 (as of 02/23/2012)
"I'm going up yonder,
Going up yonder,
Going up yonder,
To be with my Lord"
This is THE definitive gospel funeral song.
Tempo: Moderate
Key: Db
Resource links:
- Lyrics to Going Up Yonder
- Chords for Going up Yonder
Difficulty level:
- For singers: 2/5
- For musicians: 2/5
- Lead singer required? You can get by without one if you need to.
I'll Fly Away (Hezekiah Walker)
Amazon Price: $0.99 (as of 02/23/2012)
"I've got a home in the sky
Gonna tell this world goodbye
You see I'm gonna fly away . . .
I will be free, free one day"
A lively song with a contemporary sound.
Tempo: Fast
Key: Eb
Resource links:
- Lyrics to I'll Fly Away
- Chords for I'll Fly Away
Difficulty level:
- For singers: 3/5
- For musicians: 3/5
- Lead singer required? Optional.
I'll Fly Away (Sound of Blackness)
Amazon Price: $27.98 (as of 02/23/2012)
"I'm going to fly away
In the morning, children
I'm going to fly away"
A stirring arrangement of this hymn, with a soulful traditional gospel sound.
Tempo: Slow, with a strong beat
Key: Bb
Difficulty level:
- For singers: 3/5
- For musicians: 2/5
- Lead singer required? Yes.
I'm Free
by Milton Brunson and the Thompson Community Singers
Amazon Price: $0.99 (as of 02/23/2012)
"I'm free, praise the Lord I'm free
No longer bound, no more chains holding me
My soul is resting, and it's a blessing
Praise the Lord, hallelujah, I'm free"
This is an easy one for the congregation to catch onto and sing along.
Tempo: Slow
Key: Db
Resource links:
- Lyrics to I'm Free
Difficulty level:
- For singers: 1/5
- For musicians: 1/5
- Lead singer required? Not necessarily. There is a lead on the recording, but he just sings the same verse that the choir does right after.
I'm Going Away
by Walter Hawkins
Amazon Price: $0.99 (as of 02/23/2012)
"I'm going away, I'm going away
To a place, prepared just for me
A special place, I'll live eternally"
This one is a favorite, especially the final chorus. It has some progressive harmonies, so if you want to do it the authentic way it will take some rehearsal time.
Tempo: Moderate
Key: Db, then Gb
Resource links:
- Lyrics to I'm Going Away
- Chords for I'm Going Away
Difficulty level:
- For singers: 4/5
- For musicians: 3/5
- Lead singer required? Yes.
Jerusalem
by James Cleveland
Amazon Price: $0.99 (as of 02/23/2012)
"When the battle is over, we shall wear a crown
In the new Jerusalem"
A stately anthem with lovely harmonies.
Difficulty level:
- For singers: 3/5
- For musicians: 3/5
Soon As I Get Home (aka "I Shall Wear a Crown")
by Thomas Whitfield
Amazon Price: $0.89 (as of 02/23/2012)
"I shall wear a crown, I shall wear a crown
When it's all over, when it's all over
I'm going to put on my robe, tell the story how I made it over
Soon as I get home"
This song has some of the most exquisite harmonies in the whole gospel choir repertoire. It starts gently and builds intensity leading up to a powerful closing.
Tempo: Slow
Key: Eb
Resource links:
- Lyrics to Soon As I Get Home
- Chords for Soon As I Get Home
Difficulty level:
- For singers: 4/5
- For musicians: 3/5
- Lead singer required? No.
Till We Meet Again
by Kirk Franklin
Amazon Price: $0.99 (as of 02/23/2012)
"May His peace be with you, till we meet again"
Contemporary sounding, but also touching and sweet.
Tempo: Slow
Key: Eb
Resource links:
- Lyrics to Till We Meet Again
- Sheet music for Till We Meet Again
Difficulty level:
- For singers: 3/5
- For musicians: 3/5
- Lead singer required? Optional.
Well Done
by Mark Hubbard
Amazon Price: $29.98 (as of 02/23/2012)
"What do you want the Lord to say?
Well done, my good and faithful servant
That's what I want the Lord to say
That is what I want the Lord to say"
Difficulty level:
- For singers: 2/5
- For musicians: 2/5
- Lead singer required? Yes, but the lead has a very small part.
This album is out of print, but there are some copies available from resellers. The CD has 9 songs on it; "Well Done" is track #4.
Angels Will Be Singing
by Edwin Hawkins
Joy bells will be ringin'
They'll all welcome me when I get home"
It's really a shame that this song (and album) are out of print.
Tempo: Moderately fast
Key: Bbm
Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.
Psalm 116:15
What are your favorite choir songs for funeral services?
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flipflopju
Feb 6, 2012 @ 2:44 pm | delete
- Wow, I've never really thought about some of these but they are beautiful.
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CanInsure
Nov 27, 2011 @ 9:07 pm | delete
- How great thou art has always been a favorite of mine. Nice lens
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LiteraryMind
Aug 24, 2011 @ 8:47 pm | delete
- I like "How Great Thou Art". I find it moving
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pawpaw911
Jul 20, 2011 @ 4:01 pm | delete
- When my father died, we celebrated his life, as it should be. Nice lens.
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ellagis
Jun 22, 2011 @ 5:15 pm | delete
- I'm really interested in this way of celebrating funerals. I grew up as a catholic, where funerals are seen in such a "heavy" way... while I think there can be so much emotion in a gospel song! I think you can say more singing than speaking, and I like gospel songs.
Thank you for your lens, I also apprecciated your "technical" suggestions about difficulty of playing and singing!
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Till we meet again . . .
. . . leave a comment!
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LiteraryMind
Aug 24, 2011 @ 8:49 pm | delete
- This is a great lens. In a time of grief, or when planning a funeral service, it's hard to come up with ideas. This is a help.
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RhondaSueDavis
Jul 31, 2011 @ 9:51 pm | delete
- I love gospel music and especially Fanny Crosby. This would love to add a link to this onto the Senior Church lens I just put up. The seniors enjoy traditional hymns, gospel and even have let me sing kids favorites and camp songs from the 60's. The newest music, not so much.
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W. Pate
Jan 22, 2011 @ 12:54 pm | delete
- My daughter has been studying sign language for the last couple of years, since she was in high school. She has signed to songs such as My Redemer Lives, I can only imagine, Amazing Grace and several others. She had done these at church. She had also signed songs at both of her grandfathers funerals and several others. She had even been requested to sign at other funerals for friends. She is very graceful and when she signs, the congregation can feel the presence from it. With her signing, she has brought tears to many of people, who have been touched by her signing. We had many people come up to her and tell her, that that was the first time that had seen it done at a funeral and really enjoyed it.
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Funeral_Songs Nov 22, 2010 @ 6:10 am | delete
- Wow! Similar to the other poster, I'm not accustomed to Gospel music, but the moment I heard the song which automatically plays on you page I felt something. Such a powerful expression of music and faith!
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prosperity66
Aug 3, 2010 @ 10:08 am | delete
- We're not accustomed to gospel songs for funerals here, it's a typical American thing, but it's definitely touching and really hits me like a bullet each time I hear such songs!
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by JoanTheChoirLady
I've been singing in, playing for, writing for, and directing gospel choirs all my life. I live in Los Angeles. more »
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