My Requiem Mass

The Requiem or Requiem Mass is a liturgical service of various Christian churches. It is commonly called the "mass for the departed." Generally it is a musical rendition of prayers for the souls of the departed. It is used at burial services and sometimes during memorials. Many of the more famous requiems were written to commemorate the national dead such as Berlioz' Grande Messe des Morts. Mozart's Requiem Mass in D Minor is a masterpiece, which would go without saying except when you realize that Mozart died well before it's completion. The mass was completed by Mozart's student, Franz Xaver Süssmayr, and yet it remains a breath-taking piece of music. I'd say he graduated with honors.

I'm not referring though, to such masterworks. I'm talking today about the "poor man's requiem," which is basically those songs that, as my mother says, "I love so much, they can play them at my funeral." So far, Mom's requiem includes James Blunt's "Beautiful" and Bill Doggett's "Honkey Tonk" (nope, she doesn't drink, she just really likes the song). I haven't asked Mom about any other songs. I don't want her getting any ideas about kicking off.

I've found that I've developed a rather lengthy requiem of my own through the years. It's hard to define some of my choices. Sometimes my favorite songs simply evoke a time or a place, like Fleetwood Mac's "Don't Stop" which takes me back to high school in the late '70's when life was terrifying with hope and anticipation. That song, however, falls more in the category of a favorite rather than a requiem-worthy piece. To be requiem-worthy, the song must do more than evoke a feeling or bring a smile. It must evoke a longing. The longing may be simply a nostalgia for someone or someplace gone or missed. Better, it should be a longing for something I'm returning to: something, someplace, some One who remains in some indefinable "place" my soul recognizes as Home. When a song reminds me of that, it gets put on the requiem list.

Here then, in no particular order, and with no further explanation, is my Requiem Mass:

• "God Only Knows" - The Beach Boys
• "Sleepless Night" - Fernando Ortega
• "The Long and Winding Road" - The Beatles
• "The Swan" - Jean Sibelius
• "Hamburg Song" - Keane
• "God is Not Sleeping" - Mavis Staples
• "I Am a Pilgrim" - Duncan Sheik
• "The Whole of the Moon" - The Waterboys
• "Wonderful World" - Louie Armstrong
• "Shame" - Fernando Ortega
• "Joshua Fit the Battle" - Elvis Presley
• "The Letter" - Macy Gray
• "Give Me Jesus" - Fernando Ortega
• "Away Down the River" - Alison Krauss
• "Isn't It Love" - Andrew Peterson

"But as for me, I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shalt stand at the latter day upon the earth. And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another." -Job 19:25