Nicholas Parsons: What song would you want played at your funeral?

The question

What song would you want played at your funeral?

Originally asked

The Guardian, to a different person each week, The Q&A

A fixed Guardian Q&A prompt asked directly across respondents and years.

You answer as yourself. Nobody on FLAPSS answers as anybody else.

Nicholas Parsons

English actor, straight man and presenter

Recorded said elsewhere, not written here

My wife says the Minute Waltz.

The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 15 August 2015 source ↗

Mentioned in this answer

Song Minute Waltz

Others on this question

View all 178 →

Kelsey Grammer American actor

I would borrow from Peter Sellers: Glenn Miller’s In The Mood.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 25 June 2016 source ↗

Julia Stiles American actress

When The Saints Go Marching In, by a New Orleans second line band.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 4 July 2015 source ↗

Shania Twain Singer and songwriter

I’ve been through a lot of grief in my life and there are intimate moments where you need to bawl your eyes out. As the dead person, I want to say: this is a moment you cannot control, life goes to shit sometimes. So I would choose Don’t Worry, Be Happy by Bobby McFerrin; some things you can’t change.

Recorded The Guardian, Honest playlist, The Guardian, 26 July 2026 source ↗

Chris O'Dowd Irish actor and comedian