AND WHEN I DIE, BURY ME THREE FEET DEEP IN A WILLOW COFFIN & A BURIAL SHROUD
- Kirsty Shepherd
- Jul 3
- 7 min read
aLTERNATIVE MUSIC HAS NEVER SHIED AWAY FROM DIFFICULT SUBJECTS, LIKE DEPRESSION, SOCIAL INJUSTICES AND MORTALITY. DEATH POSITIVITY JUST BECOMES PART OF LIFE WHEN YOU WILLING THROW YOURSELF INTO THE DIFFERENT, WEIRD AND WONDERFUL WORLD THAT IS OUR SCENE. as I am a morbid little batling, I have already planned my funeral and mapped out songs to be played while it is happening, and here they are. JUST A CAVeAT THAT I AM ALSO A PAGAN SO THAT WILL INFLUENCE SOME OF MY "WEIRDER" CHOICES.
Helvegen - Wardruna
Helvegen is a song about a death shaman who helps to transport the dead to start their journey to hel's realm, to the eventuality that he is the last person left who knows how to sing the dead to the other side, and the story of how he will be brought to his final resting place in the afterlife.
"Når du ved Helgrindi står
og når du laus deg må riva
skal eg fylgje deg
over Gjallarbrua med min song
When you stand by the gate of Hel, And when you must tear loose, Follow you I shall, Across the bridge of Gjöll, With my song".
You can find warduna on: spotify, apple music, facebook, instagram and youtube
bring Me Home - Whitechapel
a devastating tribute to his father after his passing, Phil has written a song that speaks to my very soul about the loss of a person important to you.
"I'll live on and carry your name, And be what you always thought I could be, I hope we meet at the end, But I'll never forgive the world for taking my best friend".
for fans of: suicide silence, lorna shore, the black dahlia murder and thy art is murder
Helena - My Chemical Romance
written about the loss of Gerard and mikey's grandmother, this song has always held a place in my heart.
"Can you hear me? Are you near me? Can we pretend to leave and then, We'll meet again, When both our cars collide".
You can find my chemical romance on: spotify, apple music, facebook, instagram and youtube
for fans of: the used, AFI, Paramore and Pierce the veil
Adam’s Song - Blink 182
this song comes along with a trigger warning of suicide. as someone who has struggled with mental health for a long time, the first time I heard this song, it really resonated with me, but I use this song as a reminder to not let things get that bad in my head; to feel the pain but to find a way to move beyond it.
"I never thought I'd die alone, Another six months, I'll be unknown, Give all my things to all my friends, You'll never step foot in my room again, You'll close it off, board it up, Remember the time that I spilled the cup, Of apple juice in the hall, Please tell Mom this is not her fault".
for fans of: sum 41, Jimmy eat world, rise against and +44
Pain Remains I: Dance Like Flames - Lorna Shore
we all know that the only thing I have to say about this song is "a world without you isn't meant for me".
for fans of: to the grave, Whitechapel, slaughter to prevail and lamb of god
Sleepwalking - Bring Me The Horizon
Oli Sykes has always been one of those writers that have held a lot of weight to me, you can tell he has truly experienced what he writes about, and sleepwalking is no different.
"I'm at the edge of the world, Where do I go from here? Do I disappear? Edge of the world, Should I sink or swim? Or simply disappear?"
for fans of: bad omens, MOTIONLESS in white, falling in reverse and I prevail
Hel - Danheim
Hel is a story of the realms of the dead in Norse paganism and the goddess that rules over them.
"Den udsultede ravn fortæller om hel, de dødes ni riger. Hvor kan jeg hvile mig, med dem jeg husker, blandt mine egne? Langt fra Helheim og Niflheims dybder.
The starving raven tells of Hel, the nine kingdoms of the dead. Where can I rest, with those I remember, among my own? Far from the depths of Helheim and Niflheim".
You can find danheim on: spotify, apple music, instagram and youtube
Leave Out All The Rest - Linkin Park
Chester (r.i.p) was most likely a foundational singer on your metal journey if you are in your 30s/40s. his lyrics always spoke to me in a way not many others could.
"When my time comes, Forget the wrong that I've done, Help me leave behind some reasons to be missed, And don't resent me, And when you're feeling empty, Keep me in your memory, Leave out all the rest".
for fans of: three days grace, evanescence, system of a down and bring me the horizon
Pouring Reign - As Blood Runs Black
the only entirely instrumental song on my funeral playlist, pouring reign has been a favourite of mine from the very first listen. It took pride and place at my wedding and will at my funeral too if I have anything to do with it.
You can find as blood runs black on: spotify, apple music, facebook, instagram and youtube
for fans of: job for a cowboy, despiced icon, carnifex and Chelsea grin
Runaway - Aurora
As an honorary member of the metal community, thanks to featuring with 'bring me the horizon' on limousine, it is a pretty high chance that you have heard of aurora before. I cannot express enough how much you need to see her perform live, even if she isn't your type of music, it will change your view on how one person can have such a commanding hold over a crowd. to this day I have two categories for my favourite concerts of all time, there is Aurora and then the other performance that outdid the last.
aurora's story telling ability is next level and has been compared to an other worldly siren by many people. she has enthralled me from the second I found her. she wrote this song at the age of twelve and it will hit you hard.
"And I was running far away, Would I run off the world someday? Nobody knows, nobody knows, I was dancing in the rain, I felt alive and I can't complain, But now take me home, Take me home where I belong, I can't take it anymore".
for fans of: Paris paloma, Billie eilish, Tom Odell and fever ray
you only live once - suicide silence
the story of living your life to the fullest i feel is an absolute must on any metal kids funeral list.
"Live life hard, You only get one shot, So shoot!
With every breath you take, you′re dying, With every step we take, we're falling apart, If we only had one chance, we′d breathe, Let's take the chance right now and scream, You only live one life, For a very short time, So make every second divine".
for fans of: Whitechapel, slaughter to prevail, dying fetus and the black dahlia murder
On My Own - The Used
written about the feeling of isolation and falling behind in life, this song hits, it speaks to a point in my life where I felt out of control and without direction.
"And now it seems that I have found nothing at all, Want to hear your voice out loud, slow it down, slow it down, Without it all, I'm choking on nothing, It's clear in my head, that I'm screaming for something, Knowing nothing is better than knowing it all".
for fans of: my chemical romance, taking back Sunday, senses fails and afi
Fylgija Futhorck - Heilung
a song about the elder futhark runes and their meaning, including their story of life and death.
"Ear byþ egle eorla gehwylcun
Ðonne fæstlice flæsc onginneþ
Hraw colian, hrusan ceosan
Blac to gebeddan, bleda gedreosaþ
Wynna gewitaþ, wera geswicaþ
Ear is a source of grief to every nobleman
When flesh begins to grow fast
The corpse cools, the earth chooses
Black to the grave; blossoms wither
Joys depart, men deceive".
Í Tokuni - Eivør
If you are a fan of throat singing and hand drums, eivør will be an artist for you to dive into. í Tokuni explores searching for connection in dark and unfamiliar places, feeling lost and disconnected from the natural world.
"Gangi í tokuni, Eina í djúpu kvirruni, Síggi ongar varðar, Burtur allir garðar, Rópi men eingin svarar
Walking in the mist, No one knows where I've been, Far from my home now, Going in circles round and round, I'm on my own now"
on an unrelated note, Eivør is coming back to Australia next year, so if you have the money to go see her, I recommend you do so. it will change your life. I saw her at riverstage in Brisbane this past November for my birthday and it was an experience beyond anything I could have hoped for; you can buy tickets below.
I have made this into a bury me Three Feet deep playlist on Spotify if you want to give it a listen
what songs do you want played at your funeral?
sign up for organ donation at the link below.
follow the link below to find your states/territories advanced care directive. map out your future healthcare wishes in the case of an emergency with your doctor now.
find your free will kit at the link below. in the immortal words of Mitch LUCKER (r.i.p) "I'd rather die riding 95 than live a life full of nothing but filthy lies", so prepare for that 95.
