Music and Rituals

 Intro:

        Music is used in just about every form of a ritual that I know of. My blog today is about two polar opposite types of ritual, both of which I have personal experience with.

Funerals:

        I have unfortunately been to many funerals for both family and family of friends, and all of them played similar music. The first funeral I remember specifically was that of my Pops (my dad’s dad) where most of the music played was 90s and early 2000s country songs about life and death that my Pops liked. These songs were Remember When by Alan Jackson (a song about reflecting on life), Almost Home by Craig Morgan (a story of an old man just ready to get to Heaven), and Song for Dad by Keith Urban (a song my dad and uncle found to honor their father). The thing that was different about his funeral was the burial when a 21 gun salute was done because he served in the US Army during Vietnam. This ritual included the playing of TAPS on the trumpet, and firing of rifles followed by a folded flag being given to the family. This is an example of ritualistic music commonly done in the US for veterans and military members who have been killed while in service. In most funerals I have been to the most common music is Christian hymns. My family has a long history of Southern Baptist religious affiliation and it is the most common denomination where I grew up, so a lot of hymns have been prevalent in my life. When somebody on my mom’s side of the family dies, they always play the song I’ll Fly Away as the service ends and most people are quietly singing along. A special thing for my Gram and Pawpaw's joint funeral was playing I Want to Stroll Over Heaven with You sang by Alan Jackson because they passed away together and both loved that song.

Here is an example of a US Army 21 gun salute and TAPS.

This is Alan Jackson signing I'll Fly Away. The other song I mentioned by him is also on this album.

Sports:

Another form of a ritual I have a lot of experience in is the pre-game ritual. 6A high school football in the state of Georgia is about as close to a religion as you can get without being one, and we took it very seriously. From the time I was in the sixth grade playing football I remember our warm up chants, hype music in the locker room, walking and chanting We Ready by Archie Eversole, and my personal favorite, waiting in the tunnel while the intro for Meek Mill’s Dreams and Nightmares played and then running out of the tunnel when the beat dropped. I have continued this into my college track and cross country days, as that song is always a staple on race day.

I couldn't find a video of my high school team running out to this song, but here is the music video for Dreams and Nightmares.