Siri, play “Another One Bites The Dust”?
A recent survey conducted by end-of-life care charity Marie Curie revealed the ten songs people request during their final moments — and the number one pick turns out to be a defiant Sinatra tune.
Over 1,000 respondents from the United Kingdom who lost loved ones shared the deceased’s bucket-kicking bops — with the most-mentioned earning a spot on the organization’s first-ever ditties to die by playlist, titled “Music for the End.”
The most requested swan song is Frank Sinatra’s “My Way,” followed by Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” and Tina Turner’s “Simply The Best.”
Other selections that made the ta-ta-for-now top ten include Cyndi Lauper’s poppy “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” and Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World.”
“Terminal illness, pain and the fear of dying can result in feelings of powerlessness and isolation, even with close family and friends [around],” said Dr. Tracey McConnell, a music therapy expert and honorary Marie Curie senior research fellow at Queen’s University Belfast.
“Music can help people express their feelings and make them feel better, whatever their health or emotional situation,” she added.
Many of the chosen tracks on the not-so-morbid mixtape are considered to be either sentimental, empowering and nostalgic, according to the organization.
The top 10 songs dying people play during final moments
- My Way – Frank Sinatra
- I Will Always Love You – Whitney Houston
- (Simply) The Best – Tina Turner
- Over The Rainbow – Judy Garland
- Girls Just Want to Have Fun – Cyndi Lauper
- Angels – Robbie Williams
- What A Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong
- Beautiful – Christina Aguilera
- Hey Jude – The Beatles
- These Are The Days Of Our Lives – Queen
Nearly 84% of the participants, friends and family members of the deceased, reckoned that music relaxed and calmed their loved ones during their last moments.
About 61% said music helped ease anxiety and emotional distress for them as well.
Creating these shared experiences brings people closer and serves as a distraction from the reality of their physical illness, the study authors said.
Other benefits included instilling a sense of normalcy and helping to distract the dying person from the physical symptoms of their illness, they claimed.
