Funeral
Contemplating Legacy: Mourning, Reflection, and Identity
Lyrics
So I went
Expressing the act of attending an event or place.
To her grandfather's funeral
Attending the funeral of her grandfather.
Hope you don’t mind
Expressing a concern about discussing a sensitive topic.
But he still feels like family to me
Despite the official relationship, he still considers the deceased as part of his family.
I wish that they spoke more about him
Expressing a desire for more focus on the person rather than their religious beliefs.
Then the god that he chose to believe
Noting that the discussions during the funeral are centered on the deceased's religious choices.
Yeah sure that’s what he would have wanted
Recognizing that the religious focus aligns with what the deceased might have wanted.
But it sure as hell don’t work for me
Expressing personal discomfort with the religious emphasis during the funeral.
So what do you want the last thing that they say about you to be?
Raising a reflective question about the desired final impression on others.
So what do you want the last thing that they say about you to be?
Reiteration of the reflective question for emphasis.
Found myself in the back of the church
Describing the speaker's location within the church.
Alone the whole time
Feeling alone throughout the funeral proceedings.
Waiting for her and her family to leave
Waiting for the girl and her family to leave before expressing farewells.
Before I could say my goodbyes
Unable to convey goodbyes before others depart.
It was silent
Describing the silence within the church.
As the lights went out
As the lights go out, symbolizing the end of the event.
So I mumbled alone to the darkness
Mumbling personal sentiments in the darkness.
“I miss you pal”
Expressing a simple sentiment of missing the deceased.
So what do you want the last thing that they say about you to be?
Repeating the reflective question about the desired final impression.
So what do you want the last thing that they say about you to be?
Reiteration of the reflective question for emphasis.
What do you want?
Pose a direct question about personal desires and legacy.
She cut me off by the door
Describing an interruption by the girl at the door.
On my way outside
Leaving the church premises.
Said, “thank you for coming, I hope that you’re doing alright
Expressing gratitude for attending and concern for the speaker's well-being.
Take care of yourself that’s what he would have wanted for you
Conveying the deceased's hypothetical wishes for the speaker.
Don’t forget who you are he’d be proud of all those things that you’ll do”
Encouraging the speaker with a message of pride and encouragement.
So what do you want the last thing that they say about you to be?
Repeating the reflective question about the desired final impression.
So what do you want the last thing that they say about you to be?
Reiteration of the reflective question for emphasis.
It’s not about praying away all the hurt in your life
Stating that coping with life's hardships is not about praying them away.
You just learn how to live with the grief
Learning to live with grief rather than eliminating it.
So what do you want the last thing that they say about you to be?
Repeating the reflective question about the desired final impression.
So what do you want?
Reiteration of the reflective question, emphasizing personal agency in shaping one's legacy.
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