Any suggestions for tribute music for a long time glider pilot and PFA member?

[nrh]

I just wondered if anyone could help with the choice of appropriate music for the funeral service of my father - a keen glider and power pilot, also a member of the PFA.

We did wonder if the kind of music that accompanies glider aerobatic displays would be the right thing.

Any suggestions would be gratefully received

nrh

[kevmusic]

Many condolences on your loss, nrh. What kind of music did he like?

[gliderboy]

Try to chase down that famous poem by the Canadian pilot in WW2 who penned Hight Flight (John Magee Gillespie Juniour?).
John Denver put it to music and it is a very nice song and tribute to any aviator.
Gliderboy

It is off his "it's about Time " album from 1983 and is called The higher we fly"

[Laundryman]

Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the sky on laughter silvered wings
Sunward Ive climbed and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds and done a hundred things
Ive wheeled and soared and swung high in the sunlit silence
Hovering there Ive chased the shouting winds aloft
And flung my eager craft through footless halls of air

The higher we fly, the farther we go
The closer we are to each other
The darker the night, the brighter the star
In peace go my sisters and brothers

Up, up, the long delirious burning blue
Ive topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark nor even eagle flew
And while with silent lifting mind I trod
The high untresspassed sanctity of space
Put out my hand and touched the face of God

The higher we fly, the farther we go
The closer we are to each other
The darker the night, the brighter the star
In peace go my sisters and brothers

Words by Gillespie Magee Jr., John Denver and Joe Henry
Music by Lee Holdridge
Adopted from the Poem by John Gillespie Magee Jr.

[Miserlou]

High Flight? Hate it, total cliche. Utter trash and plagerized to boot.

However, John Denver is a good start. Try the Eagle and the Hawk. Here are the lyrics.
"I am the eagle, I live in high country,
In rocky cathedrals that reach to the sky.
I am the hawk and theres blood on my feathers,
But time is still turning, they soon will be dry.
And all of those who see me and all who believe in me,
Share in the freedom I feel when I fly.

Come dance with the west wind and touch on the mountain tops.
Sail o'er the canyons and up to the stars.
And reach for the heavens and hope for the future,
And all that we can be, not just what we are."

Beautifully orchestrated too. It'll be played at my funeral!

[sir.pratt]

Into the distance, a ribbon of black
Stretched to the point of no turning back
A flight of fancy on a windswept field
Standing alone my senses reeled
A fatal attraction holding me fast, how
Can I escape this irresistible grasp?
Can't keep my eyes from the circling skies
Tongue-tied and twisted Just an earth-bound misfit, I
Ice is forming on the tips of my wings
Unheeded warnings, I thought I thought of everything
No navigator to guide my way home
Unladened, empty and turned to stone
A soul in tension that's learning to fly
Condition grounded but determined to try
Can't keep my eyes from the circling skies
Tongue-tied and twisted just an earth-bound misfit, I
Above the planet on a wing and a prayer,
My grubby halo, a vapour trail in the empty air,
Across the clouds I see my shadow fly
Out of the corner of my watering eye
A dream unthreatened by the morning light
Could blow this soul right through the roof of the night
There's no sensation to compare with this
Suspended animation, A state of bliss
Can't keep my eyes from the circling skies
Tongue-tied and twisted just an earth-bound misfit, I

[Lucy Lastic]

Ah - Pink Floyd......:ok:

[aluminium persuader]

Albatross - Fleetwood Mac.

An instrumental piece, & of course the bird glides for most of its life.

Oh for the Wings of a Dove (The classical music, not Madness, but sorry brain is slow this AM & can't recall the composer).

Soft landings.

[Mark 1]

I'd imagined a brass band striking up "Those Magnificent Men...." would be a great send-off.

[Cusco]

There was a great piece of music which accompanied the glider aerobatic sequence 'flown' by Steve McQueen in the original film version of The Thomas Crown Affair: 'Windmills of my Mind - by Noel Harrison.'

Safe flying
Cusco;)

[the dean]

hi nrh....

condolances on the loss of you dad.

you did'nt yet answer the post...what type of music did he like...classical...easy listening..or ??

anyway it might be a bit short for what you want...but how about ...''up where we belong ''..from the movie ' an officer and a gentleman' ..i forget who did it in the movie ..was it joe cocker..? ( forgive if the spelling is wrong.) and jennifer..??

. if not anyway he did a nice version of it...but i feel he might have done the movie.

would certainly be a moving tribute i am sure...:ok:

gear up.

the dean.

[Chippik]

In terms of classical music the Lark ascending may work quite nicely especially if you can get a good violinist to play it

[ContinentalC85]

"Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep"
Set to music from a poem by unknown author and beautifully sung
by Kathrin Jenkins on her "Living a Dream " album


Do not stand at my grave and weep
I am not there I do not sleep
I am a thousand winds that blow
I am the diamond glint on snow.
Do not stand at my grave and cry ,
I am not there - I did not die.
I am the sunliht on ripened grain
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awake in the morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush,
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft starts that shime at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry .
I am not there - I did not die.

[BEagle]

Has to be 'Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines!'

Most definitely not the hackneyed, cliche of that High Flight thing - which I too hate with a vengeance!

[Cusco]

Just had another thought: Sir Edward Elgar's 'Nimrod' would be suitably stirring at the funeral of an aviator.
Cusco

[cfwake]

my dad's best friend who passed away some time ago had the theme to 633 squadron, raised a smile for many of us, which is often the best thing you can hope for at a funeral.

[Sedbergh]

"The wind beneath my wings" has a certain something

Sorry about dad though

[nrh]

Thank you so much everyone for these inspirational words and suggestions.

In answer to you question Kevmusic: classical and easy listening - apologies for my not responding sooner.

My father started his career with A V Roe as an apprentice at the time when the Vulcan was being built. His true passion was flight and he had a long and fulfilling career with the company (under it's subsequent names of course, how unusual to have one employer in a lifetime these days) as a Design Engineer, particularly working on Nimrod (thanks for the Elgar suggestion Cusco), and 125 Business Jet special variants.

His final project before retirement was working with McDonnell Douglas in Long Beach CA. By this time he was a PPL and Glider Pilot and had many memorable flying and soaring experiences in the US.

A long and happy retirement flying RC models (when his medical finally expired!) sadly did not materialise due to Alzheimer's Disease.

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q47/nericha/DadLR.jpg
On the approach into Woodford sometime in the late 80's in the Grob 109B
he shared ownership of.


http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q47/nericha/ParisLR.jpg
Morane Saulnier Paris - Cranfield Student Days. Dad (middle) would always
quote the shockingly few minutes it would be between brakes off at
Cranfield to 10,000 feet over the Wash :ok:

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q47/nericha/NimrodLR.jpg
One of the first Nimrod aircraft at Woodford

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q47/nericha/Dad2LR.jpg

John Harrison 1937-2007

[kevmusic]

Some wonderful photos - your Dad looked a fine and characterful gentleman. Cusco's suggestion of Nimrod was particularly apposite and it is a very moving piece.
My Dad died a few years back. He was in the army but didn't talk much about it. Now, my elder brother is keen on aviation (though isn't a pilot) and I became a glider pilot in the 80s after a childhood obsessed with aircraft models and stories. Telling my Dad about my gliding experiences in a pub in 1986, he suddenly blurted out that he was an Army Glider Pilot! Went into Normandy on June 7th. Subsequently showed me his logbook and everything! Never could quite work out why he didn't tell us before, but is flying in the genes, or what?!

Some great suggestions here, nrh, - I couldn't better them. Tell us when your Dad's funeral is and we'll all be thinking of you.

Kev.

[Pilot DAR]

Sorry about your dad,

For my uncle's funeral a few years back I selected Al Stewart's Flying Sorcery:

With your photographs of Kitty Hawk
And the biplanes on your wall
You were always Amy Johnson
From the time that you were small.
No schoolroom kept you grounded
While your thoughts could get away
You were taking off in Tiger Moths
Your wings against the brush-strokes of the day
Are you there?
On the tarmac with the winter in your hair
By the empty hangar doors you stop and stare
Leave the oil-drums behind you, they won't care
Oh, are you there?

Oh, you wrapped me up in a leather coat
And you took me for a ride
We were drifting with the tail-wind
When the runway came in sight
The clouds came up to gather us
And the cockpit turned to white
When I looked the sky was empty
I suppose you never saw the landing-lights
Are you there?
In your jacket with the grease-stain and the tear
Caught up in the slipstream of dare
The compass roads will guide you anywhere,
Oh, are you there?

The sun comes up on Icarus as the night-birds sail away
And lights the maps and diagrams
That Leonardo makes
You can see Faith, Hope and Charity
As they bank above the fields
You can join the flying circus
You can touch the morning air against your wheels
Are you there?
Do you have a thought for me that you can share?
Oh I never thought you'd take me unawares
Just call me if you ever need repairs
Oh, are you there?

It seemed to be well appreciated by the group...

Regards, Pilot DAR

[Mike Cross]

Another vote for Nimrod.

But don't finish with it. A funeral is a celebration as well as a farewell and it looks as though there is much to celebrate. Finish with something uplifting that will be a surprise and a delight and send those attending out with a spring in their step.

the dean's suggestion was "Up where we belong" by Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes

Who knows what tomorrow brings
In a world few hearts survive?
All I know is the way I feel.
When it's real, I keep it alive.
The road is long, there are mountains in our way,
But we climb a step every day.

Love lifts us up where we belong,
Where the eagles cry
On a mountain high.
Love lifts us up where we belong,
Far from the world below,
Up where the clear winds blow.

Some hang on to "used to be,"
Live their lives looking behind.
All we have is here and now,
All our life, out there to find.
The road is long, there are mountains in our way,
But we climb a step every day

Love lifts us up where we belong,
Where the eagles cry
On a mountain high.
Love lift us up where we belong,
Far from the world we know,
Where the clear winds blow.

Time goes by, no time to cry,
Life's you and I. A life today.

Only you know what will work. I like the idea of "those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines" as well.

Mike

[Captain Smithy]

Perhaps a little cliched, but Norman Greenbaum's "Spirit In The Sky"?

R.I.P.

[Captb747]

So sorry to hear about you dad.#

One piece of music I do like is the inro to Pink Floyd,s Shine on you crazy diamond. I think an aerobatic motor glider team used it in their show in the late 80,s early 90,s. Its about 7 mins long (the intro) and just a nice piece of music.

[AfricanEagle]

The main theme from the film "Out of Africa" (instrumental).

[B2N2]

" Leaving on a Jetplane" by Janis Joplin
all my bags are packed and i'm ready to go
i'm standin here outside your door
i hate to wake you up to say goodbye
but the dawn is breakin it's early morn
the taxi's waitin he's blowin his horn
already i'm so lonesome i could die
so kiss me and smile for me
tell me that you'll wait for me
hold me like you'll never let me go
cause i'm leavin on a jet plane
don't know if i'll be back again
oh babe i hate to go
ther's so many times i let you down
so many times i've played around
but i tell you now they don't mean a thing
every place i go i'll think of you
every song i'll sing i'll sing for you
and when i come back i'll wear your wedding ring
so kiss me and smile for me
tell me that you'll wait for me
hold me like you'll never let me go
cause i'm leavin on a jet plane
don't know when i'll be back again
oh babe i hate to go
now the time has come to leave you
one more time now let me kiss you
close your eyes and i'll be on my way
dream about the days to come
when i won't have to leave alone
about the times that i won't have to say....
oh kiss me and smile for me
tell me that you'll wait for me
hold me like you'll never let me
cause i'm leavin on a jet plane
don't know when i'll be back again
oh babe i hate to go
i'm leavin on a jet plane
don't know when i'll be back again
oh babe i hate to go
i'm leavin on a jet plane
don't know when i'll be back again
oh babe i hate to go
but i'm leavin on a jet plane
leavin on a jet plane
leavin on a jet plane
leavin on a jet plane
leavin on a jet plane
leavin on a jet plane
leavin on a jet plane
leavin on a jet plane
leavin on a jet plane

[Frelon]

Hi there, and sorry about your loss.
The following taken from Jonathan Livingston Seagull always brings a lump to my throat. There was a film (of the same name) with fabulous music by Neil Diamond.
They came in the evening, then, and found Jonathan gliding peaceful and alone through his beloved sky. The two gulls that appeared at his wings were pure as starlight, and the glow from them was gentle and friendly in the high night air. But most lovely of all was the skill with which they flew, their wingtips moving a precise and constant inch from his own. Without a word, Jonathan put them to his test, a test that no gull had ever passed. He twisted his wings, slowed to a single mile per hour above stall. The two radiant birds slowed with him, smoothly, locked in position. They knew about slow flying. He folded his wings, rolled and dropped in a dive to a hundred ninety miles per hour. They dropped with him, streaking down in flawless formation. At last he turned that speed straight up into a long vertical slow-roll. They rolled with him, smiling. He recovered to level flight and was quiet for a time before he spoke. "Very well," he said, "who are you?"
"We're from your Flock, Jonathan. We are your brothers." The words were strong and calm. "We've come to take you higher, to take you home." "Home I have none. Flock I have none. I am Outcast. And we fly now at the peak of the Great Mountain Wind. Beyond a few hundred feet, I can lift this old body no higher."
"But you can Jonathan. For you have learned. One school is finished, and the time has come for another to begin."
As it had shined across him all his life, so understanding lighted that moment for Jonathan Seagull. They were right. He could fly higher, and it was time to go home.
He gave one last look across the sky, across that magnificent silver land where he had learned so much.
"I'm ready " he said at last.
And Jonathan Livingston Seagull rose with the two starbright gulls to disappear into a perfect dark sky.

[charliegolf]

Since your dad liked classical, how about Tom Conti's theme music to 'The Right Stuff'? Whilst not actually classical, it has some stirring orchestral bits.

CG

[WestWind1950]

sorry for your loss... the pictures of him are great!
I got permission from an American singer to post his glider songs in my homepage. His name is Ed Kilbourn. The songs are partly C&W songs re-texted, but they are really good...
Ed Kilbourn (http://www.skytanz.de/verschiedenes/songs/kilbourne.htm)
Westy

[ChrisVJ]

Be around guys, when I go, please.