The songs Elijah Wood wants played at his funeral
American actor Elijah Wood made his cinematic breakthrough in 2001, appearing in the first instalment of the indelibly popular The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Prior to his central role as the heroic hobbit, Frodo Baggins, Wood enjoyed formative exposure in more minor roles, such as those in Back to the Future Part II, The Good Son and Deep Impact.
Having spent such a long time in the company of British actors while shooting The Lord of the Rings and later for Green Street, Wood began to heed transatlantic distinctions. Most notably, the frequently addressed comedy gulf, which is seemingly wider than the Atlantic Ocean.
While promoting his role in BBC America’s Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency, a remake of Dirk Gently, Wood identified his allegiance to British comedy. “The British actors working on [The Lord of the Rings] spoon-fed me everything from The Day Today to Brass Eye to The Mighty Boosh,” he told The Telegraph. “[British comedy] doesn’t adhere to the same needs of American humour. It doesn’t constantly require a laugh out of you. It’s more sarcastic. There’s more wit to it.”
As it turns out, Wood is similarly discerning in the field of music. During a 2011 interview with Spin, the actor discussed his musical preferences in a series of brief Q&A questions.
After identifying a keen taste in rock music, especially by the likes of Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Rage Against the Machine and Radiohead, Wood revealed his passion for British trip-hop when asked what music he’d recommend as a surefire soundtrack to “get laid”.
“Portishead’s Dummy is incredibly sexy,” he replied. “Blue Lines by Massive Attack. Jazz, but that’s a fucking cliché. I’m on a roll. ‘Simply Beautiful’ by Al Green”.
At the end of the conversation, Wood was asked the classic yet always difficult question: “What song would you like played at your funeral?” This question often sorts people into one of two groups: the comedians and the despondent. As a youngster at the time, Wood went for light-hearted irony, placing himself in the former camp.
“Oh shit! I haven’t given that any thought,” he pondered. “Maybe ‘This Will Be Our Year’ by The Zombies. It’s incredibly uplifting. Or [The Beach Boys’] ‘Good Vibrations’, but that might be a little too positive.”
Listen to The Zombies’ “uplifting” classic, ‘This Will Be Our Year’, below.
