The songs Jemima Kirke wants played at her funeral
If every music lover is honest, we’ve all dreamt up a playlist for every occasion, including our funeral. Even though none of us will be in attendance on that sad day, that hasn’t stopped us from considering the song selections at our big farewell. One person who has also devoted time to this topic is Girls actor Jemima Kirke.
Music has been a constant presence in Kirke’s life and is in her blood. Her father, Simon Kirke, played the drums with Bad Company and Free. Furthermore, she is married to Australian artist Alex Cameron and starred in several of his music videos. Additionally, in 2017, Kirke also acted in the visuals for Zayn and Sia’s collaboration, ‘Dusk Til Dawn’, which topped the charts in seven countries.
While Kirke has not yet released any music herself, it’s an invaluable aspect of her life, and she remains something of a connoisseur. In 2016, following the success of Girls, the actor allowed NME to dive into her personal collection, and it’s as exceptional as you’d expect. Despite being born in Britain, Kirke grew up in New York, but there’s a special place in her heart for Britpop legends Pulp. She revealed: “I had a nanny who used to listen to them back in the ’90s. She’d play them in the car on the way to school. I rediscovered them in my 20s and started properly listening to them. They’re so bad-boy English, but poppy as well, and their songs are so fucking catchy, it’s crazy.”
In a bid for even more cool points, Kirke also expressed her love for The Cure and said ‘Just Like Heaven’ was the first song she loved. “I had it on a mix tape. I put it on in my bedroom, and I was so overwhelmed. It was the first time I felt really moved by a song,” she commented.
Elsewhere in the conversation, Kirke also revealed the carefully considered songs she’d like to be played at her funeral. She said: “Bone Thugs-N-Harmony have a bunch of really heavy, sentimental songs, and ‘Crossroads’ could be really good. I’ve already made a funeral songs list with friends. ‘Freebird’ by Lynyrd Skynyrd and ‘November Rain’ by Guns N’ Roses are also on it.”
Recently, Kirke was asked the same question again during a Q+A on Instagram, and her answer remained the same. She wrote: “Probably ‘Crossroads’ by Bone Thugs and Harmony. If I die in November, then ‘November Rain’ would be cute. Or maybe just go traditional and do ‘Free Bird’.”
Listen to the three songs that Kirke wants to be played at her funeral below.
