Top alternative funeral songs

Monty Python: looking on the bright side
Monty Python: looking on the bright side

The comic Monty Python song Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life has topped a poll in the UK of "alternative" funeral songs.

The tune, which is sung by Eric Idle and featured in the movie The Life Of Brian, beat competition from The Jam's Going Underground and The Animals' We Gotta Get Out Of This Place.

The survey, commissioned by the Children's Society, also found that nine out of 10 people found talking about funeral arrangements more difficult than talking about sex.

A spokesman for the society said it appeared people were turning away from "serious" funeral tunes such as Robbie Williams' Angels in an effort to make the experience a more uplifting one.

Twenty per cent of those surveyed said they would like Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life to be played at their funeral while 16 per cent went for Cabaret, sung by Liza Minnelli.

Other popular choices included Sid Vicious's cover of My Way, They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa by Napoleon and Enjoy Yourself, It's Later Than You Think by The Specials.

We're just surprised there's no room for AC/DC's Hell Ain't A Bad Place To Be (for atheists), Nelly's Hot In Here (for cremations) or Supersuckers' Dead In The Water (for burials at sea).

Or is that just us?