Hymns for pope, rock and roll for the dead in Australia
SYDNEY (AFP) - While hymns will ring out in Sydney as the pope celebrates Catholic World Youth Day this month, Australians are increasingly choosing irreverent songs for their funerals, undertakers say.
Among popular rock songs played to say goodbye to friends and relatives are Highway to Hell by AC/DC and Another One Bites the Dust by Queen, leading funeral provider Centennial Park said in a statement.
Other offbeat choices include Always Look on the Bright Side of Life by Monty Python, Ding Dong the Witch is Dead from The Wizard of Oz and Hit the Road Jack by Willie Nelson.
"Some of the more unusual songs we hear actually work very well within the service because they represent the person's character," said chief executive Bryan Elliott.
"One of the biggest changes we have seen at Centennial Park in recent years is a growing emphasis on celebrating a person's life. This has resulted in funeral services that are designed with personality in mind."
The list of the most popular songs is topped by Frank Sinatra's My Way, followed by Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong.
Pope Benedict XVI will be in Sydney later this month for a five-day celebration of Catholic youth known as World Youth Day, which ends with a papal mass on July 20.
About 26 percent of Australia's 21 million people describe themselves as Catholics, while 19 percent say they have no religion.
