Spiritual music, not hymns and psalms. By spiritual music I mean songs and music written for and inspired by the dead. Usually the famous dead.
Grief can bring out the spiritual and artistic in many people. Writing music and lyrics whilst in mourning for someone can bring out great compassion and emotion.
Elton John and Bernie Taupin spring to mind here. I like their writing styles personally, and sometimes the emotion and compassion which comes from their songs is over whelming.
Take first the song which was reworded for Princess Diana, upon her untimely death. Bernie Taupin amended the words to fit the occasion and Elton sang ‘Goodbye England Rose’, at her funeral. It was his one and only performance of that particular song. He cannot bear to sing that particular version again.
‘Goodby Norma Jean’ was origainlly written about the passing of Marilyn Monroe. The words were both spiritual and moving and the music added to the emotion.
You may not be aware of ‘Empty Garden’, unless you are an Elton John fan, as it is on the ‘Jump Up’ album from the early 80s and was never made into a single. He does not usually sing it on stage, though he did sing it at Madison Square Garden as a tribute.
Empty Garden is about the death of John Lennon. He and EJ were friends. The words and music are both full of emotion and compassion. I can listen to it over and over without getting tired of it. I find it very moving and very spiritual.
It is easy to think of BT and EJ as rock and roll hard guys. Bernie is a poet and Elton a fantastic singer and entertainer. Above all, I think they are spiritual human beings. Full of compassion.
I truly hope that one day in the, hopefully far distant future, someone can do them both justice, by producing such a tribute as they have done for others.