I have had success with the song "How Could I Ever Know?" from the musical THE SECRET GARDEN at two different funerals/memorial services. It's secular, modern, and appropriate for a classically-trained soprano or mezzo. The lyrics:
How could I know I would have to leave you? How could I know I would hurt you so? You were the one I was born to love. Oh how could I ever know?
How can I say to go on without me, how when I know you still need me so? How can I say not to dream about me? How could I ever know?
Forgive me. Can you forgive me and hold me in your heart, and try some new way to love me now that we're apart?
How could I know I would never hold you, never again in this world? But, oh, sure as you dream I am there inside (or beside) you! How could I ever know?
(In the musical, the song is sung by the dead wife's ghost to her grieving husband.)
If you want something less sad and more "hopeful", you might sing "When you walk through a storm" from Rodgers & Hammerstein's CAROUSEL.
If you want something even more "pop", you could sing Elton John's "Candle in the Wind" - the song he composed for Princess Diana's funeral, or Celine Dion's "My Heart will Go on" (from the TITANIC soundtrack).
If you decide that you could consider a classical piece, you might see if Thomas Weelkes' three-part "Death hath deprived me of my dearest friend" to the needs of solo voice.
Actually, I was tickled to learn that one of the most-requested secular songs for funerals at present is "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life", (Eric Idle) from Monty Python's LIFE OF BRIAN.
Karen Mercedes ===== My NEIL SHICOFF Website: http://www.radix.net/~dalila/shicoff/shicoff.html
My Website: http://www.radix.net/~dalila/index.html
----- I sing hymns with my spirit, but I also sing hymns with my mind. - 1 Corinthians 14:15
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