The One Tender Song Rod Stewart Wants Played At His Funeral: “i Want This Melody To Remind You That I Loved You All.”
Rod Stewart, whose voice has echoed from London’s gritty backstreets to the world’s most prestigious stages, has shared a deeply personal wish about how he would like to be remembered. Now in his early eighties, Stewart has revealed the one song he hopes will play at his funeral—a choice that speaks volumes about the man behind the music. That song is none other than In My Life by The Beatles.
Long before fame found him, Stewart’s life was far from glamorous. As a young man, he worked as a gravedigger at Highgate Cemetery, confronting mortality daily and gaining an early appreciation for the fragility of life. Those formative years, shaped by struggle, camaraderie, and the raw vitality of London’s 1960s music scene, remain central to his worldview. His selection of In My Life feels like a poetic reflection on that journey—a quiet acknowledgment of the people and moments that defined him long before the stage lights ever shone.
Originally penned by John Lennon and released on the 1965 album Rubber Soul, In My Life is celebrated as a tender meditation on memory, love, and the passage of time. Its lyrics evoke places left behind, friendships lost, and enduring bonds. For Stewart, these words resonate deeply, mirroring his own experiences with mentors, collaborators, lovers, and lifelong friends—many of whom are no longer around.
“I want this song to remind everyone that I loved you all,” Stewart has said, describing it as the perfect expression of gratitude. Instead of selecting one of his own hits like Sailing or Forever Young, he chooses a Beatles classic whose message is universal. It’s less about celebrating his own achievements and more about honoring those who shaped him in ways the world never saw.
Stewart’s connection to the Beatles is more than symbolic. He once recorded Mine for Me, a song written for him by Paul McCartney, highlighting the mutual respect between these titans of British music. That personal tie makes his choice of a Lennon–McCartney song intimate, heartfelt, and deeply meaningful.
Having battled prostate and thyroid cancer and continuing to perform into his eighties, Stewart has spoken openly about embracing life without fear of death. His wish for In My Life to play at his funeral reflects this serenity. It is not a lament, but a celebration—an acknowledgment of a life fully lived. In the end, Stewart’s final request is a tribute not to endings, but to love, memory, and the enduring truth captured in a single line: in my life, I loved them all.