Fans of country music everywhere can recognize Charley Pride’s rich baritone voice anywhere. Born in Mississippi in the 1930s, he was country music’s first Black superstar. He was also the first Black member of the Country Music Hall of Fame. His discography is as vast as it is noteworthy, and it’s no surprise his hits make some of the best funeral songs.
Jump ahead to these sections:
- Charley Pride Funeral Songs for Mom or Grandma
- Charley Pride Funeral Songs for Dad or Grandpa
- Charley Pride Funeral Songs for a Sibling
- Charley Pride Funeral Songs for a Spouse or Partner
- Charley Pride Funeral Songs for a Friend
If you’re planning a memorial service, music helps bring the whole event together. Honoring a loved one means evoking powerful emotions, and few things are as compelling as music. Charley Pride’s music covers topics like love, simple living, faith, and grief. For any country music lover, these Charley Pride songs are a great fit for any funeral or memorial service.
Charley Pride Funeral Songs for Mom or Grandma
Do you need help choosing the right Charley Pride funeral song for your mom or grandma? No matter what mood you’re looking to set, Pride’s music didn’t shy away from emotion and compassion.
1. “It’s Gonna Take a Little Bit Longer” from A Sunshine Day with Charley Pride
First, “It’s Gonna Take a Little Bit Longer” is about how long it takes to get over a woman you love. Though the narrator is constantly told he’ll get over her soon, he knows it’s going to take “a little bit longer.” It’s okay not to rush things when it comes to matters of the heart.
2. “Kiss an Angel Good Mornin’” from Charley Pride Sings Heart Songs
Charley Pride shares the key to a happy life in this song: treating a woman right. This jaunty tune is about hard-earned wisdom.
3. “Where Do I Put Her Memory” from Burgers and Fries
Even when someone’s gone, it’s hard to figure out where to put their memories. Though they’re no longer there, the emotional toll of their love lingers on.
4. “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” from Back to the Country
Though this song has been performed by a number of important country stars, few versions are as striking as this one by Charley Pride. It’s about losing someone and only having the memories remain. Still, you’ll stroll together again in Heaven.
5. “The Streets of Baltimore” from Charley Pride in Person
Lastly, “The Streets of Baltimore” tells the story of a man who takes his woman away from Tennessee to the big city of Baltimore. There, she falls in love with the shining lights and the exciting way of life. She decides to stay there alone, living life for herself.
Charley Pride Funeral Songs for Dad or Grandpa
Finding the perfect funeral song for your dad or grandpa can be a daunting task. Choosing a tune close to your father’s heart is a great way to guide your choice, but you ultimately have to follow your gut.
6. “I’m Just Me” from I’m Just Me
In “I’m Just Me,” Charley Pride encourages listeners to just be themselves. He famously sings, “I’m not the worst or the best, I just try to be exactly what you see.”
7. “Is Anybody Goin’ to San Antone” from Charley Pride’s 10th Album”
Though this song is deceptively upbeat, it’s really about a man who’s fleeing from a broken relationship by hitchhiking. Instead of letting this get him down, he’s excited to have found his freedom. Anywhere is fine as long as he’s on his own.
8. “Roll on Mississippi” from Roll on Mississippi
When you think of home, sometimes you feel like a child again. This homage to Pride’s home state is a subtle yet loving tribute to a “long-lost friend.”
9. “I’ll Fly Away” from Did You Think to Pray
“I’ll Fly Away” is a Christian song, and it’s similar to a church hymn. It’s about returning to heaven to fly amongst the angels. “To a home on God’s celestial shore,” he’ll fly away.
10. “Dallas Cowboys” from Dallas Cowboys
This 1970s theme song was specifically for the Dallas Cowboys football team. Perfect for any Dallas Cowboys fan, it’s all about celebrating as a team together.
Charley Pride Funeral Songs for a Sibling
Many of Charley Pride’s hits are perfect funeral songs for a brother or sister. With many of his songs focusing on the simple life and childhood, what better way to pay tribute to your first friend?
11. “Mississippi Cotton Picking Delta Town” from Pride of America
This nostalgic tune is about Pride’s upbringing in Sledge, Mississippi. There wasn’t much money in his poor upbringing, especially as a Black man in the sharecropping system. Depicted in vivid detail, this is a song about remembering the place you left behind.
12. “Burger and Fries” from Burgers and Fries
For a song that cherishes the nostalgia of youth, look no further than “Burgers and Fries.” In this song, Pride recounts the simple things of one’s childhood, like burgers, fries, and cherry pies.
13. “Kaw-Liga” from The Best of Charley Pride
Written by Hank Williams, this is a song about a legendary Native American who had a wooden statue in his honor. The statue fell in love with a fellow figure, but he was never able to express his love.
14. “Let Me Live” from Did You Think to Pray?
From Charley Pride’s gospel album, this is a song about feeling God’s grace. We’ll all reach that “great tomorrow,” but there will be no “pain and sorrow.”
15. “Fifteen Years Ago” from From Me to You
Finally, this is a song about remembering someone special. Though you knew them “fifteen years ago,” it still feels like they’ve never left your side.
Charley Pride Funeral Songs for a Spouse or Partner
Losing a spouse or partner is one of the hardest things anyone can experience. Charley Pride is no stranger to heartbreak and grief, and these songs prove he knows what love is.
16. “Mountain of Love” from Everybody’s Choice
First, this song was a staple of Pride’s setlist for years—and with good reason. This melodic song might be about heartbreak, but it’s also about hope for the future. The song encourages listeners to find their own mountains of love.
17. “Someone Loves You Honey” from Someone Loves You Honey
This romantic ballad is a tender tribute to someone you love. Though times can be hard at times, remember that “someone loves you honey.”
18. “(I’m So) Afraid of Losing You Again” from Just Plain Charley
This vulnerable ballad is about risking your heart for love. Though it’s hard to lose your love, this fear just means you’re not afraid to put your emotions out there.
19. “All I Have to Offer You (Is Me)” from The Best of Charley Pride
The narrator of “All I Have to Offer You (Is Me)” is asking his love to marry him. However, he must warn her that she’ll be living in a world where “roses hardly ever grow.” All he has to offer is himself.
20. “Just Between You and Me” from The Pride of Country Music
Finally, this Pride song is one of the most memorable love songs in country music. Brimming with sadness, this is a song about loving someone too much to ever forget them.
Charley Pride Funeral Songs for a Friend
Last but not least, these Charley Pride funeral songs are the best choices for a beloved friend. Country funeral songs are a way to honor someone who appreciated the simple things in life.
21. “Crystal Chandeliers” from The Country Way
Next, this song is about someone who sees through the glitz and glamor of the world. Though they see others with “paper smiles,” this is something that fades away over time.
22. “Night Games” from Roll on Mississippi
For someone who loved to dance all night long, this disco-infused hit is a reminder of the magic of the 1980s. We’re all just hoping to find love, even if we’re just playing “night games.”
23. “You’re My Jamaica” from That’s Life
Inspired by Jimmy Buffet and the beach bum lifestyle, this is a song about relaxation and not sweating the small stuff. Sometimes your friends are your own Jamaica, and they’re your own rays of sunshine.
24. “Mansion on the Hill” from There’s a Little Bit of Hank in Me
In this song, Charley Pride explores what it means to live with and without love. Though he might not have a “mansion on the hill,” he has real happiness and joy.
25. “Before I Met You” from Before
Lastly, “Before I Met You” lists all the ways someone changed after meeting someone special. Sometimes you meet a person who is such an influence that they completely change your life trajectory and become someone who sticks with you forever.
Say Goodbye Through Country Music
Though you might not give much thought to your loved one’s funeral playlist, this is a big decision. These songs are a way to say your final goodbye. Whether planning a funeral slideshow, video, or reception, send the right message from beyond the grave.
Charley Pride’s country music touched people across the globe. What better way to honor a life well lived than with a return to the basics? With that in mind, what music speaks to you?