From the recording Beggars and Kings
Dan wrote this song at age 17. He was healthy and strong. He'd been with his dad and brother and sister at Grand Bend for the weekend. While he was sitting on the beach, a song started playing in his head. He listened, then wrote the title in the sand.
When he came home the next day, he told me that he had a new song; did I want to hear it?
As he sang, my heart was breaking... why was he talking about a funeral? About dancing at his funeral? Although the song had a catchy tune and upbeat lyrics, I told him NEVER to play it for me again. I felt the knife in my heart, that this would happen.
It did. Five years later, Dan was diagnosed with a fatal brain tumour. Three and a half years later, he died.
He wanted us to dance at his funeral. We honoured his song.
Lyrics
Dance at my Funeral
I want you to dance at my funeral
I want you to celebrate your life
yeah, I want you to dance at my funeral.
In this way, you remember me, remember me
And you keep my light alive
Don't you shed your tears for me, baby
Cause I'll be dancing with the angels in the sky
Yeah, my Jesus, He's gonna save me
my Jesus, he's gonna dry your eyes
yeah, He's gonna dry your eyes
So I want you to dance at my funeral
I want you to eat ice cream and read poetry all night
Go ahead, you can dance at my funeral
In this way, you’ll remember me, remember me
And you keep my light alive.
Yeah, Death's nothing more than a doorway,
A doorway home to the light,
By His Grace we’ll be there someday
Until then, keep your torch burning bright
Until then, keep your torch burning bright
Because the sky’s gonna fall on us someday,
Wash our every memory away,
All our empty treachery will decay
And LOVE will remain
So I want you to dance at my funeral
Yeah, I want you to celebrate your life
Go ahead, you can dance at my funeral
In this way you’ll remember me, remember me
In this way you remember me, remember me
And you’ll keep my light
Alive