Episode 102 - Michael Venske
WFNU Frogtown Community Radio Edit
Michael’s Funeral Music Playlist
Your Funeral Music: Michael Venske’s Playlist for Life’s Final Curtain
Introducing the Guest
What songs would you choose to accompany your final farewell? This intimate question lies at the heart of Your Funeral Music, a radio show that invites guests to share their personal funeral playlists—songs that reflect their life, legacy, and hopes for how they’ll be remembered.
This week, we explore the playlist of Michael Venske, the show’s creator and our celebrant known for creating meaningful ceremonies, supporting legacy projects, and lending his voice to the Threshold Choir for the dying, Michael is as comfortable stacking firewood as he is guiding others through life’s most profound milestones. A volunteer election judge in Ramsey County, Michael also urges his neighbors to register and vote.
Hosted by Everett Schopper this week, the episode offers a heartfelt window into Michael’s unique perspective on death, remembrance, and the power of music to comfort and inspire.
Today, though, the tables turn: instead of asking the questions, Michael is here to share the soundtrack he hopes will accompany his own farewell.
Remembered Accurately
When asked how he’d like to be remembered, Michael’s answer is straightforward: accurately. This mix of sentiment and grounded self-awareness sets the tone for a playlist meant not just for himself, but for those he loves—those who will gather in grief and celebration.
In his self-description, he’s a sentimental, passionate creative, a former Boy Scout, and—like all of us—imperfect.
His “one-second-a-day” video captures the snapshots of his life, but this playlist offers something more: a musical map through memory, meaning, and mortality.
You’ll Never Walk Alone – Nina Simone (Instrumental)
Michael’s opening track is an instrumental rendition of the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic, originally from the 1945 musical Carousel and recorded by Nina Simone for her 1959 debut album Little Girl Blue. For Michael, beginning without lyrics sets the right tone—soothing and reflective—allowing mourners to settle into the space.
The song’s peaks and valleys mirror life itself: moments of beauty, challenge, and quiet grace.
Michael’s connection to the piece deepened after a pivotal moment in his youth. At 16, in the aftermath of September 11, he felt deeply alone.
A church van—his family’s congregation of 70 years—became the unlikely vehicle for a teenage cross-country misadventure that ended with a felony stop and subsequent arrest. Michael was pulled over in the Trinity Lutheran Church van in the Trinity Mountains.
It felt like the universe was sending him a wink—reminding Michael he was never truly alone.
Feels So Good – Chuck Mangione
Chuck Mangione and Michael Venske after an unforgettable night of music and stories at Rossi’s, Minneapolis. October 21, 2007.
Unlike the bright, jazzy instrumental most know, this vocal version of “Feels So Good” carries a deeply somber, longing quality that resonates with the complexities of grief and memory.
Michael selected this bittersweet rendition because it mirrors the nuanced emotions that accompany loss—the ache of what once was and the fragile hope that lingers. The mournful vocals breathe vulnerability into the melody, inviting listeners to sit with their sadness rather than rush past it. It’s a poignant reminder that feeling deeply, even sorrow, is an essential part of honoring a life. This version gently underscores the tension between joy and melancholy that defines many funeral moments.
Michael’s personal connection runs deep: he once met Mangione at a jazz club with Jimmy “Dutch” Gaines. They took photos together and Michael remembers Mangione as warm and kind. The song also ties into family. Michael’s grandfather passed away on Mangione’s birthday, adding another layer of connection.
For Michael’s service, he envisions the flugelhorn’s opening notes as a call to welcome the family, with guests rising in a symbolic standing ovation. It’s both a gesture of respect and a way to weave joy into grief.
Days Like This Keep Me Warm – The Polyphonic Spree
From the 2002 album The Beginning Stages Of, this track blends instrumentals with calm peace and hope.
Michael wants the song’s opening played alongside a reading of daily remembrances:
I am of the nature to grow old. There is no way to escape growing old.
I am of the nature to have ill health. There is no way to escape having ill health.
I am of the nature to die. There is no way to escape death.All that is dear to me and everyone I love are of the nature to change.
There is no way to escape being separated from them.My actions are my only true belongings.
I cannot escape the consequences of my actions.
My actions are the ground upon which I stand.
When grief feels cold and isolating, this song offers a heartfelt warmth that wraps around the listener like a cozy blanket. Michael imagines this track as a sonic hug, one that comforts those facing the chill of loss by emphasizing the healing power of love and connection.
The gentle melodies and tender lyrics express the desire to be held close and cared for when times are hard. It’s a reminder that even in our loneliest moments, we can find solace in the love of others. This song captures the delicate balance between sorrow and the light that keeps us going. Love is greater than grief.
This track marks the first explicit acknowledgment of death in his playlist, shifting from purely instrumental reflection to lyrical affirmation.
You Belong Up There With the Stars – Jeremy Messersmith
This Minneapolis-based indie songwriter offers a gentle meditation on cosmic origins and belonging. Michael connects deeply with its message of looking skyward when feeling alone, and its hope that dreams carry us “back to where [we] came from.”
The song’s ukulele accompaniment is also personal: Michael first encountered the instrument through his friend Bex while touring with the National Theater for Children. Later, while living in China, the owner of his school gifted him a ukulele as a parting gesture. For his funeral, Michael envisions Bex and another friend, Erica—both ukulele players—performing the song. It’s a way for them to help tell his story when he can’t.
This song offers a poetic reminder that we are part of something vast and beautiful beyond ourselves. Michael chooses this piece to encourage feelings of belonging, especially for those who feel lost or alone. Its gentle invitation to “look up” is both literal and metaphorical, inspiring hope and connection. It’s a cosmic embrace that reassures listeners they are never truly isolated.
I Don’t Want to Live on the Moon – Ernie
Drawing from childhood and the comforting world of Sesame Street, this classic tune balances curiosity with a deep longing for home. Michael, affectionately the “weird uncle” to many kids, chose this song to bridge generations and bring a familiar voice to a ceremony that can feel overwhelming.
The lyrics speak to the universal human experience of wanting to explore and dream while ultimately craving the safety and love of home. It’s a playful yet poignant reminder that no matter where we go, the people we love anchor us. The innocence of Ernie’s voice adds a gentle, whimsical touch to the playlist.
The song, about visiting wondrous places but always returning home, resonates as a metaphor for death: a journey to somewhere new, but with a longing to be among loved ones. Michael envisions “home” as returning to where he came from: mystical ancestors.
The Moon Represents My Heart – All-American Boys Chorus (Cover)
This timeless Chinese ballad holds a special place in Michael’s heart, linked to his travels and deep connections made abroad. Hearing it for the first time in a taxi in China stopped him in his tracks, prompting him to learn the lyrics and embrace its poetic symbolism.
[Chorus]
You ask how deeply I love you
And just how great my love is
My affection is real
And my love is true
The moon represents my heart
You ask how deeply I love you
And just how great my love is
My affection does not waver
And my love doesn’t change
The moon represents my heart
The song’s metaphor of the moon representing heartfelt love transcends language and culture, embodying universal themes of longing and connection.
Michael imagines the students who sang for him overseas returning to honor him with this song, a testament to the kindness and family he found far from home. This piece reflects how music can weave together disparate lives into a shared tapestry of meaning.
Poems, Prayers, & Promises – John Denver
This classic folk song encapsulates Michael’s spirituality in its simplicity and sincerity. He distills his favorite prayer into to three words—help, thanks, wow—expressing gratitude without complexity or dogma. He shares how his faith has evolved: “I lost my faith and I found it again, but it changed... It’s just love. Love is equal to God, and God is equal to love.”
The song’s reflection on life’s fleeting nature, growing old, and the value of love resonates deeply with Michael’s perspective on living fully and lovingly. Its warm, conversational tone invites listeners to sit around a fire, share stories, and cherish the present moment. The inclusion of this song emphasizes that spirituality can be personal, gentle, and grounded in everyday experience.
John Denver’s song closes with a question:
“What about our dreams and all the memories we share?”
To Michael, it’s a call to action: “It’s your responsibility now to go and do something... to care and to do it from a place of love.”
Don’t Let the Good Life Pass You By – Cass Elliott
With a lively bass line and infectious optimism, this song offers a burst of joy amidst the solemn playlist.
Michael hopes it will remind his brother—and all listeners—to pause and savor life’s simple pleasures instead of getting lost in work or worry.
The lyrics celebrate laughter, kindness, and the small moments that make life meaningful. This track challenges the stereotype that funeral music must be somber, instead encouraging a spirited embrace of life. It’s a call to live vividly, even in the face of mortality.
Brothers: Michael Venske & Daniel Venske
You Are So Loved – Heather Houston
An a cappella choir piece, this song carries an intimate, spiritual message that Michael wants everyone present to feel.
Inspired by his participation in the Threshold Choir—singing to those nearing life’s end—it embodies a communal love that lifts and heals.
Michael imagines ceremony attendees joining in the singing, creating a ripple of shared warmth and reassurance. The repetition of “You are so loved” becomes a mantra, a gift of affirmation to friends and family. This song transcends words, connecting hearts through simple, profound harmony.
Go Now In Peace – Joe Weiss
Michael closes the playlist with a blessing that blends his Unitarian Universalist roots and a universal wish for peace. This gentle hymn is both a farewell and an invitation—to go forward with love, alive in spirit and purpose. The lyrics urge listeners not just to live but to live fully and intentionally, carrying love with them everywhere they go.
It encapsulates the show’s central theme: music as a vehicle for healing, connection, and celebration.
This closing track sends everyone home with a warm embrace and a hopeful heart. For Michael, it’s both a farewell and an encouragement to live fully:
“Now go in peace. Get out of here. It is time for you to go live your life. Go now alive, not just living.”
Reflections on Death, Memory, and Preparedness
Throughout the conversation, Michael shares a hopeful and open-hearted view of death. Rather than fearing the inevitable, he sees death as a continuation—our “you-ness” lives on in memories and the energy we leave behind. He embraces the idea that funerals serve the living, providing a space to gather, grieve, and celebrate.
Michael’s playlist, then, becomes a gift to his loved ones, carefully crafted to ease their burden and guide their healing. His final wisdom echoes a timeless truth: by talking openly about death and preparing for it, we transform fear into love and peace.
Michael Venske’s Your Funeral Music is a profoundly personal journey through the emotions and stories that shape how we say goodbye. Each song is a chapter in a life well-lived—full of love, humor, gratitude, and hope. To hear the full playlists or learn more, visit yourfuneralmusic.com.
