Losing a baby is an unimaginable heartbreak. Music offers a way to process grief, express love, and create a sacred atmosphere for remembrance. Whether you’re planning a service, tribute video, or memorial gathering, the right song can provide comfort and connection. We have curated a list of 40 meaningful baby funeral songs that reflect sorrow, hope, innocence, and eternal love.
Simple List:
Lullaby (Cradle Song) – Johannes Brahms
Somewhere Over the Rainbow (Instrumental) – Israel Kamakawiwoʻole
Clair de Lune – Claude Debussy
Gabriel’s Oboe – Ennio Morricone
Canon in D (Piano Version) – Pachelbel
Jesus Loves Me – Traditional Hymn
Held – Natalie Grant
Blessings – Laura Story
I Can Only Imagine – MercyMe
Heaven Is the Face – Steven Curtis Chapman
Tears in Heaven – Eric Clapton
Small Bump – Ed Sheeran
In the Arms of an Angel – Sarah McLachlan
Lullaby (Goodnight, My Angel) – Billy Joel
Forever Young – Rod Stewart
Go Rest High on That Mountain – Vince Gill
When I Get Where I’m Going – Brad Paisley ft. Dolly Parton
One More Day – Diamond Rio
Who You’d Be Today – Kenny Chesney
Angels Among Us – Alabama
Heaven’s Garden – Kierra Sheard
Precious Child – Karen Taylor-Good
Sleep Tight – Celine Dion
Gone Too Soon – Daughtry
In My Daughter’s Eyes – Martina McBride
Pie Jesu – Andrew Lloyd Webber
Ave Maria – Bach/Gounod or Schubert
Amazing Grace – Choir Version
Be Still My Soul – Finlandia Hymn
It Is Well With My Soul – Horatio Spafford
You’ll Be in My Heart – Phil Collins
Somewhere Only We Know – Keane
Bright Eyes – Art Garfunkel
You Are My Sunshine (Slow Acoustic Version)
To Where You Are – Josh Groban
No Sound but the Wind – Editors
Songbird – Fleetwood Mac
Saturn – Sleeping at Last
We’ll Meet Again – Vera Lynn
The Night We Met – Lord Huron
How to Choose a Song for a Baby’s Funeral
Selecting a song for a baby’s funeral is one of the most emotional choices a parent or loved one can make. The right music can provide comfort, set the tone for the service, and express love when words are not enough. It is often helpful to start by reflecting on the baby’s story, the hopes you had for them, and the feelings you wish to convey. Some families prefer instrumental pieces that create a calm and reverent atmosphere, while others choose lyrical songs that speak directly to their grief, faith, or dreams for the child.
If your family holds spiritual beliefs, a hymn or religious song might offer peace and assurance. For others, contemporary ballads or lullabies may feel more personal. You can also include more than one song, using different selections for different moments of the ceremony such as the opening, slideshow, and final farewell. Let the song serve as a tribute, a reflection of love, and a space to grieve gently.
What to Consider When Choosing a Song for a Baby’s Funeral
When choosing a song for a baby’s funeral, it is important to consider the emotional tone, lyrics, and personal meaning behind the music. Start by thinking about what you want the song to communicate: love, sorrow, faith, hope, or remembrance. The lyrics should resonate with your experience and reflect the depth of your emotions without being overwhelming for guests. Many families choose songs that are soft and gentle, with lullaby-like qualities, especially when honoring an infant.
Consider the structure and setting of the service. Will the song be played during a slideshow, during a reading, or as people arrive? Instrumentals might work well in transitional moments, while vocal pieces may be better suited for focal points in the service. It’s also worth thinking about how the song makes you feel—if it brings comfort, clarity, or connection, it’s likely the right choice. Whether you select a traditional hymn, a favorite melody, or something entirely personal, the most important thing is that it honors your baby’s memory with tenderness and sincerity.
Gentle Instrumentals for Baby Memorial Services
1. Lullaby (Cradle Song) by Johannes Brahms
This lullaby delivers a soft, comforting melody often associated with peace and innocence. Its calming rhythm evokes the image of a baby gently resting, making it fitting for a final farewell.
2. Somewhere Over the Rainbow (Instrumental by Israel Kamakawiwoʻole)
This gentle ukulele version provides a soothing instrumental that symbolizes hope and the belief that the soul of the baby has transitioned to a better place beyond the rainbow.
3. Clair de Lune by Claude Debussy
Debussy’s masterpiece embodies a delicate emotional balance. The soft, flowing piano harmonies offer a graceful background that helps mourners reflect quietly.
4. Gabriel’s Oboe by Ennio Morricone
This elegant orchestral piece radiates purity and reverence, often used in memorials to convey the sacredness of life lost too soon.
5. Canon in D by Pachelbel (Piano Version)
Widely associated with serenity and grace, this instrumental fosters a respectful ambiance for a baby’s funeral or wake.
Christian Baby Funeral Songs of Faith and Hope
6. Jesus Loves Me (Traditional Hymn)
This simple hymn affirms that even the tiniest souls are held in divine love. It brings reassurance to grieving parents who believe in God’s everlasting care.
7. Held by Natalie Grant
Inspired by infant loss, this song acknowledges deep sorrow while pointing to God’s sustaining presence in the darkest seasons of life.
8. Blessings by Laura Story
This reflective track suggests that hidden within suffering are divine blessings, especially resonant for parents coping with loss.
9. I Can Only Imagine by MercyMe
This Christian hit imagines the joy and peace of meeting God in heaven, bringing comfort through hope of reunion.
10. Heaven Is the Face by Steven Curtis Chapman
Written after the artist lost his daughter, this song profoundly captures the ache and faith-driven longing of parents separated from a child.
Contemporary Baby Memorial Songs
11. Tears in Heaven by Eric Clapton
Penned after the loss of his own son, this song poignantly expresses grief and longing while questioning the nature of loss and afterlife.
12. Small Bump by Ed Sheeran
Written about a pregnancy that didn’t go to term, this song gently describes anticipation, loss, and unconditional love for a baby never held.
13. In the Arms of an Angel by Sarah McLachlan
A hauntingly beautiful ballad, this track offers the image of a gentle transition into a peaceful afterlife, ideal for memorials.
14. Lullaby (Goodnight, My Angel) by Billy Joel
Originally a bedtime song for his daughter, this piece captures the loving farewell from a parent to a child now gone.
15. Forever Young by Rod Stewart
A message of enduring love and blessings, this song reminds mourners that the baby’s memory will remain youthful and pure forever.
Country Songs to Remember an Infant
16. Go Rest High on That Mountain by Vince Gill
This emotional ballad pays tribute to a soul taken too soon. Its spiritual lyrics and mournful delivery offer space to grieve and hope.
17. When I Get Where I’m Going by Brad Paisley ft. Dolly Parton
The song describes heaven as a place of peace and freedom from pain, resonating with parents who believe their baby is now at rest.
18. One More Day by Diamond Rio
This track speaks for every parent who wishes for just one more moment to hold and cherish their lost child.
19. Who You’d Be Today by Kenny Chesney
It contemplates what life might have looked like for a baby gone too soon, a sentiment shared by many grieving families.
20. Angels Among Us by Alabama
This uplifting country classic suggests that departed loved ones remain close as guiding spirits, offering comfort in times of sorrow.
Songs from the Perspective of a Baby
21. Heaven’s Garden by Kierra Sheard
Sung from the viewpoint of a baby, this track imagines the infant safe and loved in heaven, offering solace to the grieving.
22. Precious Child by Karen Taylor-Good
The lyrics express eternal connection and longing, reminding parents their child’s presence endures in memories and love.
23. Sleep Tight by Celine Dion
This gentle lullaby carries the voice of a mother saying goodnight for the last time, conveying grace and enduring love.
24. Gone Too Soon by Daughtry
With lyrics that fit both early infancy and stillbirth, this ballad speaks directly to how brief yet impactful a life can be.
25. In My Daughter’s Eyes by Martina McBride
While written about admiration, this song also fits memorial settings, portraying how much impact even a baby can have on a parent.
Timeless Hymns and Sacred Choir Music
26. Pie Jesu (by Andrew Lloyd Webber)
Traditionally sung in Latin, this prayer for rest and mercy becomes a sacred offering when used to honor a child’s passing.
27. Ave Maria (Bach/Gounod or Schubert)
This revered piece is widely used in Catholic funeral services, its angelic tone offering calm and reverence.
28. Amazing Grace (Choir Version)
A universal hymn of redemption and eternal life, its message comforts those mourning a child’s departure from earth.
29. Be Still My Soul (Finlandia Hymn)
A deeply moving hymn that encourages faith and composure amid grief, often selected for its tranquil power.
30. It Is Well With My Soul by Horatio Spafford
Written after the composer’s own personal tragedy, the hymn resonates with mourners clinging to spiritual peace.
Uplifting Songs Celebrating a Baby’s Life
31. You’ll Be in My Heart by Phil Collins
Originally for a Disney movie, this song is a universal declaration of a love that outlives physical presence.
32. Somewhere Only We Know by Keane
This tender piano ballad speaks to shared memories and private emotional spaces, ideal for personal tribute slideshows.
33. Bright Eyes by Art Garfunkel
Its haunting questions about life and death pair perfectly with memorial moments seeking to acknowledge innocence lost.
34. You Are My Sunshine (Slow Acoustic Version)
A simple declaration of love, this classic evokes sweet memories and the warmth a baby brought in their short time.
35. To Where You Are by Josh Groban
This powerful vocal track captures the yearning for a connection beyond this life and the invisible presence of those we miss.
Alternative and Indie Selections for Baby Memorials
36. No Sound but the Wind by Editors
This slow, meditative song suits intimate services. Its lyrics express loss while recognizing the silent presence of a departed soul.
37. Songbird by Fleetwood Mac
Its gentle tune and message of enduring presence make it an emotional yet uplifting song to include in baby memorials.
38. Saturn by Sleeping at Last
With poetic lyrics about time, innocence, and cosmic wonder, this indie piece honors a baby’s existence in a larger, sacred universe.
39. We’ll Meet Again by Vera Lynn
This wartime classic speaks to eventual reunion, giving families hope of seeing their baby once more.
40. The Night We Met by Lord Huron
Though melancholy, the song’s emotional weight makes it fitting for expressing the sorrow of losing someone too soon.
