Good Funeral Music: "What'll I Do?"

The funeral for highly-prized, much-beloved journalist Peter Kaplan was held Tuesday in Larchmont, New York. "For a master of words, well crafted and conceived, for the artful literary visionary, the ultimate life editor, what else do we owe but words?" said presiding Rabbi Jeffrey J. Sirkman. Crisp, artful eulogies were delivered, then Kaplan's daughter Caroline sang Irving Berlin's "What'll I Do?" which she and her dad had previously agreed was the "best song ever." Here's Julie London's rendition of "What'll I Do?" (sans video). Frank Sinatra,Judy Garland, and Nat King Cole also recorded it. Harry Nilsson, and Rufus Wainwright did well by it too. What'll I do When you are far away And I am blue What'll I do?

What'll I do? When I am wond'ring who Is kissing you What'll I do?

What'll I do with just a photograph To tell my troubles to?

When I'm alone With only dreams of you That won't come true What'll I do?

Kaplan's favorite park, where mourners walked  after the service.
Kaplan's favorite park, where mourners walked after the service.