Play This At My Funeral

💐 Episode Summary

On the precipice of turning 80, Connie Garcia-Barrio spends a little time with our host Dinah to delve into a mother’s grief when she outlives her child. In this heartfelt episode, you’ll discover a wider meaning of music than you could’ve ever imagined, and hear some beautiful singing and stories of a life lived full of loving care, curiosity, and courage. The only thing you need to take away from listening is to always hold onto a spark of hope. 

💿 Songs Mentioned

1. “Sweet and Low” a lullaby that I used to sing to my son

2. “Precious Lord, Take My Hand” a spiritual

3. “Dancing in the Moonlight” by Sherman Kelly

4. “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong

You can listen to Connie’s playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/56yGKGhNxqDF4iJmFICav6?si=KYRms0GdQB-aEEg0VU7mNw 

🎙 About the Guest

A native Philadelphian, Constance writes about Black history and social justice in her hometown. Her column for Grid magazine, a Philly online and print publication, addresses

environmental and social issues. She likes languages and once took a monthlong intensive course in Mandarin at the Beijing Languages Institute, Beijing, China.

Reared in Philadelphia, she feels rooted in Virginia. She knew her great-grandmother, Rose Wilson Ware. Born into slavery about 1852, Rose lived until 1965- Yes! 112 or 113 years.

Constance’s mother took Constance and her brother down to Rose’s farm in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, for a few weeks each summer.

Constance was chosen as a participant for Macondo, a summer workshop for writers whose work deals with social justice. She won a magazine journalism award from the National

Association of Black Journalists for a cover story on Black Americans in circus history. Her novel, Blood Grip, features a fugitive from slavery who survives alone in Philadelphia using her skills as a seamstress, herbalist, and practitioner of West African spirituality.

Read her articles in Grid Magazine here: https://gridphilly.com/blog-home/author/constancegarciabarrio/ 

🙏🏽 Thank You to Our Supporters

TremFit — Kara Tremel’s boutique online training experience helping every body feel strong, confident, and cared for.

Second Home First — The hit podcast rethinking homeownership and wealth-building. What if your 401(k) came with a fire pit and a lake view?

🌹 About Play This At My FuneralPlay This At My Funeral is a deeply fun, slightly macabre, always heartwarming podcast about the songs that shape our lives — including the ones we’d play at our funerals. Each episode, Dinah invites a guest to curate their hypothetical send-off playlist and share the stories behind the music. Think Desert Island Discs meets Films To Be Buried With — with more vibes and fewer survival scenarios.

Created and hosted by Dinah Susan Alobeid. Edited and co-produced by Jesse Mendelson.

💜 Stay ConnectedSubscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, leave a 5-star review, and share with someone building their own “funeral playlist.”

Follow on IG @PlayThisAtMyFuneralPodcast, TikTok @PlayThisAtMyFuneralPod, and Dinah @DinahSusanAlobeidWrites.

Watch the full video episodes on YouTube and join Dinah’s Substack community, Write, Dance, Repeat.

🎙 About the Host

Dinah Susan Alobeid is a writer, dancer, and VP of Communications & Content. Her writing appears in Porter House Review, Five on the Fifth, Reverie Literary Magazine, Spectrum Magazine, and more. She lives in New Jersey with her partner and their rambunctious toddler.

I hearby declare that I do not own the rights to any music or lyrics played during the recording of this podcast. All rights to the music and audio belong to their respective owner(s).

💐 Episode Summary

Meet funeral director and interfaith minister Amy Firth, who’s here to make talking about death feel a little less scary. And wholly more human, gentle, and truly loving. Amy and Dinah explore how to talk with children about death and loss, what it means to truly plan a meaningful funeral that is representative of the person who has gone, and make room for both grief and joy every single day. Along the way, Amy shares the songs she’s chosen for her own farewell and not just the music but exactly how the ceremony and rituals will be conducted. You’ll hear some amazing music from Sarah Blasko, Florence + The Machine, and a gorgeous Sikh Shabad chant. Plus so much more. Settle in with a cup of something steaming and drink in this gorgeous episode. 

💿 Songs Mentioned

1. “Dhan Dhan Ram Das Gur - Miracles” by Snatam Kaur

2. “We Won’t Run” by Sarah Blasko

3. “One Body” by Alexandra Blakely

4. “Hope&Time&Love” by Amy Firth

5. “You and Me On The Rock (feat. Lucius)” by Brandi Carlile, Lucius

6. “Still Holding My Hand” by The Cast of Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical

7. “Fall Into My Arms” by Ngaiire

8. “Up To The Mountains (MLK Song)” by Patty Griffin

9. “From Me To You” by Ane Brun

10. “You’ve Got The Love” by Florence + The Machine

11. “SUMMER RENAISSANCE” by Beyoncé 

You can listen to Amy’s playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1IUciMYiEws0PIwgLGohbV?si=FyrSBYNnS5i_ndQXdLEAmQ&nd=1&dlsi=7301445cb6fb4a55 

Amy’s guide “A Parent’s Guide to Talking About Death”: https://www.amyfirth.com/blog-builder/talking-to-children 

🎙 About the Guest

Amy Firth is an interfaith minister, funeral director and ceremony designer based on Dharug and Gundungurra Country in the Blue Mountains, Australia. For the last decade, she's helped families reclaim funerals as an experience they create together rather than a formality they outsource, a philosophy shaped by an arts career in theatre & music before her own poignant bereavements led her into death care. 

She hosts the monthly Blue Mountains Death Café, runs creative Grief In Motion workshops, founded The Visible Death Worker, a global community for those bringing heart to death, dying, ceremony and grief, and shares death literacy and ceremony inspiration with 75k+ people across social media.

🙏🏽 Thank You to Our Supporters

TremFit — Kara Tremel’s boutique online training experience helping every body feel strong, confident, and cared for.Second Home First — The hit podcast rethinking homeownership and wealth-building. What if your 401(k) came with a fire pit and a lake view?

🌹 About Play This At My Funeral

Play This At My Funeral is a deeply fun, slightly macabre, always heartwarming podcast about the songs that shape our lives — including the ones we’d play at our funerals. Each episode, Dinah invites a guest to curate their hypothetical send-off playlist and share the stories behind the music. Think Desert Island Discs meets Films To Be Buried With — with more vibes and fewer survival scenarios.

Created and hosted by Dinah Susan Alobeid. Edited and co-produced by Jesse Mendelson.

💜 Stay ConnectedSubscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, leave a 5-star review, and share with someone building their own “funeral playlist.”

Follow on IG @PlayThisAtMyFuneralPodcast, TikTok @PlayThisAtMyFuneralPod, and Dinah @DinahSusanAlobeidWrites.

Watch the full video episodes on YouTube and join Dinah’s Substack community, Write, Dance, Repeat.

🎙 About the Host

Dinah Susan Alobeid is a writer, dancer, and VP of Communications & Content. Her writing appears in Porter House Review, Five on the Fifth, Reverie Literary Magazine, Spectrum Magazine, and more. She lives in New Jersey with her partner and their rambunctious toddler.

I hearby declare that I do not own the rights to any music or lyrics played during the recording of this podcast. All rights to the music and audio belong to their respective owner(s).

💐 Episode Summary

Welcome to your friend and mine, the gregarious and joyful Katy Merlo. The book podcast co-host of Genre’d and sister of Episode 5 guest Elyse Merlo, Katy comes in hot with so many choice musical selections and gives us a brand new way to celebrate and grieve with her take on a funeral cocktail soiree (so down!). Along the way you’ll discover songs from Spin Doctors, Selena, The Chicks, LeAnn Rimes, Paramore and so very many more. Get ready to giggle along with this upbeat conversation. 

💿 Songs Mentioned

1. “Joyful Joyful” by Musical Mania (substitute for Lauryn Hill and cast from Sister Act 2)

2. “Walking In Memphis” by Marc Cohen

3. “Everyone Falls In Love” by Tanto Metro & Devonte

4. “Yearbook” by Hanson

5. “The Downeaster ‘Alexa’” by Billy Joel

6. “Brown Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison

7. “Two Princes” by Spin Doctors

8. “Like A Prayer” by Madonna

9. “You Oughta Know” by Alanis Morissette

10. “Cowboy Take Me Home” “Goodbye Earl” and “Heartbreak Town” by The Chicks

11. “Twisted Angel” by LeAnn Rimes

12. “Hurricane” by Something Corporate

13. “But It’s Better If You Do” by Panic! At The Disco

14. “Ven Conmigo (Solamente Tu)” by Christina Aguilera

15. “I Wish You Would (Taylor’s Version)” by Taylor Swift

16. “Rose-Colored Boy” by Paramore

You can listen to Katy’s playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2ymdIxasSA4XVyLXvR3qg9?si=uUiy4v-uSgmw9uCBEC8g-g&pi=4zYtU5hESaGXC 

You can watch the “Joyful Joyful” medley from Sister Act 2 here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaEH1e_DLm0 

🎙 About the Guest

Katy Merlo co-hosts Genre’d, a book and pop culture podcast where no genre is off-limits. When she’s not talking books with her sister, Elyse, she’s reading on her Kindle, romanticizing fall, or offering an extremely specific opinion no one asked for.

🙏🏽 Thank You to Our Supporters

TremFit — Kara Tremel’s boutique online training experience helping every body feel strong, confident, and cared for.Second Home First — The hit podcast rethinking homeownership and wealth-building. What if your 401(k) came with a fire pit and a lake view?

🌹 About Play This At My FuneralPlay This At My Funeral is a deeply fun, slightly macabre, always heartwarming podcast about the songs that shape our lives — including the ones we’d play at our funerals. Each episode, Dinah invites a guest to curate their hypothetical send-off playlist and share the stories behind the music. Think Desert Island Discs meets Films To Be Buried With — with more vibes and fewer survival scenarios.

Created and hosted by Dinah Susan Alobeid. Edited and co-produced by Jesse Mendelson.

💜 Stay ConnectedSubscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, leave a 5-star review, and share with someone building their own “funeral playlist.”

Follow on IG @PlayThisAtMyFuneralPodcast, TikTok @PlayThisAtMyFuneralPod, and Dinah @DinahSusanAlobeidWrites.

Watch the full video episodes on YouTube and join Dinah’s Substack community, Write, Dance, Repeat.

🎙 About the Host

Dinah Susan Alobeid is a writer, dancer, and VP of Communications & Content. Her writing appears in Porter House Review, Five on the Fifth, Reverie Literary Magazine, Spectrum Magazine, and more. She lives in New Jersey with her partner and their rambunctious toddler.

I hearby declare that I do not own the rights to any music or lyrics played during the recording of this podcast. All rights to the music and audio belong to their respective owner(s).

💐 Episode Summary

When you’re perpetually in love with love, it’s hard not to be a clear-eyed optimist. The best kind. Welcome to the first guest episode of Season 4 with Bobby Hankinson, writer, performer, and full-time homosexual. He’s also a comedian, editor, and brilliant musicophile. In this episode you’ll discover bops from Le Tigre, Orville Peck, CHVRCHES, Stars, Judy Garland, and of course, Dolly Parton. Come for the song reveals and stay for the tender humor, and you’ll walk away from this episode feeling hopeful and happy. 

💿 Songs Mentioned

1. “Little Shadow” by Yeah Yeah Yeahs

2. “Men in Love” by Gossip

3. “Deceptacon” by Le Tigre

4. “Daylight” by Matt and Kim

5. “Sax Rohmer #1” by The Mountain Goats

6. “This Year” by The Mountain Goats

7. “Fade Into You” by Mallrat

8. “Cuff It” by Beyonce

9. “Break My Soul” by Beyonce

10. “Schoolin’ Life” by Beyonce

11. “Clearest Blue” by CHVRCHES

12. “In The City” by Charli xcx and Sam Smith

13. “Hold On When You Get Love and Let Go When You Give It” by Stars

14. “I Will Always Love You” by Dolly Parton

15. “Happy Trails” by Orville Peck

16. “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” by Judy Garland

You can listen to Bobby’s playlist on Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2J9wEJKsekreG0QFSf3BrZ?si=AxzAEsTVSJuwdutAUTcutg&pi=SqJv00cWQjK3R   

🎙 About the Guest

Bobby Hankinson is a writer, performer and full-time homosexual. Since 2015, Bobby has hosted KWEENDOM, a monthly all-LGBTQ+ Brooklyn comedy show TimeOUT NY called "consistently dope" and Thrillist described as “extremely gay.” In 2021, he curated and edited, Welcome to Kweendom, a book of essays from LGBTQ+ writers, published by Wheatfield Press with an introduction by actor Alan Cumming. Bobby has performed all over the country at venues including Broadway Comedy Club, The Bell House, The New York Public Library, Punchline Philly, Black Cat DC, Hartford Funny Bone, Laugh Boston and more. His writing has appeared in The Boston Globe, Houston Chronicle, VICE, Gothamist, amNewYork and on leading LGBTQ+ news sources, Towleroad.com and Gay City News.

🙏🏽 Thank You to Our Supporters

TremFit — Kara Tremel’s boutique online training experience helping every body feel strong, confident, and cared for.Second Home First — The hit podcast rethinking homeownership and wealth-building. What if your 401(k) came with a fire pit and a lake view?

🌹 About Play This At My FuneralPlay This At My Funeral is a deeply fun, slightly macabre, always heartwarming podcast about the songs that shape our lives — including the ones we’d play at our funerals. Each episode, Dinah invites a guest to curate their hypothetical send-off playlist and share the stories behind the music. Think Desert Island Discs meets Films To Be Buried With — with more vibes and fewer survival scenarios.

Created and hosted by Dinah Susan Alobeid. Edited and co-produced by Jesse Mendelson.

💜 Stay ConnectedSubscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, leave a 5-star review, and share with someone building their own “funeral playlist.”

Follow on IG @PlayThisAtMyFuneralPodcast, TikTok @PlayThisAtMyFuneralPod, and Dinah @DinahSusanAlobeidWrites.

Watch the full video episodes on YouTube and join Dinah’s Substack community, Write, Dance, Repeat.

🎙 About the Host

Dinah Susan Alobeid is a writer, dancer, and VP of Communications & Content. Her writing appears in Porter House Review, Five on the Fifth, Reverie Literary Magazine, Spectrum Magazine, and more. She lives in New Jersey with her partner and their rambunctious toddler.

I hearby declare that I do not own the rights to any music or lyrics played during the recording of this podcast. All rights to the music and audio belong to their respective owner(s).

💐 Episode Summary

Host Dinah takes stock of Season 3 of the pod and shares some of the upcoming guests and conversation highlights you’ll find inside Season 4 kicking off right, freaking, now! Comedians, writers, podcasters, and friends stop by to share their stories, songs they want to be remembered by, and of course reveal a little bit of the wisdom they’ve learned in their lives. This season features guests ages 12-80, as we really bring on the deep convos across generations. 

💿 Songs / Albums / Artists Mentioned

1. After Laughter by Paramore 

2. Bad Bunny

3. Le Tigre

You can listen to Dinah’s neverending funeral playlist on Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2at9Nut0o3hJcVTLsN9IOF?si=KX6gYZvWRWKYRaRr-k2v_Q 

🙏🏽 Thank You to Our SupportersHuge thanks to our show supporters:TremFit — Kara Tremel’s boutique online training experience helping every body feel strong, confident, and cared for.Second Home First — The hit podcast rethinking homeownership and wealth-building. What if your 401(k) came with a fire pit and a lake view?

🌹 About Play This At My FuneralPlay This At My Funeral is a deeply fun, slightly macabre, always heartwarming podcast about the songs that shape our lives — including the ones we’d play at our funerals. Each episode, host Dinah invites a guest to curate their hypothetical send-off playlist and share the stories behind the music. Think Desert Island Discs meets Films To Be Buried With — with more vibes and fewer survival scenarios.

Created and hosted by Dinah Susan Alobeid. Edited and co-produced by Jesse Mendelson.

💜 Stay ConnectedSubscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, leave a 5-star review, and share with someone building their own “funeral playlist.”

Follow on IG @PlayThisAtMyFuneralPodcast, TikTok @PlayThisAtMyFuneralPod, and Dinah @DinahSusanAlobeidWrites.

Watch the full video episodes on YouTube and join Dinah’s Substack community, Write, Dance, Repeat.

🎙 About the Host

Dinah Susan Alobeid is a writer, dancer, and VP of Communications & Content. Her writing appears in Porter House Review, Five on the Fifth, Reverie Literary Magazine, Spectrum Magazine, and more. She lives in New Jersey with her partner and their rambunctious toddler.

I hearby declare that I do not own the rights to any music or lyrics played during the recording of this podcast. All rights to the music and audio belong to their respective owner(s).

💐 Episode Summary

Join host Dinah as she reminisces on some of the most powerful moments from season 3 with guests including RomCom author Georgia Clark, paralegal, social activist, and professional listener Erin Snow the creator of The Unmuted Room, dancer and Clive Institute professional alum Alan Watson, author Anndee Hochman, and so much more. Dinah shares some of her favorite musical discoveries and gives a hint of what’s to come in season 4. 

💿 Songs Mentioned

1. “Brooklyn” by Patrick Droney

2. “Being Alive” by Stephen Sondheim from the musical Good Company

3. “Mess” by Noah Kahan

4. “Big Black Car” by Gregory Alan Isakov

5. “Worn Out Shoes” by Joey Purdy

6. “Nightswimming” by REM

7. “And I Love Her” by The Beatles

8. “Una Palabra” by Carlos Varela

🙏🏽 Thank You to Our Supporters

TremFit — Kara Tremel’s boutique online training experience helping every body feel strong, confident, and cared for.Second Home First — The hit podcast rethinking homeownership and wealth-building. What if your 401(k) came with a fire pit and a lake view?

🌹 About Play This At My FuneralPlay This At My Funeral is a deeply fun, slightly macabre, always heartwarming podcast about the songs that shape our lives — including the ones we’d play at our funerals. Each episode, Dinah invites a guest to curate their hypothetical send-off playlist and share the stories behind the music. Think Desert Island Discs meets Films To Be Buried With — with more vibes and fewer survival scenarios.

Created and hosted by Dinah Susan Alobeid. Edited and co-produced by Jesse Mendelson.

💜 Stay ConnectedSubscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, leave a 5-star review, and share with someone building their own “funeral playlist.”

Follow on IG @PlayThisAtMyFuneralPodcast, TikTok @PlayThisAtMyFuneralPod, and Dinah @DinahSusanAlobeidWrites.Watch the full video episodes on YouTube and join Dinah’s Substack community, Write, Dance, Repeat.

🎙 About the Host

Dinah Susan Alobeid is a writer, dancer, and VP of Communications & Content. Her writing appears in Porter House Review, Five on the Fifth, Reverie Literary Magazine, Spectrum Magazine, and more. She lives in New Jersey with her partner and their rambunctious kid.

I hearby declare that I do not own the rights to any music or lyrics played during the recording of this podcast. All rights to the music and audio belong to their respective owner(s).

💐 Episode Summary

Episode 25 guest Kat Kibben returns for a conversation about what transpired once their Play This At My Funeral podcast episode aired, an estrangement from decades ago resurfaced. This surprising opening of an old, deep wound has led to some amazing healing. And potentially closure and resolution? Listen in to discover the story from Kat directly. 

💿 Songs Mentioned

1. “Boys in the Street” by Greg Holden

2. “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” by Otis Redding

3. “Bridge Over Troubled Water” by Simon & Garfunkel

4. “I Am Appalachia” by Josiah and the Bonnevilles 

You can listen to Kat’s playlist on Spotify here:   https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1ZWT4QbafEOZpWfjEGetS1?si=5xuuq6B5TX2xEyOs2WKFjA&pi=ZWb_yatTTC-ee 

🎙 About the Guest

Katrina Kibben is a keynote speaker, recruiting consultant, best-selling author, and founder of Three Ears Media, where they help organizations learn how to navigate change with confidence to build more collaborative and resilient teams. 

With more than 15 years of experience at global brands like Monster.com and Care.com, Katrina is known for their extensive research on creating better hiring outcomes and science-backed approaches to resilience. As a LinkedIn Top Voice, their insights have been featured in The New York Times, Forbes, NPR, and more. They are the author of two books, This Was All An Accident and The Bounce Back Factor: A Leader’s Guide to Liking Yourself While Leading People.

When Kat isn't writing or speaking on stages around the world, they're happy to be at home in Rockford, IL with their girlfriend and the dogs behind the name Three Ears Media. 

🙏🏽 Thank You to Our Supporters

TremFit — Kara Tremel’s boutique online training experience helping every body feel strong, confident, and cared for.Second Home First — The hit podcast rethinking homeownership and wealth-building. What if your 401(k) came with a fire pit and a lake view?

🌹 About Play This At My FuneralPlay This At My Funeral is a deeply fun, slightly macabre, always heartwarming podcast about the songs that shape our lives — including the ones we’d play at our funerals. Each episode, Dinah invites a guest to curate their hypothetical send-off playlist and share the stories behind the music. Think Desert Island Discs meets Films To Be Buried With — with more vibes and fewer survival scenarios.

Created and hosted by Dinah Susan Alobeid. Edited and co-produced by Jesse Mendelson.

💜 Stay ConnectedSubscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, leave a 5-star review, and share with someone building their own “funeral playlist.”Follow on IG @PlayThisAtMyFuneralPodcast, TikTok @PlayThisAtMyFuneralPod, and Dinah @DinahSusanAlobeidWrites.Watch the full video episodes on YouTube and join Dinah’s Substack community, Write, Dance, Repeat.

🎙 About the Host

Dinah Susan Alobeid is a writer, dancer, and VP of Communications & Content. Her writing appears in Porter House Review, Five on the Fifth, Reverie Literary Magazine, Spectrum Magazine, and more. She lives in New Jersey with her partner and their rambunctious kid.

I hearby declare that I do not own the rights to any music or lyrics played during the recording of this podcast. All rights to the music and audio belong to their respective owner(s).

💐 Episode Summary

You’re not ready for this episode. We’re shedding light on some traumatic early events that led to a career helping people in a BIG way with Erin Snow. We’re graced by the presence of this woman, powerhouse speaker and professional listener, and the creator of The Unmuted Room founded on a simple belief: Most people do not need advice. They need space. In creating her playlist for the show, she says she uncovered a way to leave her voice behind. We’re talking about songs you definitely don’t know from Simon & Garfunkel, Kesha, Andra Day, Ingrid Michaelson, Billy Joel and a huge array of musical theatre selections from shows including Les Miserables. Come for the music but stay for the real talk that will upend everything you think about life. 

💿 Songs Mentioned

1. “Scarborough Fair/ Canticle” by Simon and Garfunkel

2. “Amazing Grace” by 

3. “I Dreamed A Dream” sung by Patti Lupone from the Les Miserables musical soundtrack 

4. “With Or Without You” by U2

5. “Take Me Home Country Road” by John Denver

6. “What A Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong

7. “Hallelujah” by k.d. Lang

8. “My Favorite Thing” by Julie Andrews from the Sound of Music soundtrack 

9. “Rise Up” by Andra Day

10. “Praying” by Kesha 

11. “Raising Hell” by Kesha 

12. “Undrunk” by Fletcher

13. “Auld Lang Syne (Sex and the City Arrangement)” by Banna de Minstrels

14. “I Love You B****” by Lizzo

15. “In Case You Don’t Live Forever” by Ben Platt

16. “Going Home” by Mary Fahl, Mark O’Connor

17. “Lady Like” by Ingrid Andress

18. “And So It Goes" by Billy Joel 

19. “Anti Hero” by Taylor Swift

20. “Dream Girls” by Beyonce 

You can listen to Erin’s playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3efgHGHYa65WAphQq21CcH?si=pEAO65LFRoqyV-NHKfhiqA&nd=1&dlsi=c80e8fd4ad4c4c0f 

🎙 About the Guest

Erin Snow is a Professional Listener and founder of The Unmuted Room, a first-of-its-kind confidential listening space for anyone carrying more than they can say out loud. She creates private, judgment-free sessions for people who need to speak the truths they can't share with friends, family, or coworkers — whether it's the messy, complicated stories, the quiet aching questions, or the thoughts they've been softening in every other room of their lives. Before founding The Unmuted Room, Erin spent 17 years as a trauma-informed legal advocate for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking, becoming the first paralegal in New Hampshire allowed to represent clients directly in family court. That experience — combined with her own — taught her a profound truth: being truly heard is not a luxury. It is a necessity for anyone carrying more than they can say out loud. Erin's long-term vision is to make listening spaces as common as gyms and as understood as any other form of wellness. She is building something quietly transformative: a world where people are finally, truly heard.

🌹 About Play This At My Funeral

Play This At My Funeral is a deeply fun, slightly macabre, always heartwarming podcast about the songs that shape our lives — including the ones we’d play at our funerals. Each episode, Dinah invites a guest to curate their hypothetical send-off playlist and share the stories behind the music. Think Desert Island Discs meets Films To Be Buried With — with more vibes and fewer survival scenarios.

Created and hosted by Dinah Susan Alobeid. Edited and co-produced by Jesse Mendelson.

💜 Stay Connected

Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and share with someone building their own “funeral playlist.” Watch the full video episodes on YouTube.

🎙 About the Host

Dinah Susan Alobeid is a writer, dancer, and VP of Communications & Content. Her writing appears in Porter House Review, Five on the Fifth, Reverie Literary Magazine, Spectrum Magazine, and more. She lives in New Jersey with her partner and their rambunctious kid.

I hearby declare that I do not own the rights to any music or lyrics played during the recording of this podcast. All rights to the music and audio belong to their respective owner(s).

💐 Episode Summary

Let’s jump back into our conversation with Jeremy Lyons as we dig into a brief part 2 to round out some of the choice songs on his funeral playlist. We’re going to talk about Amy Shark, Khaled (aka Cheb Khaled) 

💿 Songs Mentioned

1. “I Said Hi” by Amy Shark

2. “Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen” by Janis Siegel

3. “Come Hang Out” by AJR

4. “C’est La Vie” by Khaled

5. “La Vie En Rose” by Louis Armstrong

You can listen to Jeremy’s playlist on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZkghn7P2O9LbtPfkhVq1YLc1G4XYKSop 

🎙 About the Guest

Jeremy Lyons is the Co-Founder of RecOps Collective, a community and resource hub dedicated to the art, science, and humor that is talent acquisition/recruiting operations. With extensive experience in talent acquisition, process optimization, and recruiting tech technology, Jeremy helps organizations streamline recruiting workflows, improve operational efficiency, and elevate the impact of their TA teams. Outside of work, he is quick with a joke, a movie or song lyric reference, and learning the ways of the parent to his adopted child.

🙏🏽 Thank You to Our Supporters

TremFit — Kara Tremel’s boutique online training experience helping every body feel strong, confident, and cared for.Second Home First — The hit podcast rethinking homeownership and wealth-building. What if your 401(k) came with a fire pit and a lake view?

🌹 About Play This At My FuneralPlay This At My Funeral is a deeply fun, slightly macabre, always heartwarming podcast about the songs that shape our lives — including the ones we’d play at our funerals. Each episode, Dinah invites a guest to curate their hypothetical send-off playlist and share the stories behind the music. Think Desert Island Discs meets Films To Be Buried With — with more vibes and fewer survival scenarios.

Created and hosted by Dinah Susan Alobeid. Edited and co-produced by Alice Marcondes.

💜 Stay ConnectedSubscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, leave a 5-star review, and share with someone building their own “funeral playlist.”Follow on IG @PlayThisAtMyFuneralPodcast, TikTok @PlayThisAtMyFuneralPod, and Dinah @DinahSusanAlobeidWrites.Watch the full video episodes on YouTube and join Dinah’s Substack community, Write, Dance, Repeat.

🎙 About the Host

Dinah Susan Alobeid is a writer, dancer, and VP of Communications & Content. Her writing appears in Porter House Review, Five on the Fifth, Reverie Literary Magazine, Spectrum Magazine, and more. She lives in New Jersey with her partner and their rambunctious toddler.

I hearby declare that I do not own the rights to any music or lyrics played during the recording of this podcast. All rights to the music and audio belong to their respective owner(s).

💐 Episode Summary

Welcome to this week’s episode as guest Jeremy Lyons takes us on a deeply personal exploration of identity, legacy, and the many names (and nicknames) we carry through life. Dinah and Jeremy trace that theme through songs like “Una Palabra” by Carlos Varela, “Bittersweet Symphony” by The Crown, and “La Vie en Rose” by Louis Armstrong, using each one to highlight the power of words, the beauty of reinterpretation, and the emotional arc of a life well lived. It’s a thoughtful conversation about mortality that somehow still feels playful, revealing how music can hold grief, humor, nostalgia, and meaning all at once.

💿 Songs Mentioned

1. “Una Palabra” by Carlos Varela

2. “Bittersweet Symphony” by The Crown

3. “Requiem in D Minor” by Mozart

4. “I’m Not Dead Yet” by Mike Posner

5. “Live Forever” by Drew Holcomb

6. “Geek In The Pink” by Jason Mraz

7. “Dance Monkey” by Tones and I

8. “Everybody’s Free To Wear Sunscreen” by Baz Luhrmann

9. “Scare Away the Dark” by Passenger

You can listen to Jeremy’s playlist on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZkghn7P2O9LbtPfkhVq1YLc1G4XYKSop 

🎙 About the Guest

Jeremy Lyons is the Co-Founder of RecOps Collective, a community and resource hub dedicated to the art, science, and humor that is talent acquisition/recruiting operations. With extensive experience in talent acquisition, process optimization, and recruiting tech technology, Jeremy helps organizations streamline recruiting workflows, improve operational efficiency, and elevate the impact of their TA teams. Outside of work, he is quick with a joke, a movie or song lyric reference, and learning the ways of the parent to his adopted child.

🙏🏽 Thank You to Our Supporters

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🌹 About Play This At My FuneralPlay This At My Funeral is a deeply fun, slightly macabre, always heartwarming podcast about the songs that shape our lives — including the ones we’d play at our funerals. Each episode, Dinah invites a guest to curate their hypothetical send-off playlist and share the stories behind the music. Think Desert Island Discs meets Films To Be Buried With — with more vibes and fewer survival scenarios.

Created and hosted by Dinah Susan Alobeid. Edited and co-produced by Jesse Mendelson.

💜 Stay ConnectedSubscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, leave a 5-star review, and share with someone building their own “funeral playlist.”Follow on IG @PlayThisAtMyFuneralPodcast, TikTok @PlayThisAtMyFuneralPod, and Dinah @DinahSusanAlobeidWrites.Watch the full video episodes on YouTube and join Dinah’s Substack community, Write, Dance, Repeat.

🎙 About the Host

Dinah Susan Alobeid is a writer, dancer, and VP of Communications & Content. Her writing appears in Porter House Review, Five on the Fifth, Reverie Literary Magazine, Spectrum Magazine, and more. She lives in New Jersey with her partner and their rambunctious toddler.

I hearby declare that I do not own the rights to any music or lyrics played during the recording of this podcast. All rights to the music and audio belong to their respective owner(s).