Članek izhaja iz raziskav pri skupnem madžarsko-slovenskem projektu in predstavlja spoznanja študij, še posebej v povezavi z osrednjo tematiko, tj. mrtvečimi pesmimi v Prekmurju in Porabju. Mrtveče pesmi in tudi nekatere druge obredne in nabožne pesmi so bile do nedavnega deležne manjše pozornosti folkloristov in etnomuzikologov, zato so predstavljena nekatera spoznanja, nastala pri projektnem delu in ob širšem premisleku o obrednih, nabožnih in mrliških pesmih ter njihovem prepletanju z ljudskim izročilom. Ključne besede: mrtveče pesmi, religiozno, smrt, pesmarice, Prekmurje in Porabje, obsmrtni in pogrebnih obredi, ljudske pesmi The paper is based on the research carried out in the framework of a joint Hungarian-Slovenian project and presents the research results, especially in relation to the central research topic -dirges in Prekmurje and the Rába Valley. Previously, dirges and some other ritual and religious songs received scant attention from folklorists and ethnomusicologists. The paper thus presents some findings achieved by the project work and some broader insights into the ritual, religious and funeral songs, and the way they are interwoven with folk tradition.