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You are here: Home / Music / Random Friday music thread

Random Friday music thread

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I always seem to end up going to lots of weddings in the summer, so what are the best songs about weddings? I’ll go with $1000 Wedding, because I put it in all my lists, Dead Flowers. I also sort of like that awful Maria’s Wedding song from the 90s — “Just the thought of you takin’ your clothes off for that jerk, oh, it got me drinking”, doesn’t get more Irish than that. Anything else?

Update. Also too, Let’s Get Married of course.

Reader Interactions

86Comments

  1. 1.

    Jon

    Dead Flowers – Townes Van Zandt or Rolling Stones? (in the which version do you prefer sense)

  4. 4.

    Immanentize

    No Doubt:

    Freda Payne, Band of Gold:

    You took me from the shelter of a mother
    I had never known to love any other
    We kissed after taking vows, but that night on our honeymoon
    We stayed in separate rooms

    I wait in the darkness of my lonely room
    Filled with sadness, filled with gloom
    Hoping soon that you’ll walk back through that door
    And love me like you tried before

  8. 8.

    Randy P

    I was always kind of fond of Carly Simon’s “That’s the Way I’ve Always Heard It Should Be” (“You want to marry me. We’ll marry”) even though my wife points out that the song is not, technically, in favor of marriage.

    There’s a YouTube of Simon singing it, introducing it as “this is kind of a weird song about marriage”.

    I still like it. Sue me.

  9. 9.

    the Conster

    The Book of Love by the Magnetic Fields. or White Wedding by Billy Idol, with a little bit different sentiment.

  10. 10.

    Bill Murray

    I usually try to get W.I.F.E by the Old 97s in there, but people have gotten wise to my ways

  13. 13.

    Omnes Omnibus

    Chapel of Love. Either the Dixie Cups or the Ronettes. The DC’s is better known , but the Ronettes had Ronnie.

  14. 14.

    JPL

    Ed Kilgore had this video up last week of Judie Tzuke singing Stay with me til Dawn. It’s not quite as peppy as I like but I think it would be great at a wedding. link

  15. 15.

    Randy P

    There’s a Tom Lehrer song with the romantic sentiment “I Hold your Hand in Mine”. Romantic up till the part where you find out the narrator doesn’t have the rest of her, just the hand.

    There are a couple of honestly romantic drippy songs that we like in our house. One is “Grow Old Along With Me” as sung by Mary Chapin Carpenter, and another is “The Wedding Song” by Paul Stookey of Peter, Paul and Mary. Both are pretty popular at weddings, I believe.

  16. 16.

    ilsalund

    We had a doo-wop wedding. Our processional was “To the Aisle”, sung by an acapella quartet. Our vows were a rewritten version of “Ten Commandments of Love” and our pre-wedding music featured songs from the 50s & 60s that mentioned marriage, like “Then He Kissed Me”, “Memories are Made of This”, “Life Could be a Dream” and several more. Old fogey stuff, yes, but it made our hearts sing.

  18. 18.

    Lev

    @TimE: Damn, took my answer! Everyone dumps on that album (and its predecessor), but that’s one of the best things Westerberg ever wrote.

  19. 19.

    Captain C

    There’s a medieval song called “Sorry the Day I Was Married,” of which Major Lingo does a fine cover.

    They also sing it at weddings that they’re playing, sort of as a “break-your-leg” kind of good luck wish.

    Sorry the day I was married
    And sorry the day I was wed
    And it’s Oh, if I only had tarried
    When I to the altar was led.

    Young William sure there’s no pleasing
    For let women do what they can
    It’s always your heart they’ll be teasing
    For that is the way of a man.

    When I was a young lass I was bonnie
    Had silks and bright jewels to wear
    And red were me cheeks like a berry
    And me heart it was free from all care.

    Silks now I have none for me wearing
    Me jewels have all gone away
    And surely this life there’s no bearing
    I’m pale as a primrose today.

    Think, pretty maids, ere you marry
    Stand fast by your sweet liberty
    And as long as you can you must tarry
    And not be lamenting like me.

    (repeat first verse)

  25. 25.

    Amir Khalid

    Book Of Dreams by Bruce Springsteen. Not one of The Boss’ big songs; but a contemplative look at The Big Day, what it means, and what awaits beyond it.

  29. 29.

    Angelos Tzelepis

    Gogol Bordello, American Wedding

    Hilarious, and absolutely true to anyone who grew up on ethnics weddings. Greek, Italian, Jewish, Mexican, Russian… whatever, pick your country. They all kick our asses.

  32. 32.

    Chat Noir

    Wedding Bell Blues, Fifth Dimension.

    My 4th grade teacher (circa 1976) used to play the Fifth Dimension’s “Greatest Hits on Earth” album when we’d do our seat-work. I bought the CD 24 years later and continue to listen to it to this day. Marilyn McCoo’s voice is simply beautiful.

  33. 33.

    MikeJ

    @Dave S.: You could go with either Nick Lowe or Dave Edmunds. Yes, it’s Nick’s song since he wrote it, but Dave had the hit first.

    I’m surprised Elvis never did it and it was never on a Brinsley Schwarz album.

  35. 35.

    Southern Beale

    Michele Bachmann tries to play the “war on women is fake” game and comes up with a major FAIL:

    We’re also the only party in the past 25 years to nominate a woman for vice president.

    Hmm. What happened 25 years ago? Oh yeah, Democrats broke ground by nominating Geraldine Ferraro to be the first women VP candidate on a major ticket EVER.

    But sure if you over look that …

  36. 36.

    Raven

    We’re going to Maui for our nieces wedding in July. I’m obsessing over various fishing opportunities!

  40. 40.

    Nicole

    I admit it, I am a sucker for weddings. And thus, I confess I love, without irony, “We’ve Only Just Begun.”

    Really, I’m a sarcastic monster most of the time. Just not at weddings. Receptions, sure. But not the wedding.

  41. 41.

    Omnes Omnibus

    Stretching a point, there is Let’s Pretend We’re Married by Prince.

  42. 42.

    What Have The Romans Ever Done for Us? (formerly MarkJ)

    Does Makin’ Whoopie count as a wedding song? It’s clever.

    Johnny Cash’s Rose of My Heart is also great, though again not exactly a wedding song, more like a 50th anniversary song.

    I think Smokey Robinson must have written a great wedding song at some point (Second that Emotion is close, but again no wedding). I just can’t think of it right now.

  43. 43.

    gbear

    First song that came to mind for me (besides Chapel of Love, already taken) was Mountain Of Love by Johnny Rivers, Kind of like I Knew The Bride, but with more tears and heartbreak.

  46. 46.

    Arm The Homeless

    How about a little White Stripes’ Hotel Yorba

    It may be one of the most catchy songs I have ever heard, and it will be played by the band at my wedding

  47. 47.

    SteveM

    @Bruce S: Bruce, you beat me to “Stop the Wedding.”

    And are we going to leave out Elvis Costello’s “Alison”?

  48. 48.

    SteveM

    @Bruce S: Bruce, you beat me to “Stop the Wedding.”

    And are we going to leave out Elvis Costello’s “Alison”?

  52. 52.

    Violet

    @Bill Murray: I love, “I’m Getting Married in the Morning” from My Fair Lady and I’m not afraid to admit it. It’s a great sing-a-long song.

    Also, “White Wedding” by Billy Idol.

    I usually try to get W.I.F.E by the Old 97s in there, but people have gotten wise to my ways

    I love that song! Also a great one to sing along to.

  54. 54.

    gbear

    There’s always the traditional song ‘Bonnie Susie Cleland’, but that didn’t work out so well for the bride:

    There lived a lady in Scotland
    Hey my love, ho my joy
    There lived a lady in Scotland
    So dearly she loved me
    There lived a lady in Scotland
    She fell in love with an Englishman
    Bonnie Susie Cleland, she’s to be burned in Dundee

    The father to his daughter came
    Will you forsake this Englishman?
    If you will not this Englishman forsake
    Then I will burn you at the stake

    Where may I find a pretty little boy
    To carry tokens to my joy

    Bring to him this right hand glove
    Tell him to find another love

    Bring to him this wee pen knife
    Tell him to find another wife

    Bring to him this gay gold ring
    Tell him I’m going to my burning

    The father he put up the stake
    The brothers the fire did make
    Bonnie Susie Cleland, she was burned at Dundee

  56. 56.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @SteveM: How could I forget Alison? Long week; fried brain, I guess. I shall go to the box and feel shame.

  57. 57.

    JGabriel

    TimE:

    “Nobody”, by the Replacements. Hands down.

    Damn, was gonna post that myself.

    Oh, well. Here’s the YouTube.

    And here are the lyrics:

    Heartaches, on your wedding day,
    Double takes when they look my way
    Knees quake, there ain’t a shotgun in the place
    You like the frosting, you just bought the cake,
    Your eyes can’t fake
    Still in love with Nobody and I won’t tell nobody
    __
    The bridegroom drags you ‘cross that room
    Said I do but honey you were just a kid
    Your eyes said I did
    Still in love with Nobody, Nobody, Nobody
    And I won’t tell nobody
    __
    Take a look on your wedding night
    In your wedding book see what name I signed, hey,
    Love Nobody,
    Nobody, Nobody
    Then nobody, nobody, nobody, nobody
    __
    Hips shake to the band for old time’s sake
    Now you make your getaway and you’re waving to the stage
    But on the last page it says
    Love Nobody
    Nobody, Nobody
    And I won’t tell nobody, nobody, nobody
    __
    Yeah you’re still in love with Nobody
    Nobody, Nobody
    __
    And I used to be Nobody
    Nobody, Nobody
    Not anymore, no

    .

  59. 59.

    gbear

    @Canadian Shield: COOL for mentioning The Oysterband. I just got Wide Blue Yonder in the mail yesterday. I was trying to find the June Tabor/Oysterband version of Susie Cleland, but couldn’t find it.

  61. 61.

    Don

    It is not unknown for the Organist or other musician to play the hymn “Turn Back O Man” during the processional. Perhaps there is a message there?

  63. 63.

    j

    I was at a weeding years ago where, for some reason, the newlywed couple requested and danced to “Paradise by the dashboard light”.

    [That is a song about a couple who had virgin sex in the back seat and she got knocked up, so they had to get married. They eventually end up hating each other, but are stuck with each other till the end of time because they are devout Catholics and will never break their vows.]

    15 years later the couple is still married and have 6 kids. Just like good Catholics should.

    But back on topic: “I knew the Bride When She Used to Rock & Roll” kicks azz!

  71. 71.

    gbear

    I doubt that Jefferson Airplane in 1967 gave a shit about the institution of marriage, but Today is one of the best wedding songs ever. My sister wanted it played at her wedding.

  74. 74.

    tworivers

    Dylan’s Isis – it’s not about a wedding per se, but it’s about marriage (he even says so during a live version).

  75. 75.

    Doodah

    At our wedding we used “If I Should Fall Behind” (video linked @ 26 above). My wife was a big Springsteen fan and it’s just a perfect sentiment.

    Second dance was “Let’s Stay Together” by the Rev. Al Green.

    Also one more vote for “Nobody” by The Replacements.

    …The way the marriage turned out, we probably should’ve gone with “Frank’s Wild Years” by Tom Waits…

  76. 76.

    Wappcaplett

    The recessional at a couple of friends’ wedding was Tom Petty’s “Even the Losers”…

  77. 77.

    virag

    black 47. ‘maria’s wedding’ is not an awful song at all. they did a great version on letterman way back when, and i even heard it on some commercial classic rock stations when it came out. ‘you guys are gonna be huge’ indeed.

    ‘honeymoon in hell’ is a great wedding song. pretty much all of ‘i heart mekons’ is good for weddings.

  79. 79.

    Mnemosyne

    I’m pretty sure that “Ain’t That A Kick In the Head” is a wedding song.

    The one regret I have about our wedding is that G wanted to have this song as our first dance song and I chickened out. The DJ did play it later that night for us to dance to. Now every time we hear it somewhere, we say, “Honey, they’re playing our song!”

    I don’t remember what our actual first dance was to. I think it was “L-O-V-E” by Nat King Cole.

  80. 80.

    Elliecat

    @Origuy: Richard Thompson used that tune for “Madonna’s Wedding,” a nice trashing of Madonna

    Randy Newman: “Love Story”

    Jimmy Webb: “The Worst that Could Happen”

  81. 81.

    D

    @Bill Murray:

    Old 97’s – “Designs on You”

    Whiskeytown – “Pawnshop Ain’t No Place for a Wedding Ring”

    Porter Hall Tennessee – “Golden Chain of Hate”

  82. 82.

    kth

    “Wedding Bell Blues” ftw; It’s cheesy, but so is getting excited about getting married.

  85. 85.

    moderateindy

    love Springsteen’s original version of If I should fall behind, but think that the re-worked version that he did for the Seeger Sessions is even better. He turned it into a waltz, which works perfectly for receptions. Here is my favorite live version from Milan gotta love the crowd as they keep singing along after the song is over.
    http://youtu.be/9OCnm6cdZvQ

    As for songs about weddings; it don’t get much darker than Lyle Lovett’s LA County

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