Jim sent me this link in which You Can’t Make It Up puts her iPod on shuffle and thinks of each song playing in the context of a husband and wife’s “first dance.” I actually laughed out loud at this:
Billy Joel – “Leningrad”“The ideal melody for a couple who met during the Cold War. It would also help if the groom was a circus clown named Victor…”
But then again, Billy Joel humor gets me every time.
My wedding song was “Maybe I’m Amazed,” which means I really like the Simpsons where Lisa becomes a vegetarian.
Ever been to a wedding where the couple picked a weird song for their first dance? Tell us and we’ll ridicule them for you.
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Me n’ the missus went with Beyonce. Boring, I know. I wanted Schwab’s DJs In A Row (“I used to DRINK! I used to SMOKE!”…), but the priest didn’t like it.
Billy Joel humour eh…
http://www.mcsweeneys.net/2005/4/27black.html
mine was “tennessee” by Silver Jews, cause that’s where she’s from. We cut out the part about “punk rock died when the first kid said punk’s not dead”.
i went to a wedding recently where the couple chose the song “You make Me Feel So Young”.
that is a song from, like the 1920′s – about elderly people who hook up. it’s used as background music for a tv commercial for Depends adult diapers (where two 80 year olds waltz around in some nursing home).
the bride and the groom at this wedding were both 24 years old. i was like, WTF?
a friend of my sister’s had “what’s new pussycat” as their first song.
none of my friends who’ve been married recently have taken my suggestion on this, so i’m donating it to stereogum readers: the song that should be playing when the new bride and groom are announced at the reception is Tomoyasu Hotei’s “Battle Without Honor or Humanity,” more commonly known as the kickass “Kill Bill” theme.
i’m serious about this. first of all, it will heighten the drama of the moment infinitely. secondly, you can tell your kids that their parents were introduced to the world as a married couple to the tune of a song called “Battle Without Honor or Humanity.” it will make them think twice about ever disobeying you.
Highway to Hell-ACDC
Once I was at a wedding where the band launched in to Chris Isaak’s “WICKED GAME” as the first dance. No, seriously. Like the lines, “What a wicked game to play, to make me feel this way . . . No, IIIIII don’t wanna fall in love (this world is only gonna break your heart…”
Actually really unfortunately, the guy freaked out and left her a bit after the wedding. What a cad. But odd song choice in any case.
i went to this wedding once…
and they danced their first dance to the eurythmics…
sweet dreams….
which sounds nice by the title….
until you hear the line about “some of them want to use you….some of them want to be abused….”
how appropriate, right?
I was at a wedding two years ago where the bride and groom walked into the reception with Europe’s “Final Countdown” playing them in.
I’m planning on having my song be “Now That We’ve Found Love” by Heavy D and the Boys. My buddy wants his to be “I Want Action” by Poison.
If you can’t tell, I’ve had this conversation before and it has taken quite the immature turn considering the subject matter.
Mine was “When I’m Standing Next To You” by Mitch & Mickey. Not that many people understood the reference, they just thought it was a sweet song. But it was kinda funny to hear people suddenly get it while we were in the middle of our dance.
my wife and i danced to Unforgettable Fire by U2
My wife and I walked in to Welcome to the Jungle by GNR. Got everyone pumped. But our first dance was to pre-punk Norah Jones although “our song” is Like You Do – Bill Janovitz.
we wife-to-be and i decided on elbow’s “the everthere”. it’s new, not a classic, but it’s a beautiful song. do people really dance to fast songs for their first dance?
I went to a wedding in Italy where the first song played was “Separate Lives” by Phil Collins. Me and my wife pissed out pants because nobody understood the lyrics, them being Italian and all.
Ours was Cigarettes and Coffee by Otis Redding. Neither of us actually smoke, though, so a song about staying up until the wee hours bonding over scotch would have been a little more accurate. We liked the sentiment, though.
my friend and her husband made the bridal party enter to the star wars theme song. their first dance was to bjork’s “it’s oh so quiet.” they had a choreographed dance and all.
I was in my college friend’s wedding, and she & her hubs chose “Possession” by Sarah McLachlan. A rather auspicious start to a marriage (but they’re still together)
my wife and i danced to “Picture In A Frame” by Tom Waits. I figured if I had to do the dance thing, the song had better stand up.
Me and my wife danced to Yo La Tengo’s “Our way to Fall” which I thought was the best indie rock wedding song until a few months later we went to a wedding and they danced to Pinback’s “3×0″
It’s not a first dance but I once went to a wedding where the couple walked into the reception to Darth Vader’s theme.
Yes the evil sounding march. I nvever understood that.
during the ceremony, the groom read the lyrics of “Running” by No Doubt as his vows.
My friend and his wife chose Radiohead’s “Like Spinning Plates” (done by a guy on a keyboard) for the “walk down the aisle” song, and then selected The Magnetic Field’s “Book of Love” as their first dance (played by a DJ). I think I was the only one at the wedding who understood these references.
I like how Bono said he couldn’t understand why anyone would ever pick “One” as their wedding song.
“We’re one
But we’re not the same
Well we
Hurt each other
Then we do it again.”
Sounds like years of joy ahead.
Fun topic. I played “I Melt With You” classical/overdramatic style on an acoustic for one friend’s wedding. My band, Rookie Card, learned “All I Want Is You” for a friend’s wedding recently. A big britpop friend of mine had his wife walk down the aisle to Bittersweet Symphony and his first dance was Moz doing “Moon River”.
We just got married a few months ago and while we didn’t exactly ahve a first dance (the sweetie is painfully shy), our processional was “Naked as We Came” by Iron and Wine and the recessional was “If There’s Such a Thing As Love” by Magnetic Fields
We just got married a few months ago and while we didn’t exactly ahve a first dance (the sweetie is painfully shy), our processional was “First Day Of My Life” by Bright Eyes and the recessional was “If There’s Such a Thing As Love” by Magnetic Fields
yes, I had to make that correction after i checked back at our playlist…
you know what would be fantastic? pavement’s we dance.
My wedding song was “Lost Together” by Blue Rodeo. I still stand by it as a great love song.
I also know someone who plans to use Europe’s “The Final Countdown” for their march.
My hubbie and I danced (more like swayed together, neither of us can dance worth a nickel) our first dance to Nick Cave’s “Ship Song”–I think it actually might describe a horrible relationship but if you close that part of you mind off it’s quite beautiful
“We talk about it all night long
We define our moral ground
But when I crawl into your arms
Everything comes tumbling down
Come sail your ships around me
And burn your bridges down
We make a little history, baby
Every time you come around
Your face has fallen sad now
For you know the time is nigh
When I must remove your wings
And you, you must try to fly
Come sail your ships around me
And burn your bridges down
We make a little history, baby
Every time you come around”
My ex-husband and I had “At my most beautiful” (R.E.M.) as our wedding song. I had wanted “Come Rain or Come Shine,” but he wasn’t into it.
I’ve been with someone new for a few years now, so… He’s a prog rock fan, though — there may be a Rush or Spock’s Beard song in my future.
I’ve always loved the idea of
neil young_ harvest moon
or
gillian welch_ I made a lover’s prayer
yes, blue rodeo’s ‘lost together’ would be perfect. i thought about using ryan adams’ ‘in my time of need’. my sis will be using his version of ‘wonderwall’.
i did go to a wedding once, where the song was ‘hockey night in canada: theme’. but i’m canadian, eh!
at my wedding we played van morrison’s astral weeks cd. all of it.
my sister and her hubby recessed to “she’s an angel” by they might be giants.
my sister and her hubby recessed to “she’s an angel” by they might be giants.
there is a boston folk singer named Vance Gilbert who’s song Highrise is what i would dance to for my first dance
Last night I had a dream
I dreamt about my love
And my love was a highrise
And the highrise was on fire
As the flames were licking higher
Asking do you jump or burn
As if it was to matter
Either way this is forever
(chorus)
And I love you just like thunder
I love you like Christmas morn’
And I want you to hold me
Like I’m going off to war
And I need you like fresh water
I need you like scotch whiskey needs
A man who is addicted
I love you just like thunder
And it brought me to an altar
Where the despots are forgiven
And the charlatans come clean
And it shook my very soul
And from the outrage and the mercy
Came a simple observation
That loving you forever
Is easier than breathing
(chorus)
And as time goes rushing by
Just like water for the ocean
And my body grows diseased
My mind is sure to follow
Will you look into these eyes
And recall a finer time
For both of us?
Anything off The Frogs’ “My Daughter the Broad.”
I was wondering, Scott, what song you picked. Was that Beatles or Wings? Anyway, timeless classic.
Well, with less than 5 months left until our big day and my fiance and I huge music fans, and I know I’m still undecided. I think we’re each going to pick one (a first and last dance). His will more likely than not be something by REM but I can’t make up my mind between “the luckiest” by Ben Folds, “everything I wanted” by Jonatha Brooke, or maybe something else entirely different! I love all the suggestions and ideas.
Mine was “The Luckiest”, by Ben Folds.
I once went to a wedding where NSYNC’s “Bye Bye Bye” was played during the first five minutes of the reception.
My cousin played Hedwig- “The Origin of Love” at their reception and walked out to The Kids in the Hall theme, personally I have always wanted to walk down the aisle to a gospel choir singing Blur’s “Tender”.
I wasn’t there, but a friend I work with stepped up for the first dance with her hubby, and his mates stuck on This Is The End by The Doors. Genius.
and then i went to another wedding….
and this dude was a pimp…
& played “whoop that trick” for his first dance…
First dance: La Noyee (Yann Tiersen)
Last dance: With Whom to Dance (Magnetic Fields)
I was at a wedding reception last summer, and I’m sure it wasn’t the first song, but one of the groom’s friend stopped the party to dedicate Belle and Sebastian’s “Get Me Away From Here I’m Dying” to the happy couple. Although it’s a pretty bouncy kinda song, all us indie kids were all wtf.
i’m not married, but my friends have chosen some nice songs at their weddings. among them they had “If I Needed You” by Townes Van Zandt, “Pure” by the Lightning Seeds, and “Only You” by Yaz.
NWA’s “I Ain’t tha 1″ for me.
Van Morrison’s Moondance was ours.
Let’s see… at my wedding, the wedding processional was “Green Arrow,” by Yo La Tengo, we exited the chapel to “Sugarcube,” also by Yo La (ah, how the older folks loved the feedback), and our first dance was to “Whole of the Law” by… wait for it… Yo La Tengo. Holy crap, what nerds we are.
A friend of mine had a great combo, though – they introduced the wedding party to the tune of the Simpson’s theme, and their first dance was to “Into My Arms,” by Nick Cave. Now THAT was a good first dance song…
Our processional was Chris Cornell doing ‘Ave Maria’, and the recessional was James Brown’s ‘I Feel Good’. Originally for the first dance we’d wanted PJ Harvey’s ‘One Line’, but ended up going with Mark Lanegan’s version of ‘I’ll Take Care of You’. It’s probably best that nobody really listened closely to the lyrics (though strangely appropriate for us).
last wedding i went to the couple played “oh yoko”–which i felt a little conflicted about, as it really is one of the best love songs of all time…um, if you were sleeping with john lennon.
When my parents got married they played “Let it Rain” by Eric Clapton at the reception.
“At My Most Beautiful” would be great.
When my friends got married two years ago they played Cherry Cherry/I’ll Come Running by Neil Diamond for the bride’s processional. She walked down the aisle by herself and looked amazing. The song (and the bride of course) brought everyone to their feet, stomping, clapping, cheering and whistling — a most heartfelt and enthusiastic standing “o” to start off the ceremony. Very cool.
i always thought allman brothers playing “whipping post” would be pretty classic at a wedding.
We played the Boogie Nights version of “You Got The Touch” for our processional. Lets just say the older people didn’t get it.
We’re going to do ours to Journey’s “Faithfully”–we went to a Journey concert shortly after we started dating.
I love the idea of using “The Luckiest,” though! We’ll definitely have to include it in the playlist at some point!
Our’s was “Come to Me” by Bjork.
Getting married in 3 months, and our processional songs are “Never My Love”- The Association, “Silver & Gold”- Neil Young, and “Calico Skies”- Paul McCartney. Using “Grow Old With Me”- John Lennon in the ceremony. Our first dance will probably be “I Could Write A Book”- Harry Connick, Jr. and our last dance is “Harvest Moon”- Neil Young. While it’s not the harvest moon there will be a full moon on our wedding night.
We’re planning on introductions/entrance to “Eye of the Tiger” and first dance will be to Peter Cetera’s “Glory of Love”. We love the 80s… We’re trying to keep that theme as best we can – our table names are “famous TV families of the 80s”… Well, I guess the theme falls apart on the fashion.
dear god, multiple people have experienced star wars music at weddings? eep.
seriously, i was thinking about this at a family wedding a while back… i adore the idea of ‘far far away’ by wilco- an obscure pick, but that last verse… perfect.
our bridal party came out to Eye of the Tiger, which seemed like maybe a poor choice after we realized that our 83 and 92 year old Grandmas were the first to come out..
We’re to be married in a couple of weeks. First dance song looks to be Nick Cave’s “Breathless” which, to my ears, is the ‘sweetest’ Cave song to date. We may switch to “Home” by the Talking Heads, but. . .
As for the “walk down the aisle song” we think we’re either going with Kitty Craft’s “Alright” or a Will Oldham instrumental.
Beyond that, it’s all going to be Bobby Conn for the dance party. If you don’t know Bobby, you just don’t know your music! Look him up!
My sister had the Dweezil Zappa version of “Hit Me Baby One More Time” as the first dance. Cue somewhat bemused old people recognising the tune but not the guitars. Genius.
Wedding songs are a strange thing. I have a friend who is obsessed with U2 and Depeche Mode. I figured she’d use “All I Want is You” or the perfect-for-a-wedding “Somebody”. She and her husband danced their first dance to Aerosmith’s “Don’t Want to Miss a Thing”. I was a bit confused by that.
As for me – I would use “In My Life” by the Beatles (sappy, I know but still very beautiful – and I especially like the kicky little waltz in the middle).
We are having Damien Rice “Blower’s Daughter” as our first dance. Maybe a bit depressing, but I really think that it is a great love song.
i want to play “Mushaboom” by Feist at my wedding.
& “First Day Of My Life” is excellent, too.
the worst used Linda Ronstadt’s “Feels Like Home to Me” – did they not notice the parts about how lost & empty she was before she found the man of her dreams?? is the message of “i have no self esteem without you” really something to celebrate? sadly, it fit the marriage.
the best: Rainbow Connection, sung by Kermit. its was a multi-lingual group, but muppet warbling transcended cultures very well!
getting married in december and have no good ideas. desperately don’t want to end up wtih some tired piece of crap song. suggestions are welcome.
i went to a friends wedding where their first song was strangers in the night by frank sinatra
Ive been with my partner for 11 years and not had much inkling to get married, i do love her, honest!! But funnily enough ive wondered for years what first dance song id have ( i believe if im going to have any input on my wedding this will be it)……so ive thought maybe…
to the end by blur ( but im not sure if this is a fantastically romantic song or one about 2 people about to commit suicide..)
bridal shoe bridal shoe
I’m getting married in one month and I’m leaning toward the White Stripes, “Sister, do you know my name?” although my finance is not sold so I’m still pondering…
I’m getting hitched in a couple weeks. We are walking down the aisle to a string version of “MAPS”- Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Our first song is going to be Lou Reed’s “perfect Day”. It’s always been a favorite of ours & something people our parents age can also appreciate!
My Fiancee and I are thinking about having ‘Conquest’ by The White Stripes.. The thought cracks us up..! : )
Hi,
I really want to walk down the aisle to maps too… can you tell me where you found the string version or are you having it played by someone?
Thank you
Me and my hubby to be are thinking about having nickleback’s song ‘far away’ for walking down the aisle? what are people’s thoughts?
I went to a wedding where the entire procession (including the bride’s walk down the aisle) was set to a battle song from the movie “Braveheart”. Never experienced anything else like that.
Bride and Groom dance: Neutral Milk Hotel’s Aeroplane over the sea
I found a really great list of songs on this website:
http://www.discjockeynyc.com/2008/09/indie-wedding-6.html
We ended up choosing I Want You to Be My Love by a band called Over The Rhine from Ohio.
Love you till the end
the pogues
The song “Thank You” by Led Zeppelin. Whether you like them or not, after listening to the lyrics of that song, if you are not moved to tears, you do not love the person you are with.
Getting married in one year, decided on Spoon, “I Summon You” as our first dance song and Flaming Lips, “Race for the Prize” as our recessional song. Still trying to figure out a processional song, but leaning towards Radiohead, “True Love Waits” (instrumental). Good suggestions here.
My entourage will be walking down the aisle with Bittersweet Symphony as their music. I will walk down the aisle with Joe Satriani’s Always with Me Always with You.
If I’d be to get married, I would like this song as my first dance or to walk down the aisle. I walk beside you by Dream Theatre…very beautiful lyrics indeed!!!!!