Tuesday proved to be a bonanza idea-receiving day for me. Not only did Jade send me the link to the Dear Abby letter from the distraught widower, but a rep from SPIN.com contacted me, too. He wanted to let me know about an article on their site called “Marriage Anyone? Top 5 Coolest Wedding Songs” by Abigail Everdell. He thought it might make for either interesting conversation or spark readers to reminisce about the song they played at their wedding.
I think it might do a little of both.
Cliched Songs
How many of you played Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes” as your wedding song?
Wayne and I ended up with that one. I say ended up because our song is Modern English’s “Melt With You.” As I wrote about in another blog, it’s always haunted us. While we were eating dinner in the restaurant we were checking out as a possible reception venue, it came on. When we asked if they could also provide the music, including that song, they said yes.
But as is par for the course on a wedding day, something went wrong. Their music system went out on them right as guests were arriving. Amazingly, I was fine with not having music. But Wayne’s brother and best man knew we couldn’t have a proper reception without tunes. He ran home and grabbed his music system and CDs. It was he who selected “in Your Eyes,” because, as he told me later, “you and Wayne’s relationship has always reminded me of the love that couple shared in that movie.” (Have I ever mentioned what a great brother-in-law I have?)
Anyway, “In Your Eyes” wasn’t one of the cliched songs mentioned in the SPIN.com article, but it probably would be considered one. (“Unchained Melody,” “When a Man Loves a Woman,” and “It Had to Be You” were the three mentioned. And a blanket “anything ever covered by Harry Connick Jr.” was also thrown in.)
Some others might include “Have I Told You Lately?” by Rod Stewart, “Tonight I Celebrate My Love” by Peabo Bryson and Roberta Flach, “Everything I Do (I Do It For You)” by Bryan Adams, and “You’re the First, The Last, My Everything” by Barry White.
Offbeat Songs
It’s been so long since I’ve been to a wedding that I can’t even remember the songs that were played at the ones I went to. I don’t remember hearing any of the same ones for the first dances. (I do know that absent from the last few weddings I attended was the traditional wedding march song as the bride makes her way to the altar, though.)
The SPIN.com article suggestions for offbeat picks were “Ambulance” by TV on the Radio, “Just Another Sucker on the Vine” by Tom Waits, “The Other Side of Mt. Heart Attack” by Liars, “I Love You More Than Words Can Say” by Otis Redding, and “I Found a Reason” by Velvet Underground.
Aside from Otis Redding, I’ve never heard of any of the other songs or artists. I watched the YouTube videos each song was linked to through the article and decided the author did a wonderful job. To me, they were indeed offbeat wedding song picks.
So what song did you go with (for the Marrieds out there): a cliched one or an offbeat one? For those of you About to Be Marrieds, which are you considering?
Courtney Mroch writes about animals great and small in Pets and the harmony and strife that encompasses married life in Marriage. For a full listing of her articles click here.
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