Though never a “wedding musician” myself, I have played at a few weddings at the request of good friends who are getting married. In jest, I’ve often thought of songs with titles inappropriate for a wedding the point of awkwardness. It’s fun to suggest these tunes in a deadpan manner to the bride, groom and family who are usually stressed from the wedding and appreciative of a good laugh.
I was reminded of this while reading about the recent wedding of Mark Zuckerberg, the Facebook Founder and CEO to his girlfriend Priscilla Chan (both pictured). At 28 years old, Zuckerberg, the worlds’ youngest self-made billionaire, can pretty much afford to hire anyone he wants to play at his wedding. So he hired his favorite musician, Billy Joe Armstrong, lead singer and songwriter of Green Day.
Now I wouldn’t call myself a Green Day fan, but I do like some of their songs. And I’m not a big Facebook fan – it’s a useful invention that is dangerously habit forming (much like television) – but I do use it sparingly. So it is with all respect to Billy Joe and well wishes to the happy couple that I wonder out loud: is this the right guy to be singing your wedding?
Think about the titles of Green Day’s biggest tunes: Boulevard of Broken Dreams. Stuck with Me. Basket Case. Then there’s Green Day’s biggest hit, often referred to as Time of Your Life but that has two words for its official title:
GOOD RIDDANCE.
News of the Zuckerberg wedding gave me a new song to add to my “Inappropriate Wedding Songs” list. Keep in mind, there are plenty of songs with the right (or rather, wrong) lyrical content- You Oughtta Know or I Will Survive, for example) but what we’re talking about here are songs with titles that just scream “inappropriate.”
Of course there are many more out there, so if you think of any good ones, feel free to add ’em to the list. Here then are ten songs not meant to be heard on a day of matrimony. Enjoy!
Ten Inappropriate Wedding Songs
10. Good Riddance (Green Day)
9. Your Cheatin’ Heart (Hank Williams Sr.)
8. Go Your Own Way (Fleetwood Mac)
7. Already Gone (The Eagles)
6. You Give Love A Bad Name (Bon Jovi)
5. I Don’t Care Anymore (Phil Collins/Genesis)
4. 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover (Paul Simon)
3. Goodbye To Romance (Ozzy Osbourne)
2. The Thrill Is Gone (BB King)
1. Babe, I’m Gonna Leave You (Led Zeppelin)