Inappropriate "Anti-Love" songs

peachy13

I recently went to a wedding where there was an instrumental version of "Like a Virgin" playing while we waited for the ceremony to start. Not kidding!

I've also heard "Shot through the heart (you give love a bad name)" by Bon Jovi play at a wedding. Did anyone bother to listen to the lyrics?

Any other songs anyone has heard where it's obvious the B&G or DJ does not know the meaning behind the song?

emmyg65

Maybe they just don't care? Or they think it's funny? I didn't have time or energy to listen to the lyrics of every song I put on our playlist.

mrsschopieray

"The Dance" by Garth Brooks. I know a lot of people pick it for a first dance, but if you listen to the words, its a song about a romance that is ending. Not sure you want to kick off your new life together with a song about a breakup.

Marzipan13

"Every Breath You Take" (The Police) is a classic example... I've heard it a few times at weddings, but none recently.  I really like the song though, so I can get through it by jamming out  hahaha.

The one I really, really hate is "Mary You" by Bruno Mars.  I know the song is in fact about marrying someone, but the lyrics?  "We're looking for something dumb to do"?  "Is it the look in your eyes, or is it this dancing juice"?  "Who cares if we're trashed"?  I'm sorry, but our wedding / marriage isn't "something dumb" that we're doing.  It wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision.  We also weren't wasted when we made these decisions.  The whole song just irks me - marriage (and weddings) are more than that. 

AddieCake

I think it's silly to analyze the lyrics of songs played at events. They're just songs. 

ETA: Besides, there are a lot of people who think a song is about one thing and it's about something else entirely. So even the songs you think are great songs and appropriate may not be after all. 

Maggie0829

AddieCake said:

I think it's silly to analyze the lyrics of songs played at events. They're just songs. 

ETA: Besides, there are a lot of people who think a song is about one thing and it's about something else entirely. So even the songs you think are great songs and appropriate may not be after all. 

This.  They may just like the songs and that is why they had them played.  Simple as that.

donethat

I agree that sometimes blatantly bad anti-love lyrics seem off putting at a wedding, but I've seen a few couples OWN it ...  ironically or obliviously :-)

2 examples:

Friends who entered their reception to "You Give Love a Bad Name" (OP example).  We all knew, first date was a Bon Jovi concert, and we all knew THAT was their song!  Perfect for them.

(Gorgeous) friend who used "If You Wanna Be Happy" by Jimmy Soul for fun girls-dance into bouquet toss.  It was great.    

  

cosenti7

My FI's mother wants them to dance to "Right Here Waiting" by Richard Marx and most people I've told think it's super weird. It sounds like she's obsessed with him and waiting for us to get divorced before we even get married! :-(

danamw

AddieCake is right. It is just music, they are just songs. Many people don't know the lyrics to the songs. Aside from the first dance song, it is just music.

The first dance song is chosen by the couple. It means something to them. Aside from that, it doesn't matter what the lyrics say.

"Wonderful Tonight" by Eric Clapton. Many think this is the most romantic song every written, of a man's love for his lady. Not so. Eric Clapton wrote it about his soon to be ex wife Patti, about how she held it together in public, versus his drug abuse in private.

But this is no reason not to play it at your wedding. It is a song.

Marzipan13

This exact problem just smacked me directly in the face yesterday.

FI's mom is dead-set on doing a mother/son dance (he's not into it, but he'll do it for his mom).  Because he's not into it, he told her "just pick a song, mom".  So while FMIL and I were talking the other day, I asked her: "What songs do you have in mind for your dance with FI?"
Her responses were the following:

"Bittersweet Symphony" (The Verve)

"Wicked Game" (Chris Isaak)

"Stories for Boys" (U2)

"Melt With You" (Modern English)

...Bittersweet Symphony? "You try to make ends meet, you're a slave to money, then you die!"  SO appropriate for a happy day!
...Wicked Game? "No I don't wanna fall in love; this love is only gonna break your heart." Is she upset about us getting married??
...Stories for Boys? There's nothing inherently "wrong" with this one, but just... why this song?
...Melt With You?  Okay, the second line is "making love to you was never second best".  For a dance with your son??  In front of his new wife?  Ew...

I get that it's silly to pay attention to the lyrics of songs at events... but... these are kind of downers for a happy occasion...

kebebb

Our reception is going to have several songs played that are probably technically anti-love, and I have zero cares about this. They are songs we like, they are not songs that define our relationship.