4 Songs Involving Weddings That Aren’t All That Joyful

We get that weddings are supposed to be joyful occasions. But if you’re not one of the two folks standing at the altar, it’s possible that the event might stir up feelings of ambivalence or melancholy, especially if you were once romantically involved with one of those folks.

These four songs have weddings at the heart of their narratives. And they each, in their own way, suggest something less than a happy ending, at least for the narrator.

“Worst That Could Happen” by Brooklyn Bridge

Ace songwriter Jimmy Webb pretty much lived through the events being recounted in “Worst That Could Happen”. He indeed found out that a former flame was getting married. And while he wanted to wish her well, it left him feeling a bit devastated. The 5th Dimension enjoyed success with other Webb-penned songs. But their version of this track didn’t catch on much when they released it in 1967. That’s when Johnny Maestro, the elastic-voiced crooner who once sang lead for doo-wop heroes, entered the picture. As lead singer of Brooklyn Bridge, he sent the song soaring to majestic heights, even while the character he was voicing sank to the depths.

“Alone Again (Naturally)” by Gilbert O’Sullivan

Gilbert O’Sullivan took the US charts by storm with “Alone Again (Naturally)”, the single he released in 1971. By that time, the Irishman had released several singles that hadn’t received much attention. The bouncy melody and unforgettable refrain of “Alone Again (Naturally)” were certainly a can’t-miss. But people got so caught up in O’Sullivan’s tunefulness that they almost overlooked the song’s darkness. The narrator begins the story by threatening to find the nearest ledge. Although, as the song progresses, we find out he has many reasons to be sad, the ultimate catalyst is the fact that he was left at the altar in front of a church full of well-wishers.

“$1,000 Wedding”

Gram Parsons wasn’t in the best of shape when he hit the studio to make his second solo studio album. As a result, he wasn’t quite up to the task of writing a lot of material. That’s why he dusted off several songs he’d written for other occasions. He’d first penned “$1,000 Wedding” as a possible vehicle for The Flying Burrito Brothers. It’s hard to imagine that the previous band could have done any better than the magic version found on Grievous Angel. The song references a failed attempt at a wedding from Parsons’ past. He leaves the lyrics vague enough that the listener wonders if the bride has run off or perhaps perished. Either way, the groom’s grief and guilt are bottomless.

“I Knew The Bride When She Used To Rock And Roll” by Nick Lowe

Here we have a song that’s a little more upbeat than the gloomy numbers we’ve already detailed. In this case, the brilliant Nick Lowe gives us a snapshot of a high-society wedding, with everyone putting on airs for the occasion. But the narrator, whom Lowe portrays with a mischievous twinkle in his voice, can remember when the girl standing at the altar would have had nothing to do with this scene. Lowe’s good buddy Dave Edmunds also did a killer version of this track. But Lowe’s take, from his album The Rose Of England, is a rockabilly romp. For a different take on the same theme, take a listen to Elton John’s song “Kiss The Bride”.

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