Reccomended Wedding Songs [Archive]

Tamanegi Sensei

06-16-2006, 12:36 PM

Ok heres the scoop.

I've been invited to a wedding of my cousin's.
Yeah yeah I know weddings are borin, but I want to wow this one with somethin since I'm quite the unique and appealing person.

The best theme for a wedding is based in the music that it plays. At least thats to my knowledge.

So I'm askin ya what songs would be good to play at a reception or durin the mass or somethin.

So far I got an Eyes on Me by Faye Wong, that might be a good start. Then I have a Simple and Clean which also kinda plays into the theme as well. but then I got Liberi Fatali since I'm quite partial to that masterpiece. Now I'm out of ideas.

If there is a romantically themed VG song out there, I'd like to know.

Got any suggestions on what I should reccomend to my cousin's wedding?

The last thing I need to hear is Dido's Thank You, or Simple Plan's I'd do Anything.

Mana

06-16-2006, 12:44 PM

Isn't all the music provided by the DJ? There's pretty good at this kind of thing, and they'll have to have the music you want to play. Unless, of course, there is no DJ, but that's a completely different story.

In any event, if you did happen to be providing music for a wedding, I'd suggest you find out what the bride and groom want to be listening to. Even if you did manage to find some romantic video game music, if they aren't gamers (and even possibly if they are), they aren't going to want to listen to that on their wedding night. This is their night, so they should get to listen to whatever they want to listen to.

Tamanegi Sensei

06-16-2006, 12:49 PM

Well Mana, my cousin said and promised that she would play any recommendation I have, and my other cousin is the DJ so he'll be provading such dreadful tracks such as Jenny From the Block and Hollaback Girl along with the Dido and Simple Plan. The rest is remixed 90s songs and techno. The bride is quite the gamer and I did ask if she would like to hear Eyes on Me. She said to ask the groom and show him a sample of any song that would wow the wedding.

ZZalapski

06-16-2006, 01:12 PM

You can't go wrong with Sir Mix-a-Lot or 2 Live Crew.

...

Okay, I lied. But seriously, Harry Connick Jr.'s version of "It Had to Be You" has been a consistent choice at all the weddings I've been to.

Javer

06-16-2006, 03:26 PM

"Raspberry Heaven".

>_>

Dennis

06-16-2006, 05:39 PM

I'd suggest John Coltrane or any jazz for that matter for later in the evening.

LadySage

06-16-2006, 06:46 PM

It's a bit cliche, but Etta James' "At Last" is a lovely vocal jazz piece and a beautiful love song.

If you want to go a bit more unconventional, try "The Origin of Love" from Hedwig and the Angry Inch, my personal favorite love song, and "What a Good Boy," "Her Life in a Nutshell," and "These Apples" by the Barenaked Ladies.

silan

06-16-2006, 07:13 PM

The TRAX - Paradox

Now that is a love song that will definitely have tears in everyone's eyes.

Failing that, absolutely go with Sex Machineguns' "Sexy Hero Revolution." People will love that song so much they'll be crowding the aisles.

Tremolo

06-16-2006, 07:23 PM

Tamanegi Sensei

06-16-2006, 07:53 PM

I love "ing" words. Those three letters, "i", "n", "g"... perfect. But you have no love for the "g", Hybrid! As a big "g" fan, I'm deeply saddened by your selective and distressing attitude towards such a magnificent letter!

Basically, don't choose music that's a from a video game or anime. At all. Fo' serious.

How about something from U2? 'With or Without You'. Sure, the lyrics are decidely unromantic if you inspect them closely, but who cares?!

Sinead O'Connor's 'Nothing Compares 2 U'! Ed Harcourt's 'Metaphorically Yours', 'This One's For You' or 'Apple Of My Eye' (if not, those'll be at my wedding)!

...Yeah, I've got nothing.

I do G. It's just the style of my hand writinG or typinG that suits me so.
Besides my handwritin is akward and my Gs are barely readable.

It's either this or have the young kids listenin to In Da Club or Hollaback Girl, even the dreadful Jenny From The Block. Would you like those at a wedding?

Whats wrong with a little VG music at a reception? The reason why I am suggesting such an Eyes on Me is because I want to show a new genre of music to the average person. Maybe then, they can have an appreciation to a genre that is easily missed or to those who don't play Vid Games or listen to VG Music. You know, add a little spice to their lives. I mean most people older than me or in a different generation may have already heard Barenaked Ladies' Everything Old is New Again, Great Provider or Counting Crow's Round Here and August and Everything After when they were in style. And most of the audience at the reception are pushinG their 50s to 70s and are listenin to Cashmere or some old disco songs or somethinG. And because this is the 21st century, I thought it be cool to get with the times and share an eclectic taste in music that is almost unheard of outside it's enclosed ears.

silan

06-16-2006, 08:10 PM

I do G. It's just the style of my hand writinG or typinG that suits me so.
Besides my handwritin is akward and my Gs are barely readable.

It's either this or have the young kids listenin to In Da Club or Hollaback Girl, even the dreadful Jenny From The Block. Would you like those at a wedding?

Whats wrong with a little VG music at a reception? The reason why I am suggesting such an Eyes on Me is because I want to show a new genre of music to the average person. Maybe then, they can have an appreciation to a genre that is easily missed or to those who don't play Vid Games or listen to VG Music. You know, add a little spice to their lives. I mean most people older than me or in a different generation may have already heard Barenaked Ladies' Everything Old is New Again, Great Provider or Counting Crow's Round Here and August and Everything After when they were in style. And most of the audience at the reception are pushinG their 50s to 70s and are listenin to Cashmere or some old disco songs or somethinG. And because this is the 21st century, I thought it be cool to get with the times and share an eclectic taste in music that is almost unheard of outside it's enclosed ears.
At the same time, though, your cousin's wedding is not a pulpit for you to preach from. It's not a lab for you to test your music out on people. It's their day, their wedding, which will happen only once. Everything should go as much as possible as they like it, not as you like it.

I understand the sentiment. I just don't think that this is the right place to be running experiments and showing off your music.

And you don't really need to capitalize your g's. They work just fine without the extra emphasis.

Tamanegi Sensei

06-16-2006, 08:48 PM

Need I say that this is merely a suggestion I'm doin for my cousin. I know it's up to her if she wants to play my recommendations or not. I just thought there could be somethin different that makes the wedding stand out from all the others.

ZZalapski

06-16-2006, 11:45 PM

I'm with Tremolo and silan here; other people's weddings are not appropriate events for experimental playlists. Unless your cousin explicitly said that she wants VG/anime music at her reception, it's better to go with music that you know people can dance to, even if it is a bit overplayed or old-fashioned. I mean, we've all heard "Jump Around" and "Hey Ya" enough times to fill up entire weeks of our lives, but people still get out on the dance floor when the DJ puts them on.

Is your cousin (the one that's DJing) a professional, or at least has had a lot of experience at it? If so, I'd defer to his expertise. If not, I'd suggest that they do hire a professional, time and expenses willing. Your cousin (the one that's getting married) will have plenty enough to worry about on her big day without worrying that the music will be too eclectic for her guests.

And while we're on the subject of things for the bride to worry about on her big day, tell your cousin (the one that's getting married) to make sure her hairdresser shows up. I cannot stress this enough. A friend of mine had to get emergency hair work done by a relative because her hairdresser went AWOL on her wedding day, and boy was she pissed. You could tell from the photos.

jetfire

06-17-2006, 08:01 AM

I'm with everyone else here. Don't play any videogame or japanese pop music at the wedding. Just because you may like VG music, doesnt mean everyone will. Even if the bride doesnt mind it, you've still got a lot of guests to play it for. Everyone may feel awkward or confused when they hear VG music popping up. If you really need to play VG music at a wedding, then you should risk it at your own wedding.

Or if you really need VG music, maybe find some nice soft piano tunes. At the very most, these might be appropriate.

And if you really need a VG theme that's linked with music to get people dancing, set up a few large TVs with some DDR games. Just kidding. That's not the time or the place.

Kei

06-17-2006, 08:59 AM

"The Origin of Love" from Hedwig and the Angry Inch

Rufus Wainwright's cover of that song from the Hedwig tribute album is amazing, I reccomend it as well.

~Kei

p.s. - On the same album, Jonathan Richman does a cover of Origin of Love also, but it is notwhere near as good. Mainly because it's Jonathan Richman. Best song on there by far? Ben Lee, Ben Kweller and Ben Folds doing Tommy Gnosis's version of "Wicked Little Town".

Tamanegi Sensei

06-17-2006, 02:27 PM

After a long all-nighter I found the appropriate track list to play at the reception. I spoke with the bride and she said shes ok with it, but she said it's gotta fit the slow dance portion of the reception. That part where the hubby and wife along with other couples dance to somethin that fit the mood.

I know some of you are abhoring against VG music bein played at this, but after some negotiations with the groom, he would like to hear what I got.

It's just for the slow dance part, but theres the track list:

Eyes on Me
Simple and Clean
1000 Words
Suteki da Ne
Kirei na Kanjou

Then after the slow dance they play some other songs that are requested by the groom. Like some Mike and the Mechanics' Thats Just The Way It Is, somethin from A-ha's Hunting High and Low (maybe Take on Me) for that retro feel since both of them are 80s freaks, then move onto the DJ control and then maybe some R&B for the final dance number; again based on the groom's request.

You may feel it's innapropriate for a guy like me to intrude at a wedding that doesn't involve me since I'm family, but I just want to help make theirs a special one and one thats special.

silan

06-17-2006, 02:39 PM

You may feel it's innapropriate for a guy like me to intrude at a wedding that doesn't involve me since I'm family, but I just want to help make theirs a special one and one thats special.
No you don't. You want to show off your favorite music so that others might become interested in it as well. You may say that all you want is to help make their day special, but actually you've got an ulterior motive.

But hey. Maybe the bride and groom'll like what you've picked out. Maybe everything will work out fine.

Just don't lie and say that all you want is to help make their wedding special, because what you really want is something far more selfish. Be honest with yourself, and ask yourself if it's really that important that their wedding ceremony contain Japanese music, even if they've really got no connection to the Japanese environment. If it's not, then go with something that will actually be special to them, and find more 80s music (since they're such 80s freaks, as you say).

[/rudeness]

Yodatsubato

06-17-2006, 11:03 PM

It's also possible that a few of the people at the wedding will recognize the origins of the music. It is quite possible that they will then go on to assume that the bride and groom are nothing more than a pair of culture-deprived otaku who can't fit in with the real world (remember: American culture says you don't play VG music at weddings). It can be damaging for one's reputation, especially if it doesn't describe them.

One song from a video game probably isn't bad. But several can be a problem. Plus, what's wrong with some good old-fashioned Billy Joel or Elton John? It's almost as if they write some of their stuff for weddings.

ZZalapski

06-18-2006, 12:04 AM

As I posted in the Saiyuki vs. Noir thread, I like the work Kajiura Yuki did for Noir. I like the song Kirei na Kanjou. That said, I cannot imagine a substantial number of people slow-dancing to it at a given wedding outside of Japan (and maybe not even there). I sure wouldn't get out on the dance floor.

To me, slow-dancing is the couple being comfortable enough with each other to dance at an intimate proximity, and familiar music helps a lot in that regard. How are non-anime fans going to get comfortable slow-dancing to niche music in a foreign language?

Also, consider the chances of this conversation happening at the reception:

Wedding Guest: I hear you helped pick out the music. What's this song that's on now? It doesn't sound like English.
Tamanegi Sensei: Oh, this is Kirei na Kanjou. It means "Pure Emotions". It was the ending song for Noir, an anime show.
WG: A what show?
TS: Anime. You know, Japanese animation.
WG: (pause) I see. So, uh, what was this show about?
TS: Noir? Oh, it's this really cool anime about a female French assassin who teams up with an amnesiac Japanese girl, and it turns out that she's even better at killing. Together, they kill their way towards the revelation of how their pasts are linked, while avoiding a shadowy conspiracy determined to thwart them at all costs.
WG: (longer pause) I see. Well, um, "Pure Emotions" sounds like an unusual song for a show about assassins. I mean, it's not like the two are romantically involved with each other <ha ha>, right?
TS: Actually, while it's never explicitly stated in the show, there are a few hints alluding to a lesbian relationship, including a scene when they're in the same bed.
WG: (prolonged silence) Erm, you'll have to excuse me, I need a refill on my drink.

Conversations like these will not do wonders for your reputation. They will do even less for your cousin's.

silan

06-18-2006, 12:23 AM

Bah to the above two comments.

Tamanagi-Sensei: I'm not saying you shouldn't do it for fear of what the guests will think. Worrying about reputations is silly. I'm saying that, if anime or Japanese culture isn't the couple's thing, then it won't make the day very special for them, even if it's really special to you. What's played at their wedding should reflect them, not you, because the day is all about them. If they're 80s freaks, then let the flashback begin.

ZZalapski

06-18-2006, 01:00 AM

I'm not saying you shouldn't do it for fear of what the guests will think. Worrying about reputations is silly.

I agree with silan's reason why TS should forgo the anime music, but I disagree with the above. If the music is unconventional enough that people start to talk about how they think extremely poor judgment was exercised in its selection, consequences can come about in the following two scenarios:

1) If TS's cousin invited friends from work to the wedding, such talk can spread like wildfire at her job and negatively affect her image. Workplaces can be so gossipy like you wouldn't believe.

2) Speaking generally (because I don't know TS's cousin personally), brides put a lot of planning into their weddings, sometimes to pathological levels. If the bride gets wind that people considered the music to be a blemish on what should've been her "perfect day", she can:

shrug it off and forget about it
blame herself
blame her husband
blame the guy who chose the music (i.e., TS)
Which one would TS's cousin choose? Beats me; like I said, I don't know her personally. But all four are viable choices.

silan

06-18-2006, 11:10 AM

The thing, though, is that if anime music or VG music was what she liked, she should play it without fear of what others think. That's the point I was getting at. Odds are that if she liked it that much, people she was around a lot of the time would already know anyway that she enjoyed that, and wouldn't be surprised if she included it in a ceremony.

If that isn't her thing, though, then maybe your reasons hold water. Maybe.

But I'm firmly in the camp that the wedding should be all about the people actually getting married. It pisses me off when the couple that is getting married have to worry more about what others think than what is important to them. True, it's a fact of life, I suppose, because both bride and groom want everyone who attends to think that it went perfectly, but it shouldn't be that way, because it means that marriage is not so much a ceremony of love and devotion as it is yet another status symbol.

And I still do think it's silly to worry about reputations, particularly in the first scenario you said above. Yes, the gossip machine is incessant. But gossip like that will only last until the next juicy tidbit surfaces, and after awhile, no one will really care unless they've already got a grudge against you.

Perfect_Cheezit

06-18-2006, 12:22 PM

I can't believe nobody's suggested "White Wedding" by Billy Idol yet.

Tamanegi Sensei

06-18-2006, 12:47 PM

I can't believe nobody's suggested "White Wedding" by Billy Idol yet.

That be racist considering that it's a filipino weding. No I kid.

Now that I think of it, maybe Waiting for a Girl Like You by Foreigner sounds good. Maybe the main Squeeze maybe Tempted to play Never Too Much or Keep on Lovin You in that Speedwagon of REO's. Theres some 80s.

ZZalapski

06-18-2006, 10:02 PM

But I'm firmly in the camp that the wedding should be all about the people actually getting married. It pisses me off when the couple that is getting married have to worry more about what others think than what is important to them. True, it's a fact of life, I suppose, because both bride and groom want everyone who attends to think that it went perfectly, but it shouldn't be that way, because it means that marriage is not so much a ceremony of love and devotion as it is yet another status symbol.

Well said. Unfortunately, American culture being what it is, people can get caught up in a case of keeping up with the Joneses. The services associated with weddings (limo, photographers, florists, etc.) know this and take full advantage of it; they have two sets of prices, one for weddings and one for everything else. It's a nice racket if you can get into it.

You want to talk status symbols, how about engagement rings? Ugh. De Beers can go to hell for hoodwinking entire cultures with their "A Diamond is Forever" ad campaign.

As far as more wedding songs, how about Elvis Presley's "Love Me Tender" for the couples, and "I'm Walking on Sunshine" (Katrina and the Waves), "Love Shack" (B-52s), "Bust a Move" (Young MC), and "Kiss Off" (Violent Femmes) for everyone else?