# Inappropriate songs for weddings, etc. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 28, 2013, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inappropriate-songs-for-weddings-etc/672410 "2013-10-28T02:56:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inappropriate-songs-for-weddings-etc/672410/41 "2013-10-29T05:36:56Z")
If you’re at a wedding reception and you hear “The Rains of Castamere” and you don’t know why…you’re fucked. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inappropriate-songs-for-weddings-etc/672410/42 "2013-10-29T06:22:02Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > If you’re at a wedding reception and you hear “The Rains of Castamere” and you don’t know why…you’re fucked. I am trying to avoid weddings and go for the elopement route, but I am surprised I didn’t think of this and would like to try it. Although I don’t have children who are younger than my great grandchildren. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inappropriate-songs-for-weddings-etc/672410/43 "2013-10-29T06:50:18Z")
Since we’ve gone into hypotheticals instead of things we’ve actually heard played, I can’t imagine it would be a good sign if a groom requested “Smack My Bitch Up” by Prodigy. ---
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inappropriate-songs-for-weddings-etc/672410/44 "2013-10-29T07:12:54Z")
I have actually heard “I Will Survive”. Then again, they’ve been married over 10 years and have 2 kids. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inappropriate-songs-for-weddings-etc/672410/45 "2013-10-29T07:51:43Z")
Has “You’re Having My Baby” been mentioned yet? ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inappropriate-songs-for-weddings-etc/672410/46 "2013-10-29T08:42:54Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > Since we’ve gone into hypotheticals instead of things we’ve actually heard played, I can’t imagine it would be a good sign if a groom requested “Smack My Bitch Up” by Prodigy. What’s wrong with him enjoying heroin/“…doing anything intensely…” It proves he’s committed to something. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![XOldiesJock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ec9cab/32.png) [@XOldiesJock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XOldiesJock)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inappropriate-songs-for-weddings-etc/672410/47 "2013-10-29T11:06:05Z")
Weddings aside, I’ve often been amused at the totally inappropriate songs people want to dedicate on “love songs” shows on radio. I have occasionally filled-in on the love songs show on the radio station I work for and have heard them all, usually from clueless guys. “I Will Always Love You” has been mentioned. Another is “I Go Crazy” by Paul Davis, a wretched breakup song from the 70s, which guys always want to dedicate to their wives or girlfriends on their anniversary. I finally gave up trying to point out the message that song sends. One time a woman called and wanted to dedicate “Endless Love” to her daughter and her fiance. Without thinking I said “I hope they end up better than the kids in the movie did.” She said “What? There was a movie? What happened to the kids in the movie?” I had to quickly backpedal and get out of it. I more or less said “Never mind, it was only a movie.” Just glad it wasn’t live on the air. ---
**Author:** ![bobkitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c67d28/32.png) [@bobkitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobkitty)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inappropriate-songs-for-weddings-etc/672410/48 "2013-10-29T11:49:26Z")
> [@minlokwat](#): > > We’re talking songs that we’ve actually heard at the wedding/reception right? > > We’ve done this thread before and it was universally agreed that _If You Wanna Be Happy_, _Love Stinks_ (mentioned above) and CCR’s _Bad Moon Risin’_ would make for surprising song choices but has anyone heard these songs actually played at the ceremony? (raising hand) “If you want to be happy” was a staple at the weddings I attended as a kid. I think the last time I heard it was at my oldest sister’s wedding, circa… ummmmm… 1985-ish. ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inappropriate-songs-for-weddings-etc/672410/49 "2013-10-29T13:50:06Z")
> [@OurLordPeace](#): > > I was at a bat mitzvah and heard Boyz II Men’s “I’ll Make Love to You.” I was one of the kid-guests, but I distinctly remember wondering if anyone realized that it’s not appropriate. > > Later on, I was at a bar mitzvah, and while we were all seated at the tables, pre-party, the DJ played “Mrs. Robinson.” I remember thinking that the Jesus-related lyrics were similarly inappropriate, and I noticed one of the adults walking up and saying something to the DJ. I’m pretty sure that was the topic of conversation. Because if it wasn’t for the Jesus reference, the associations it has with _The Graduate_, would be perfect for a bar mitzvah! “Son, today you are a man”, indeed! ---
**Author:** ![JuliaSqueezer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/82dd89/32.png) [@JuliaSqueezer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JuliaSqueezer)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inappropriate-songs-for-weddings-etc/672410/50 "2013-10-29T13:59:54Z")
Back in the 60’s. One of the first weddings of a classmate, right after high school graduation: “You Saw Me Cryin’ in the Chapel”. An Elvis song, sung by a local band at the VFW Hall reception. ---
**Author:** ![Skara\_Brae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Skara\_Brae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skara_Brae)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inappropriate-songs-for-weddings-etc/672410/51 "2013-10-29T14:02:28Z")
I once attended a wedding where “The Lady is a Tramp” was played as the bride walked up the aisle, to the discomfort of many guests. (Of, course, if you listen to the lyrics you discover that the lady in question isn’t \*really \*a tramp, just unconventional, and man, it did fit this Bride to a T. After the wedding, when the Bride and Groom walked out (Processional? Recessional?) some other very non-traditional song was played, but I can’t remember what it was…) ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inappropriate-songs-for-weddings-etc/672410/52 "2013-10-29T14:17:33Z")
In about 1998 I went to the very traditional wedding of two friends who were big fans of industrial dance music. They told everyone that the reception would be over at 8, when it actually ran until 9 or 9:30. Turns out 8 was just when they switched from the standard Catholic wedding greatest hits to their own playlist, which was mostly KMFDM. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inappropriate-songs-for-weddings-etc/672410/53 "2013-10-29T15:19:39Z")
> [@Skara\_Brae](#): > > I once attended a wedding where “The Lady is a Tramp” was played as the bride walked up the aisle, to the discomfort of many guests. I once attended a grade school concert where the sweet and well-intended and very young choir teacher had the 2nd graders sing “Let Me Entertain You” to the discomfort of all parents over 30. ETA: That would be the version from _Gypsy_, not the 1990s Queen song of the same name. ---
**Author:** ![minlokwat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minlokwat/32/2844_2.png) [@minlokwat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minlokwat)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inappropriate-songs-for-weddings-etc/672410/54 "2013-10-29T15:51:19Z")
> [@bobkitty](#): > > (raising hand) “If you want to be happy” was a staple at the weddings I attended as a kid. I think the last time I heard it was at my oldest sister’s wedding, circa… ummmmm… 1985-ish. Well color me 😕. Some of the songs mentioned here are certainly open to multiple interpretations but this one? Sheesh. Not seeing it. Was it a harmless gag directed at the bride (I can’t imagine how being called ugly on one’s wedding day as all that high-larious) or was no attention paid to the lyrical content which to my ears comes off relatively clear. Or the catch-all “something else”? ---
**Author:** ![Mattie\_Blue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71c47a/32.png) [@Mattie\_Blue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mattie_Blue)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inappropriate-songs-for-weddings-etc/672410/55 "2013-10-29T19:46:28Z")
“Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow” by Carole King. Not exactly what I think of as a song you sing to someone you plan to stay married to for 50 or 60 years. I heard it played about 35 years ago at a wedding for high school friends. They were both about 19 at the time and I guess it was “their song”. ---
**Author:** ![Cartoonacy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/848f3c/32.png) [@Cartoonacy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartoonacy)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inappropriate-songs-for-weddings-etc/672410/56 "2013-10-29T22:12:15Z")
I never understood how Meat Loaf’s _Paradise by the Dashboard Light_ got to be so popular at wedding receptions. It’s about a guy who makes a promise in the heat of passion and ends up trapped for a lifetime with a woman he can’t stand. My wife and I specifically asked the band not to play it at our wedding – but they gave in to audience requests and played it anyway. ---
**Author:** ![OurLordPeace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e8c25b/32.png) [@OurLordPeace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OurLordPeace)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inappropriate-songs-for-weddings-etc/672410/57 "2013-10-29T22:28:48Z")
> [@DoctorJ](#): > > In about 1998 I went to the very traditional wedding of two friends who were big fans of industrial dance music. They told everyone that the reception would be over at 8, when it actually ran until 9 or 9:30. Turns out 8 was just when they switched from the standard Catholic wedding greatest hits to their own playlist, which was mostly KMFDM. Awesome! I’m never getting married, but if for some reason I have to, that sort of thing is inspiring. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inappropriate-songs-for-weddings-etc/672410.md?page=2)