# Songs to sing at a wedding **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 14, 2003, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-to-sing-at-a-wedding/168536 "2003-04-14T02:16:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Elza\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Elza\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elza_B)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-to-sing-at-a-wedding/168536/1 "2003-04-14T02:16:56Z")
I’m going to be singing at my brother’s wedding this June (as opposed to being a bridesmaid _in_ the wedding - this was the ‘consolation prize’, so to speak, but that’s a rant for the Pit - I’m happy with this now), and I’m desperately trying to find songs to sing. The idea is that I’ll sing one duet with a cousin, and one solo in the middle of the ceremony. However, I am _stuck_ on which songs to sing. I tried to pick Janis Joplin’s “Ball and Chain”, but my mother vetoed that one (family joke, brother and fiancee have a cat named Janis.). I am a mezzo-soprano, in other words - an alto. I’m a lower alto - but can hit a G above the staff on a good day with the proper warm-up, and I can sing lower than the typical alto. My voice is better suited to lower, more sultry songs than higher, classical sounding songs. My cousin is a tenor, and a fairly adept one - I think he has a better range than I do For the solo song, I’m considering Etta James’ “At Last”, The Carpenters’ “We’ve Only Just Begin”, or Andrew Lloyd Weber’s “Unexpected Song”. For some reason or other, none of these seems to work perfectly with what we’re going for in a song. For the duet, I’ve got a couple of songs on the list - “Til There Was You” from The Music Man (although we’d have to transpose to a lower octave - the song is WAY too high for me as written), or “Sun and Moon” from Miss Saigon. As you can see, I’ve got an addiction to showtunes - and unfortunately, the majority of them are written for sopranos. I would _love_ to do a song from a short-run off-Broadway show The Last Five Years that’s perfect, but I can’t find the sheet music - I don’t think it’s been released yet. I need suggestions and help! Since this is my brother’s wedding, I really want to have the perfect songs - we’ve all been waiting a long time for this and he deserves the best. They’ve been together for ten years at this point, and they’re finally getting married. I _really_ need some good songs to consider for possibilities. We’ve got to choose the music to give to the guitarist very soon, so time’s running short. Help! And thanks:). Ava ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-to-sing-at-a-wedding/168536/2 "2003-04-14T05:28:21Z")
Hate me if you wish for this, but upon reading the thread title, I immediately thought of Weird Al and **Another One Rides The Bus** 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-to-sing-at-a-wedding/168536/3 "2003-04-14T06:17:56Z")
“Tainted Love.” Whoa-oa-oa-oah. ---
**Author:** ![Audrey\_Levins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Audrey\_Levins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Audrey_Levins)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-to-sing-at-a-wedding/168536/4 "2003-04-14T08:02:06Z")
**Sade’s "By Your Side."** I’ve always thought it would make a lovely wedding song, and am considering it for mine. And while I don’t know much about range/voice, etc., it is a low and sultry song that doesn’t sound particularly taxing, vocally. (You can find the song on her most recent CD, entitled “Lovers Rock.”) ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-to-sing-at-a-wedding/168536/5 "2003-04-14T12:39:31Z")
My sister sang “Evergreen” at a wedding. It went over very well. ---
**Author:** ![dbygawdcapn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dbygawdcapn/32/3995_2.png) [@dbygawdcapn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dbygawdcapn)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-to-sing-at-a-wedding/168536/6 "2003-04-14T12:55:26Z")
Kate Wolf’s [Give Yourself To Love](http://www.cycad.com/cgi-bin/Kate_Wolf/give_yourself_to_love.html) ---
**Author:** ![Ceejaytee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ceejaytee/32/2956_2.png) [@Ceejaytee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ceejaytee)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-to-sing-at-a-wedding/168536/7 "2003-04-14T13:06:41Z")
There’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water” which I have been playing constantly for days. It’s a high tenor and should fit your range. “At Last” is a great song. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-to-sing-at-a-wedding/168536/8 "2003-04-14T13:34:23Z")
I sang “Dream a Little Dream” at my own wedding. ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-to-sing-at-a-wedding/168536/9 "2003-04-14T14:47:07Z")
You should do “It’s Not Unusual”. Everyone loves Tom Jones. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-to-sing-at-a-wedding/168536/10 "2003-04-14T14:47:16Z")
“My Only Love,” by the Statler Brothers. May or may not suit your particular taste, but it’s a great wedding song. Written for sopranos? I don’t understand why any song could not be transposed to whatever key fits your voice(s). ---
**Author:** ![Bren\_Cameron\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@Bren\_Cameron\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bren_Cameron_1)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-to-sing-at-a-wedding/168536/11 "2003-04-14T15:13:49Z")
A lot of songs are available in different keys. I’ve always been partial to “Bist du bei mir.” There’s an English translation available. A quick question–is this wedding in a church of any kind? The Catholic church has some rules about what can and can’t be sung–show tunes are out, for instance. For some reason, the execrable Wedding Song was acceptable (I sang at my sister’s wedding), as was Bist du bei mir. You might want to talk to the music director at the church (if indeed the wedding is at/under the auspices of a church), since they’ll know if there are any restrictions, and likely have a long list of suitable music. ---
**Author:** ![Bren\_Cameron\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@Bren\_Cameron\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bren_Cameron_1)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-to-sing-at-a-wedding/168536/12 "2003-04-14T15:18:43Z")
> [@](#): > > A lot of songs are available in different keys. I meant to say, if you or your accompanist doesn’t feel like transposing them on the spot. Your accompanist may be able to do that, but if they can’t, the music store often sells the same song for “high voice” or “medium voice” or “low voice.” ---
**Author:** ![flight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbce88/32.png) [@flight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flight)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-to-sing-at-a-wedding/168536/13 "2003-04-14T15:29:12Z")
Tom Waits’s “Better off Without a Wife” ---
**Author:** ![Elza\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Elza\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elza_B)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-to-sing-at-a-wedding/168536/14 "2003-04-14T15:31:07Z")
**Bren\_Cameron** , it’s an outdoor wedding on a plantation - so the church isn’t a concern. However, the accompaniment is, as it’s going to be a guitarist. I actually _love_ the idea of “Bridge Over Troubled Water”, **Ceejaytee**. That’s my favorite song in the world. If it weren’t for the fact that I plan on using it at my own wedding, I would do Norah Jones’ “Come Away With Me”. I’m still tempted to use it. Thanks for the suggestions! I’m adding them to my list of possibilities! Keep 'em coming, though! Ava ---
**Author:** ![GKW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d9b06d/32.png) [@GKW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GKW)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-to-sing-at-a-wedding/168536/15 "2003-04-14T19:55:34Z")
I attended a wedding where the whole congregation sang “When I’m Sixty-Four” as the recessional. It was really quite sweet. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-to-sing-at-a-wedding/168536/16 "2003-04-14T20:25:04Z")
I like John Lennon’s[Grow Old With Me](http://www.lennonworld.com/lyrics/growoldwithme.htm) > [@](#): > > Grow old along with me > The best is yet to be > When our time has come > We will be as one > God bless our love > God bless our love > > … > > Spending our lives together > Man and wife together > World without end > World without end > > Grow old along with me > Whatever fate decrees > We will see it through > For our love is true > God bless our love > God bless our love StG ---
**Author:** ![Elza\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Elza\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elza_B)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-to-sing-at-a-wedding/168536/17 "2003-04-14T20:31:05Z")
**StGermain** , I think that might be a winner for the solo song! I’d completely forgotten that song - if I can find the sheet music for the guitarist, we might be in good shape! Thanks! Now it’s just the duet that’s left. Ava ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-to-sing-at-a-wedding/168536/18 "2003-04-14T22:23:04Z")
Well, it WOULD be a “nice day for a white wedding…” ---
**Author:** ![jelasafork](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/858c86/32.png) [@jelasafork](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jelasafork)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-to-sing-at-a-wedding/168536/19 "2003-04-15T04:22:43Z")
Bob Dylan - The Wedding Song Leonard Cohen - Dance me to the end of love Rolling Stones - Beast of Burden ---
**Author:** ![Sapphire\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f14d63/32.png) [@Sapphire\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapphire_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-to-sing-at-a-wedding/168536/20 "2003-04-15T05:36:28Z")
I’ve always been partial to Scarlett’s “Independent Love Song.” Savage Garden - I Knew I Loved You Tracy Byrd - Keeper of the Stars Michael Peterson - From Here to Eternity The last two are country, so be warned. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-to-sing-at-a-wedding/168536.md?page=2)