The Wedding Song
Encyclopedia
David Bowie's "The Wedding Song" appears on his 1993 album, Black Tie White Noise
in two forms, first as an instrumental titled "The Wedding" and then in its shortened, lyrical version, "The Wedding Song". The instrumental opens the album, while the lyrical version ends it.
"The Wedding Song", both through the instrumental arrangement and lyrics, expresses Bowie's euphoria after his marriage to Iman Abdulmajid. Striking in both versions is the dance arrangement of the piece, which departs from Bowie's recent efforts with Tin Machine
for a more calm, dance music sound, given his return to the producer of Let's Dance LP, Nile Rodgers
. For Bowie, this was also return to blue-eyed soul
and also an experiment in hip-hop
music. However, Bowie's instrumental arrangements were also significant through its use of symbolism: he acknowledged the meeting of his Western ethnic background with Iman's Eastern ethnic background by using Western dance beats while he played solos on his saxophone reminiscent of the Middle-East. A long introduction making use of church bells introduces the instrumental and closes the song, creating bookends for the album altogether.
The lyrics speak of "heaven's girl in a wedding gown" and invoking images of wings and angels.
Black Tie White Noise
Black Tie White Noise is an album by David Bowie. Released in 1993, it was his first solo release in the 1990s after spending time with his hard rock band Tin Machine, retiring his old hits on his Sound+Vision Tour, and marrying supermodel Iman Abdulmajid. This album featured his old guitarist from...
in two forms, first as an instrumental titled "The Wedding" and then in its shortened, lyrical version, "The Wedding Song". The instrumental opens the album, while the lyrical version ends it.
"The Wedding Song", both through the instrumental arrangement and lyrics, expresses Bowie's euphoria after his marriage to Iman Abdulmajid. Striking in both versions is the dance arrangement of the piece, which departs from Bowie's recent efforts with Tin Machine
Tin Machine
Tin Machine was a hard rock band formed in 1988, famous for being fronted by singer David Bowie. The group recorded two studio albums before dissolving in 1992, when Bowie returned to his solo career...
for a more calm, dance music sound, given his return to the producer of Let's Dance LP, Nile Rodgers
Nile Rodgers
Nile Gregory Rodgers is an American musician, producer, composer, arranger, and guitarist.-Biography:...
. For Bowie, this was also return to blue-eyed soul
Blue-eyed soul
Blue-eyed soul is a media term that was used to describe rhythm and blues and soul music performed by white artists, with a strong pop music influence. The term was first used in the mid-1960s to describe white artists who performed soul and R&B that was similar to the music of the Motown and...
and also an experiment in hip-hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
music. However, Bowie's instrumental arrangements were also significant through its use of symbolism: he acknowledged the meeting of his Western ethnic background with Iman's Eastern ethnic background by using Western dance beats while he played solos on his saxophone reminiscent of the Middle-East. A long introduction making use of church bells introduces the instrumental and closes the song, creating bookends for the album altogether.
The lyrics speak of "heaven's girl in a wedding gown" and invoking images of wings and angels.
Sources
- Black Tie White Noise Limited Edition DVD, 2004