What are good lyrics for a wedding reading?

[rubbergenius]

Me and my girlfriend are getting married in a couple of months and a male friend is doing a reading during the service. We want the reading to be lyrics to a contemporary song (1960s-90s), about love, or being with someone (the usual stuff), but not too sentimental or slushy, and obviously, because it's being read by someone else, preferably about love in the third person, not the first person 'I love you' stuff (as he doesn't - it's me or my girlfriend that are the lovers). Long shot, but any suggestions?

[Ouisch]

"Funny How Love Is" by Queen is a favorite of mine and is not in the first person.  It probably sounds better sung than read, but maybe you can rearrange the words to suit you:

 

Funny how love is everywhere just look and see
Funny how love is anywhere you're bound to be
Funny how love is every song in every key
Funny how love is coming home in time for tea
Funny funny funny oh
Funny how love is the end of the lies
When the truth begins tomorrow comes
Tomorrow brings tomorrow brings love
In the shape of things
That's what love is that's what love is

Funny how love can break your heart so suddenly
Funny how love came tumbling down with Adam and Eve
Funny how love is running wild feeling free
Funny how love is coming home in time for tea
Funny funny funny oh
From the earth below to the heavens above
That's how far and funny is love
At any time anywhere
If you gotta make love do it everywhere
That's what love is that's what love is

[adejones472]

How aabout "saturday night" by the blue nile - 1989.

Who do you love?/Who do you really love?/ When its cold and its starlight?/The streets are so big and wide?/I love you/An ordinary girl/Can make the world seem right/She'll love me all the way/Saturday night/

Who do you love?/Who do you really love?/When the storefronts aare closed in paradise/Meet me outside the city lights/I love you/An ordinary girl/Can make this world alright/She'll love me this I know/Saturday night

 

I heard this at a friend's wedding (a saturday) aand it had the grannies in tears. May suit you!

[amarillis]

I know this is in the first person, but you could probably alter it a bit to suit:

Be Mine by David Gray

From the very first moment I saw you
That's when I knew
All the dreams I held in my heart
Had suddenly come true
Knock me over stone cold sober
Not a thing I could say or do
'Cos baby when I'm walking with you now
My eyes are so wide
Like you reached right into my head
And turned on the light inside
Turning on the light
Inside my mind hey

Come on baby it's all right
Sunday Monday day or night
Written blue on white it's plain to see
That rainy shiny night or day
What's the difference anyway
Baby till your heart belongs to me

If I had some influence girl
With the powers that be
I'd have them fire that arrow at you
Like they fired it right at me
And maybe when your heart and soul are burning
You might see
That everytime I'm talking with you
It's always over too soon
That everyday feels so incomplete
Till you walk into the room
Say the word now girl
I'll jump that moon hey

Come on baby it's ok
Rainy shiny night or day
There's nothing in the way now
Don't you see
Winter summer day or night
Centigrade or fahrenheit
Baby till your heart belongs to me
Thursday Friday short or long
When you got a love so strong
How can it be wrong now mercy me
Jumpin' Jesus holy cow !
What's the difference anyhow
Baby till your heart belongs to me

[Englishbird]

As Time Goes By

This day and age we're living in
Gives cause for apprehension
With speed and new invention
And things like fourth dimension.
Yet we get a trifle weary
With Mr. Einstein's theory.
So we must get down to earth at times
Relax relieve the tension

And no matter what the progress
Or what may yet be proved
The simple facts of life are such
They cannot be removed.

You must remember this
A kiss is just a kiss, a sigh is just a sigh
The fundamental things apply
As time goes by

And when two lovers woo
They still say, "I love you."
On that you can rely
No matter what the future brings
As time goes by

Moonlight and love songs
Never out of date.
Hearts full of passion
Jealousy and hate.
Woman needs man
And man must have his mate
That no one can deny

It's still the same old story
A fight for love and glory
A case of do or die.
The world will always welcome lovers
As time goes by

Oh yes, the world will always welcome lovers
As time goes by.

All you need is love

Love, love, love,.
There's nothing you can do that can't be done.
Nothing you can sing that can't be sung.
Nothing you can say but you can learn how to play the game It's easy.
There's nothing you can make that can't be made.
No one you can save that can't be saved.
Nothing you can do but you can learn how to be in time
It's easy.
All you need is love, all you need is love,
All you need is love, love, love is all you need.
There's nothing you can know that isn't known.
Nothing you can see that isn't shown.
Nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be.
It's easy.
All you need is love, all you need is love,

[adejones472]

Another perennial favourite (aalthough you'll have to adapt the lyric) is "God Only Knows" by the Beach Boys. I sympathise with you - my twin gets married in the summer and I'm having the same problem. I'm finding the best bet is to find a 1st person song that rings true, and adapt it accordingly.

Best of luck anyway.

[WaldoMcFroog]

"Faith" by Marillion

What I have here in my heart
Is like faith, but not faith
For those without faith also have
What I have here in my heart

What I have here in my hand
Is like feeling but deeper
That's why I am here

What I have here in this room
Is knowledge without proof
What I have here in my hands
This is what I feel for you

It's why the Earth is alive
And makes electricity work
And fire dance in the sky

I feel inside the atoms
Where the science breaks down

What I have here in my hand
Is like faith, but not faith
For those without faith also have
What I have here in my hand

What I have here in my hand
Is like knowing but deeper
It's why I have faith
 

[RevShirls]

After WaldoMcFroog's suggestion of Faith (by Marillion) - how about "Hope" by Enya :)

HOPE HAS A PLACE (Enya)

One look at love and you may see
it weaves a web over mystery,
all ravelled threads can rend apart
for hope has a place in the lover's heart.
Hope has a place in a lover's heart.

Whispering world, a sigh of sighs,
the ebb and the flow of the ocean tides,
one breath, one word may end or may start
a hope in a place of the lover's heart.
Hope has a place in a lover's heart.

Look to love,you may dream,
and if it should leave  then give it wings.
But if such a love is meant to be;
Hope is home, and the heart is free.

Under the heavens we journey far,
on roads of life we're the wanderers.
So let love rise, so let love depart,
let hope have a place in the lover's heart.
Hope has a place in the lover's heart.

Look to love you may dream,
and if it should leave then give it wings.
But if such a love is meant to be;
Hope is home, and the heart is free.
Hope is home, and the heart is free.

[Philtaz]

What about Love Is All Around by Wet Wet Wet?

I feel it in my fingers
I feel it in my toes
Love is all around me
And so the feeling grows
It�s written on the wind
It�s everywhere I go, oh yes it is
So if you really love me
Come on and let it show
You know I love you, I always will
My mind�s made up by the
Way that I feel
There�s no beginning,
There�ll be no end
�cause on my love you can depend
I see your face before me
As I lay on my bed
I kinda get to thinking
Of all the things you said, oh yes I did
You gave your promise to me and I
Gave mine to you
I need someone beside me
In everything I do, oh yes I do
You know I love you, I always will,
My mind�s made up by the
Way that I feel
There�s no beginning,
There�ll be no end
�cause on my love you can depend
Got to keep it moving
Oh it�s written in the wind
Oh everywhere I go, yeah, oh well
So if you really love me, love me, love me
Come on and let it show
Come on and let it show
Come on and let it
Come on and let it (come and let it show, baby)
Come on, come on, come on let it show baby
Come on and let it show
Come on and let it show, baby
Come on and let it show

A bit cheesy in parts but you get the gist.

[tracymort]

Joss Stone's Super Duper Love is quite appropriate

"In the presence of all my friends
You stood there holding my hand
And you promise me faithfully
That you will be my only man"



and i think The Wannadies You and Me song is a perfect wedding song!


"Always when we fight
I try to make you laugh
Til everything's forgotten
I know you hate that

ba ba da da ba ba ba ba (2x)

Always when we fight
I kiss you once or twice
And everything's forgotten
I know you hate that

I love you Sunday sun
The week's not yet begun
And everything is quiet
And it's always...

You and me always, and forever
You and me always, and forever
ba ba ba ba da ba, it was always
You and me always..

You tell me I'm a real man
I try to look impressed
Not very convincing
But you know I love it

Now we watch TV
Til we fall asleep
Not very exciting
But it's you and...

Me and we'll always be together
You and me always, and forever
ba ba ba ba da ba, it was always..."

[pjkeane]

Love Ain't Like That
~ Faith Hill


You can't buy it at the store
Try it on for size
Then bring it back if it don't feel right
No love, love ain't like that
You can't trade it in
Like an automobile
That's got too many miles an' rust on its wheels
No love, love ain't like that

Love ain't that easy to define
You can't build it by design
It takes it's own sweet time
It don't fall from the sky
Like a tiny drop of rain
That hits you right between the eyes one day
No love, love ain't like that

You can't put your money down
And just roll the dice
Think you're gonna win it all some night
No love, love ain't like that
Love ain't that easy to define
You can't build it by design
It takes its own sweet time
You can't buy it at the store
Try it on for size
Bring it back if it don't feel right
No love, love ain't like that
Love, no love, love, love it ain't like that

Can't trade it in like an automobile
Too many miles an' rust on the wheels
No love, no love no, it ain't like that

Oh love, it ain't like that
It don't fall from the sky
You can't trade it in, can't buy it at the store
Then take it back again

[eddieofnewyork]

my daughter is reading "it must be love" by Madness for our wedding in sep. it may seem an odd choice but the lyrics are perfect and not too long.