White Wedding (song)

"**White Wedding**" is a song by English rock musician Billy Idol. It was released as the second single from his self-titled studio album in 1982. It's not one of Idol's highest-charting hits. Despite this, it's one of his most well known songs.

In the US, it peaked at No. 10 on the _Billboard_ Bubbling Under the Hot 100 chart on 27 November 1982. After it was re-issued, the song reached No. 36 on the _Billboard_ Hot 100 on 2 July 1983 . In the UK, it reached No. 6 in the UK Singles Chart upon its re-release there in 1985, when it was re-issued to promote the _Vital Idol_ remix album.

## Reception

_Cash Box_ called it "a powerful entry" whose "ominous guitar intro" and "accusatory tone" command attention.

## Music video

The music video has Idol attend a goth wedding. The bride is played by Perri Lister, Idol's real-life girlfriend at the time. She is also one of the three dancers in black leather, who slap their buttocks in time with the clap track in the song. "That's the kind of thing they love in England", says Idol.

In one scene, Idol forces a wedding ring made of barbed wire onto Lister's finger and cuts her knuckle. Lister wanted her knuckle to actually be cut. This would've made the scene appear more realistic. MTV initially removed this scene from the video. Also controversial were the apparent Nazi salutes made by the crowd toward the couple. Director David Mallet says he was merely "playing with the power of crowd imagery." He did not realize how it looked until after it was filmed.

The MTV-edited version of the video is included on the DVD portion of _The Very Best of Billy Idol: Idolize Yourself_ CD/DVD package.

## Appearances and covers

The song was featured in the 1998 film _The Wedding Singer_ (in which Idol appears). It was also on the American TV series _My Name Is Earl_ as well as the British TV series _Blackpool_.

Idol performed the song as part of the pre-game entertainment for the 2002 NRL Grand Final in Sydney, Australia. Idol got on the playing field by hovercraft. He only managed to sing two words before a power failure ended the performance.

The line "It's a nice day to start again" was featured on the sticker on the front of Idol's 2005 album, _Devil's Playground_.

The song is featured in the 1985 Italian horror film Demons.

On _The Colbert Report_, a couple that was prevented from wedding at the Jefferson Memorial, by the 2013 government shutdown, got married.  They shared their first dance as Audra McDonald sang the song.

The German heavy metal singer Doro Pesch featured a cover of "White Wedding" on her 2000 album _Calling the Wild._

The American metal band In This Moment was set to collaborate with Idol on the track "Black Wedding." In the song's chorus is the line, "it's a nice night for a black wedding," a homage to Idol's "White Wedding." Due to schedule iussues, Rob Halford of Judas Priest was featured on the track instead.

Slipknot drummer Joey Jordison's side project – the US horror punk band Murderdolls – reached number 24 on the UK Singles chart in 2003 with their cover of "White Wedding."

## 1982 release

** 7″: Chrysalis – CHS 2656 (UK)**
1. "White Wedding" (3:30)
1. "Hole in the Wall" (4:14)

** 12″: Chrysalis – CHS 12 2656 (UK)**
1. "White Wedding (Parts 1 and 2)" (8:20)
1. "White Wedding" (3:30)
1. "Hole in the Wall" (4:14)

** 7″: Chrysalis – CHS 2648 (US)**
1. "White Wedding" (3:30)
1. "Dead on Arrival" (3:54)

** 12″: Chrysalis – EPC 5002 (US)**
1. "White Wedding (Parts 1 and 2)" (8:20)
1. "White Wedding (Part 2)" (4:27)

## 1983 release

** 12″: Chrysalis – 4V9 42685 (US)**
1. "White Wedding (Parts 1 and 2)" (8:20)
1. "White Wedding (Part 2)" (4:27)

** 7″: Chrysalis – CHS 42697 (US)**
1. "White Wedding" (3:30)
1. "Dead on Arrival" (3:54)

## 1985 re-issue

** 7″: Chrysalis – IDOL 5 (UK)**
1. "White Wedding" (3:30)
1. "Mega-Idol Mix" (5:34)
- 7" Mega-Idol comprises "Flesh For Fantasy" and "Hot in the City"

** 12″: Chrysalis – IDOLX 5 (UK)**
1. "White Wedding Parts I & II (Shot Gun Mix)" (8:20)
1. "Mega-Idol Mix" (7:50)
- 12″ Mega-Idol comprises "Flesh For Fantasy," "Hot in the City" and "Dancing With Myself"

### Weekly charts

|align="left"|Chart (1982–1983)|align="left"|Peak position|
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
|Australia (Kent Music Report)|style="text-align:center;"|9||
|align="left"|US _Billboard_ Hot 100|style="text-align:center;"|36|
|align="left"|US _Billboard_ Top Tracks|style="text-align:center;"|4|
|align="left"|US _Billboard_ Dance/Disco Top 80|style="text-align:center;"|10|

### Year end charts

|scope="col"|Chart (1983)|scope="col"|Position|
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
|Australia (Kent Music Report)|style="text-align:center;"|61||
|Canada Top Singles (_RPM_)|style="text-align:center;"|21||
|New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)|style="text-align:center;"|11||
|UK Singles (OCC)|style="text-align:center;"|58||

## Infobox (song)

- **name**: White Wedding
- **border**: yes
- **type**: single
- **artist**: Billy Idol
- **album**: Billy Idol (album), Billy Idol
- **a-side**: White Wedding (Parts 1 and 2)
- **b-side**: White Wedding (Part 2)
- **released**: October 23, 1982
- **length**: * 4:12 (album version)
* 3:30 (7-inch version)
* 8:25 (12-inch version)
- **label**: Chrysalis Records, Chrysalis
- **writer**: Billy Idol
- **producer**: Keith Forsey
- **prev title**: Hot in the City
- **prev year**: 1982
- **next title**: Rebel Yell (song), Rebel Yell
- **next year**: 1983