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American Wedding (song)

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For the movie, see American Wedding.
"American Wedding"
Song by Frank Ocean
from the album Nostalgia, Ultra
ReleasedFebruary 16, 2011 (2011-02-16)
GenreR&B
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Frank Ocean

American Wedding is a song by American R&B singer Frank Ocean, released as a part of his 2011 mixtape Nostalgia, Ultra.

Composition and lyrics

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Ocean's vocals are covered over the instrumental of the Eagles' 1977 single Hotel California.[1] Ocean sings of a failed and hasty romance in the song.[2] Ocean references the 1990 film Pretty Woman and the 1999 film Runaway Bride in the lyrics, both co-starring Julia Roberts, who plays a woman notorious for leaving a trio of fiancés at the altar on their wedding day, and Richard Gere; Ocean compares himself to Gere, with his bride leaving him. Ocean further references the Kennedy family, a prominent family in American politics, exemplifying the contrast between sophistication and a backdrop of tragedies. The relationship between Ocean and the unnamed bride comes to an abrupt end, with Ocean remarking that his Ford Mustang is all he has to his name in the divorce proceedings, exposing his youth and the rush into the marriage.[3][4] The song critiques American individualism, suggesting that marriage should be out of love rather than materialism.[5] American Wedding features vocals by James Fauntleroy for the song's outro.

Critical reception

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Steven Hyden of The A.V. Club described American Wedding as Ocean's "boldest move", calling the song "dark, playful, a little tasteless, and absolutely riveting".[6]

Controversy

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In 2012, American Wedding sparked controversy due to its unauthorized use of elements from the Eagles' 1977 song Hotel California.[1] The track heavily incorporates the instrumental arrangement of the Eagles' song without obtaining proper licensing. Representatives of Don Henley, the Eagles' lead vocalist and co-writer of Hotel California, issued a cease-and-desist letter, threatening legal action if Ocean continued to perform or distribute the song.[7]

Henley criticized Ocean's use of the track, stating that it amounted to copyright infringement rather than artistic reinterpretation.[8] The legal threats led to the removal of American Wedding from streaming platforms and music-sharing websites like YouTube. Henley’s team also warned Ocean against performing the song live, prompting Ocean to address the situation on his Tumblr blog.[9] He expressed frustration at the legal actions, asserting that the track was a free release and intended to honor the original, not to generate profit:

"He (They) threatened to sue if I perform it again. I think that's f***ing awesome... Ain't this guy rich as f***? Why sue the new guy? I didn't make a dime off that song. I released it for free."[10]

Ocean continued to perform the song occasionally with a reworked arrangement that omitted the Eagles’ copyrighted material. Many critics defended Ocean, highlighting that the track was part of a non-commercial mixtape, a format where sampling is common practice, and argued that live reinterpretations of well-known songs are often accepted.[11]

In 2015, Don Henley reignited controversy by calling Ocean a "talentless little prick" in an interview.[12] His remarks drew backlash, with media outlets accusing him of hypocrisy for condemning Ocean while overlooking the influence of African-American genres like R&B on the Eagles’ own music.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Eagles Consider Legal Action Against Frank Ocean". The Rolling Stones. 1 March 2012. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
  2. ^ "Grammys 2013: Listen to the 10 best Frank Ocean songs". The Denver Post. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
  3. ^ "Frank Ocean's "American Wedding" Is Forever the Sound of American Heartbreak". DJ Booth. 15 January 2020. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
  4. ^ "The Beginning of the Frank Ocean Mythos: "nostalgia, ULTRA" Revisited on its 10-Year Anniversary". The UCSD Guardian. 21 February 2021. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
  5. ^ "Missing Music: Frank Ocean's Debut Mixtape". The Daily Athenaeum. 29 October 2023. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
  6. ^ "Frank Ocean: Nostalgia, Ultra". The A.V. Club. 15 March 2011. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
  7. ^ Brown, August (March 2, 2012). "The Eagles' rep responds to Frank Ocean's 'Hotel California' sample". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on March 2, 2012. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
  8. ^ "The Eagles and Frank Ocean clash over Hotel California sample". The Guardian. 2 March 2012. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
  9. ^ "Don Henley Slams 'Arrogant' Frank Ocean for Using 'Hotel' Music". The Hollywood Reporter. 4 June 2014. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
  10. ^ Jenn, Pelly (March 2, 2012). "Frank Ocean Vs. the Eagles: The Plot Thickens". Pitchfork Media. Viacom. Archived from the original on March 3, 2012. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
  11. ^ "Odd Future's Frank Ocean: 'I'm paying homage to The Eagles' Don Henley'". NME. March 2, 2012. Archived from the original on March 4, 2012. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
  12. ^ "The musician Don Henley called "a talentless little prick"". Far Out Magazine. 2 December 2023. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
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