Generally, a white wedding is one in which the bride is still a virgin. In this case, Idol is being sarcastic since his girlfriend was far from innocent, and he’s still angry after being dumped.
To date, “White Wedding” remains one of Idol’s most recognizable hits, but the song was never as pristine as the title may have hinted. In the song, Idol is singing about his girlfriend who wants to marry someone else.
“A lot of people ask did you really write this about your sister,” said Idol in 2002. “I’ve got to say it’s not really completely true. I think everybody when you’re writing a song, you’re always looking for new situations, new circumstances, something that does come from your own life, but it’s never complete. My sister was pregnant. She was getting married and there was no argument or anything, but I thought about all the different people and all the times past when that was such a taboo thing. I thought about that, the taboo nature and the convention and the wedding being such a celebration but then it turns into something like a shotgun wedding. Then it went on from there,”
Source: The Meaning of Billy Idol’s “White Wedding” - American Songwriter, 2022
[ Ссылка ]
--
"White Wedding" was used in the movie The Wedding Singer. After getting dumped at the altar, Adam Sandler tells his friends to "turn this crap off" after the video comes on. Idol later appears in the movie as himself. He helps get Sandler together with Drew Barrymore.
--
Written by Billy Idol
Album: "Billy Idol"
Label: Chrysalis
Producer: Keith Forsey
Released on October 23, 1982
Concert Venue: The Show at Agua Caliente Casino
Date: Thursday, February 8, 2024.
