Franklin Dean
Noel Paul Stookey's Wedding Song (There Is Love) is a popular choice for marriage ceremonies across America. The song was originally written for ex-bandmate Peter Yarrow's wedding to Marybeth McCarthy, the niece of senator and presidential candidate Eugene McCarthy. Stookey has said that he wrote the song after praying to bless the wedding ceremony. The song was first performed at Yarrow's wedding in October 1969 and was later recorded for his first solo album, released in 1971. Wedding Song has been covered by many artists, including Petula Clark, Bradley Joseph, and the O'Neill Brothers. Guitarists can learn to play the song with a 6-string guitar through online lessons.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the Song | Wedding Song (There Is Love) |
| Singer | Noel "Paul" Stookey |
| Genre | Folk Pop |
| Album | Rhymes and Reasons |
| Album Release Date | October 14, 1969 |
| First Performance | Peter Yarrow's wedding on October 18, 1969 |
| Album Recorded On | Paul and (solo album) |
| Album Release Date | June 28, 1971 |
| Guitar | 12-string |
| Single Chart Position | No. 31 in Canada, No. 55 in Australia, No. 3 on the Irish hit parade |
| Other Versions | Petula Clark, Bradley Joseph, O'Neill Brothers, Nana Mouskouri, Southern Comfort |
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What You'll Learn
The song's religious origins
Paul Stookey, also known as Noel Paul Stookey, wrote "The Wedding Song (There Is Love)" as a wedding gift for his bandmate Peter Yarrow, who was marrying Mary Beth McCarthy, the daughter of 1968 presidential candidate Eugene McCarthy. Stookey was to be the best man at the wedding and wanted to write a love song for the couple. He asked God to send him inspiration for the song and believes he received the melody and lyrics from God in a miraculous way. Stookey considers the song to be divinely inspired, and as a result, the lyrics reference God directly multiple times and hint at a religious influence. The song's only defining religious overtone is the presence of capitalised "His", which could be applicable to many religions, not just Christianity.
Stookey initially sang the song at Yarrow's wedding, but his wife later asked him to sing it again at a Peter, Paul and Mary concert. The song was then recorded and released in 1971, becoming a popular wedding song and one of the most popular love songs of the 1970s. Stookey donated the song's copyright to the Public Domain Foundation, and all profits from the song are distributed to charities.
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The original performance
Noel "Paul" Stookey, of the group Peter, Paul, and Mary, wrote and first performed "Wedding Song (There Is Love)" on 18 October 1969 at the wedding of his bandmate, Peter Yarrow, and Marybeth McCarthy, the niece of senator and one-time presidential candidate Eugene McCarthy. Stookey wrote the song specifically for the couple, and it was intended as a blessing for their marriage.
Stookey's original performance of the song was on a 12-string guitar, though it can also be played on a 6-string. The song was written and performed in the folk-rock tradition, with Christian themes, and has since become a popular choice for wedding ceremonies across America.
Stookey has said that he wrote the song after praying to God to ask how He would manifest Himself at Peter's wedding. The answer is found in the opening lyrics: "He is now to be among you at the calling of your hearts". Originally, Stookey wrote the line as "I am now to be among you", but he changed it after his wife, Betty, pointed out that people might misinterpret the meaning and think he was presuming to be God.
Stookey's performance of the song at Peter and Marybeth's wedding was the only time he thought it would ever be sung. However, Peter asked him to perform it again at a Peter, Paul and Mary concert soon after the wedding, and he sang it for his bandmate's new bride. Stookey continued to perform the song at subsequent concerts, and it was eventually released as a single, reaching the Top 30.
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Lyrics and meaning
Paul Stookey's "Wedding Song (There Is Love)" is a popular choice for marriage ceremonies across America. The song was written as a wedding gift for Stookey's bandmate Peter Yarrow and his bride-to-be, Mary Beth McCarthy, the daughter of 1968 presidential candidate Eugene McCarthy. Stookey, who was the best man at the wedding, asked God to send him inspiration for the song, and he believes he received the melody and lyrics back from God.
The song's lyrics directly reference God and hint at religious influence, but the ambiguity allows them to be interpreted in the context of various religions. The song's compositional origins are thus said to be a result of "divine inspiration". Stookey himself feels that he did not truly write the song, and as a result, its copyright is owned by the Public Domain Foundation, with all profits donated to charity.
The song is a beautiful love song at its core, celebrating the union of two spirits and their love for each other. The lyrics "He is now to be among you at the calling of your hearts / Rest assured, this troubadour is acting on His part / The union of your spirits here has caused Him to remain" capture the presence of a higher power in the ceremony, bestowing blessings upon the couple.
The song has seen numerous covers and renditions, including famous covers by Petula Clark, Captain & Tennille, and Harry Belafonte. It has also been recorded instrumentally by artists such as the O'Neill Brothers and Bradley Joseph. "Wedding Song (There Is Love)" is considered one of the most popular wedding songs of all time and has left an impact on traditional religious artists, inspiring them to create songs that could crossover to the mainstream.
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Guitar chords and tabs
Paul Stookey's "The Wedding Song (There is Love)" can be played on both a 6-string and a 12-string guitar. The song is sung in the key of E, but Stookey tunes his 12-string guitar down by 3 half-tones and plays it using G fingerings.
The chords for the song are as follows:
G, D, C/D, Em, A7, C, Am.
The tabs for the song are as follows:
-2-------
1-------------
T----------
-T--------
G: -----------2-------
D: -----1-------------
C/D: --------T----------
Em: --T----------------
It is important to note that the 1st string is rarely played in this song. Additionally, you may not achieve the same sound as the original 12-string version when playing on a 6-string guitar.
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The song's popularity
"The Wedding Song (There Is Love)" by Paul Stookey has been performed at marriage ceremonies across America and has also charted in several countries. The song was initially written for Peter, Paul, and Mary bandmate Peter Yarrow's wedding in 1969. It was then released as a single in 1972 and became a Top Ten hit in Ireland in May 1974. The song reached No. 3 on the Irish hit parade dated July 11, 1974, and was the second hit version of a Petula Clark US charting single.
Petula Clark recorded "The Wedding Song (There Is Love)" in August 1972 for her album "Now," produced by Mike Curb. Clark's version was released as a single in September 1972 and charted at No. 9 on the Adult Contemporary music charts and No. 65 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song reached No. 67 in Canada and became a major hit in Australia in the spring of 1973, spending 11 weeks on the charts.
Internationally, Stookey's version of "The Wedding Song" reached No. 31 and No. 12 (AC) in Canada and No. 55 in Australia. The song was also recorded by other artists, including Southern Comfort for their 1972 album "Stir Don't Shake," and Kelley and the Nevada, who released it as a single in May 1974. Captain & Tennille recorded the song for their 1976 album "Song of Joy," and it was intended to be released as a single but was ultimately canceled.
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Frequently asked questions
Paul Stookey wrote "Wedding Song (There Is Love)" for his ex-bandmate Peter Yarrow's wedding to Marybeth McCarthy, the niece of senator and presidential candidate Eugene McCarthy. He wrote the song after praying to bless the wedding and asking God how he would manifest himself at the wedding.
The opening lyrics to the song are: "He is now to be among you at the calling of your hearts". Stookey originally wrote the line as "I am now to be among you", but changed it after his wife pointed out that people might misunderstand the meaning.
You can learn to play the song on guitar by following a guitar lesson, such as the one offered by Jerry's Guitar Bar, which teaches Stookey's guitar part from the original studio version.
