American Wedding (song)

"American Wedding" is a song by American alternative R&B singer Frank Ocean, originally included on his 2011 mixtape Nostalgia, Ultra. The song was eventually removed from streaming platforms after the Eagles threatened legal action for its unauthorized use of the 1977 song "Hotel California".

"American Wedding"
Song by Frank Ocean
from the album Nostalgia, Ultra
Released	February 16, 2011 (2011-02-16)
Genre	Alternative R&B alternative rock
Length	7:01
Label	Self-released
Songwriter(s)	Christopher Breaux Don Henley Glenn Frey James Fauntleroy Randy Meisner Bernie Leadon
Producer(s)	James Fauntleroy Bill Szymczyk

Composition and lyrics

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] The relationship between Ocean and his unnamed bride comes to an abrupt end,^[3] 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.^[4][5] The song critiques American individualism and the "sham of everlasting love",^[6] suggesting that marriage should be out of love rather than materialism.^[7] American Wedding features vocals by James Fauntleroy for the song's outro.^[8]

Critical reception

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".^[9] Connor O'Neill of The Miscellany News praised the song for its storytelling.^[10]

Sampling controversy

The track heavily incorporates the instrumental arrangement of the Eagles' song despite not obtaining required licensing.^[11] In 2012, 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.^[12]

Henley criticized Ocean's use of the track, stating that it amounted to copyright infringement rather than artistic reinterpretation.^[13] 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.^[14][15] 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 fuckin awesome... Ain't this guy rich as fuck? Why sue the new guy? I didn't make a dime off that song. I released it for free."^[16]

In 2015, Henley called Ocean a "talentless little prick" in an interview.^[17] He stated that Ocean "did not understand or respect intellectual property", and younger artists looked at songs as "interactive playthings".^[18] His remarks were criticized by Stereogum which accused him of condemning Ocean "for something that amounts to an homage" while overlooking the influence of African-American genres, like R&B, on his and the Eagles' music.^[19]

References

1. "Eagles Consider Legal Action Against Frank Ocean". The Rolling Stones. March 1, 2012. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
2. "Grammys 2013: Listen to the 10 best Frank Ocean songs". The Denver Post. February 8, 2013. Archived from the original on December 4, 2024. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
3. Noz, Andrew (April 21, 2011). "Frank Ocean: Smart And Subtle R&B; Songwriting". NPR. Archived from the original on October 19, 2023. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
4. "Frank Ocean's "American Wedding" Is Forever the Sound of American Heartbreak". DJ Booth. January 15, 2020. Archived from the original on December 7, 2024. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
5. "The Beginning of the Frank Ocean Mythos: "nostalgia, ULTRA" Revisited on its 10-Year Anniversary". The UCSD Guardian. February 21, 2021. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
6. Caramanica, Jon (March 11, 2011). "Tumblr Soul, Rocker Country, Teenage Tartness". The New York Times. Archived from the original on April 3, 2018. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
7. "Missing Music: Frank Ocean's Debut Mixtape". The Daily Athenaeum. October 29, 2023. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
8. "American Wedding". Album of the Year. Retrieved December 8, 2024.
9. "Frank Ocean: Nostalgia, Ultra". The A.V. Club. March 15, 2011. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
10. O'Neill, Connor (April 20, 2012). "Frank Ocean's Nostalgia, Ultra self-released". The Miscellany News. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
11. "Glenn Frey Loves Classic Pop, Hates Frank Ocean's 'American Wedding'". The Wall Street Journal. May 8, 2012. Retrieved December 8, 2024.
12. 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 December 4, 2024.
13. "The Eagles and Frank Ocean clash over Hotel California sample". The Guardian. March 2, 2012. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
14. "Don Henley Slams 'Arrogant' Frank Ocean for Using 'Hotel' Music". The Hollywood Reporter. June 4, 2014. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
15. "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 December 4, 2024.
16. 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 December 4, 2024.
17. "The musician Don Henley called "a talentless little prick"". Far Out Magazine. December 2, 2023. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
18. Grow, Kory (October 1, 2015). "Don Henley: Kanye West Is 'Arrogant,' Frank Ocean a 'Talentless Prick'". The Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on July 10, 2020. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
19. "Don Henley Thinks Frank Ocean is A "Talentless Little Prick" and Doesn't Like Kanye West Either". Stereogum. October 2015. Archived from the original on October 7, 2021. Retrieved December 8, 2024.