William Michael Albert Broad, known professionally as Billy Idol, is a Brit… Read Full Bio ↴William Michael Albert Broad, known professionally as Billy Idol, is a British singer, songwriter, musician and actor. He also holds United States citizenship. He first achieved fame in the 1970s emerging from the London punk rock scene as the lead singer of the group Generation X. Subsequently, he embarked on a solo career which led to international recognition and made Idol a lead artist during the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" in the US. The name "Billy Idol" was inspired by a schoolteacher's description of him as "idle".

Idol began his music career in late 1976 as a guitarist in the punk rock band Chelsea. However, he soon left the group. With his former bandmate Tony James, Idol formed Generation X. With Idol as lead singer, the band achieved success in the United Kingdom and released three studio albums on Chrysalis Records, then disbanded. In 1981, Idol moved to New York City to pursue his solo career in collaboration with guitarist Steve Stevens. His debut studio album, Billy Idol (1982), was a commercial success. With music videos for singles "Dancing with Myself" and "White Wedding" Idol soon became a staple of then newly-established MTV.

Idol's second studio album, Rebel Yell (1983), was a major commercial success, featuring hit singles "Rebel Yell" and "Eyes Without a Face". The album was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipment of two million copies in the US. In 1986, he released Whiplash Smile. Having accumulated three UK top 10 singles ("Rebel Yell", "White Wedding" and "Mony Mony"), Idol released a 1988 greatest hits album titled Idol Songs: 11 of the Best; the album went platinum in the United Kingdom. Idol then released Charmed Life (1990) and the concept album Cyberpunk (1993).

Idol spent the second half of the 1990s focusing on his personal life out of the public eye. He made a musical comeback with the release of Devil's Playground (2005) and again with Kings & Queens of the Underground (2014).

White Wedding Pts. 1-2
Billy Idol Lyrics

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Hey little sister what have you done
Hey little sister who's the only one
Hey little sister who's your superman
Hey little sister who's the one you want
Hey little sister shotgun

It's a nice day to start again
It's a nice day for a white wedding

It's a nice day to start again

Hey little sister who is it you're with
Hey little sister what's your vice or wish
Hey little sister shotgun oh yeah
Hey little sister who's your superman
Hey little sister shotgun

It's a nice day to start again
It's a nice day for a white wedding
It's a nice day to start again

Pick it up
Take me back home yeah

Hey little sister what have you done
Hey little sister who's the only one (only one)
I've been away for so long (so long)
I've been away for so long (so long)
I let you go for so long

It's a nice day to start again
Come on it's a nice day for a white wedding
It's a nice day to start again, wow

There is nothing fair in this world
There is nothing safe in this world
and there's nothing sure in this world
And there's nothing pure in this world
Look for something left in this world
Start again come on

It's a nice day for a white wedding

Wow, it's a nice day to start again
It's a nice day to start again

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Billy Idol's "White Wedding" Part 1 and 2 are about a man who is in love with his little sister's friend and wants to rescue her from a toxic relationship. The song is sung from the perspective of the man who is trying to convince the woman to leave her current partner and is expressing his love for her. The lyrics "Hey little sister who's the one you want, hey little sister shotgun" suggest that he is willing to protect her and they should be together. The chorus "It's a nice day to start again, it's a nice day for a white wedding" indicates that he wants to start a new life with her and they should get married. The line "Pick it up, take me back home yeah" shows that he wants to escape with her and start a new life together.

The second verse suggests that the man is worried about who the woman is with and what her vices might be. He repeats the line "Hey little sister who's your Superman" which implies that he sees himself as a hero who is capable of saving her from her toxic partner. The repeated chorus at the end of the song, "It's a nice day to start again, come on, it's a nice day for a white wedding, wow it's a nice day to start again" is a hopeful call to action urging the woman to leave her current life and start a new one with him.

Line by Line Meaning

Hey little sister what have you done
Asking his little sister about what did she do.

Hey little sister who's the only one
Asking his sister about who is the only person she thinks about.

Hey little sister who's your superman
Asking his sister about who is the superhero in her life.

Hey little sister who's the one you want
Asking his sister about who she wants to be with.

Hey little sister shotgun
His way of saying that he has the power and control in the situation.

It's a nice day to start again
He feels that today is a good day to turn over a new leaf and start afresh.

It's a nice day for a white wedding
He again emphasizes that it's a good day for a new beginning, possibly in the form of a wedding (which represents a major life transition).

Hey little sister who is it you're with
Asking his sister about who she is currently spending her time with.

Hey little sister what's your vice or wish
Asking his sister about what her desires are.

Pick it up
His way of saying 'let's go' or to speed things up.

Take me back home yeah
He wants to go back to his old life, possibly when things were better and simpler.

I've been away for so long (so long)
He's been away from his old life for an extended period of time.

I let you go for so long
He allowed himself to drift away from his old life and wants to reconnect with it.

There is nothing fair in this world
He's stating that life is unfair and is not equal for everyone.

There is nothing safe in this world
He's stating that the world is not a safe place to be in.

and there's nothing sure in this world
He's stating that nothing is guaranteed in life.

And there's nothing pure in this world
He's stating that nothing is truly innocent, and there's always some corruption or manipulation involved in life.

Look for something left in this world
He's encouraging himself (and possibly others) to look for something good in the world, despite all the negativity.

Start again come on
He's urging himself (and possibly others) to start anew despite all the hardships.

Wow
An expression of amazement and excitement about the prospect of a new beginning.

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