Wedding Bells
John Prine & Lucinda Williams Lyrics

I got the invitation that you sent me,
You sent me an invite to come see you get married

You wanted me to see you change your name
You hoped that I could come and witness you taking on a new identity

I couldn't stand to see you wed another
I felt miserable at the idea of watching you marry someone else

But dear I hope you're happy just the same
Despite my sadness, I still want you to be content

I planned a little cottage in the valley,
I had a vision of us living together in a small house in the countryside

I even bought that little band of gold
I purchased a ring with the intention of proposing to you

I thought some day I'd place it on your finger,
I imagined placing the ring on your finger at some point in the future

But now the future looks so dark and cold
However, now I feel like our future is bleak and unwelcoming

Wedding bells are ringing in the chapel
There are chimes sounding to celebrate a marriage ceremony in the church

That should be ringing now for you and me
Those bells were supposed to ring for the two of us, but now they're not

Down the aisle with someone else you're walking
You're walking down the aisle with someone else, not me

Those wedding bells with never ring for me
I will never have those wedding bells ringing for me

Darling, let's turn back the years
My love, let's go backwards in time

And go back to yesterday
Let's return to the past

Let's pretend that time has stopped
Let's act like time isn't moving forward

And I didn't go away
And I'm still here with you

We had our love to make us happy
We once had love that brought us joy

Love wasn't meant to bring us tears
Love wasn't supposed to make us cry

Love like ours should never die
Our love should never have faded away

So, darling, let's turn back the years
My love, let's try to bring back what we once had

I fancy that I see a bunch of roses
I can almost see a bouquet of roses

A blossom from and orange tree in your hair
I can imagine a pretty orange blossom in your hair

While the organ plays "I Love You Truly,"
As the organ plays a romantic tune

Just let me pretend that I am there
I'll just pretend like I'm present

Those wedding bells with never ring for me
I will never have those wedding bells ringing for me