Songs for Other Peoples Weddings: A Bittersweet, Musical Novel

What sets J apart from Jens Lekman, and perhaps all other wedding singers, is that he always writes an original song about the couple for each wedding. The book is structured to show the evolution of J’s personal life in 10 weddings—and the album includes the original songs J wrote for each one.

His longtime girlfriend, V, who has recently moved from Sweden to NYC to further her career. In the past, J was always the one leaving and going on tour, while V stayed behind. And, to be honest, J has always focused more on his own wants, needs, and dreams than V’s. This shakeup of the dynamic leaves J questioning his future with V. He’s also pondering big philosophical quandaries about love, fidelity, and commitment.

But while the book contemplates these topics, it also celebrates music. From the opening pages, featuring a wedding where guests are asked to wear costumes representing their favorite songs to the final words of the book, this story fully embraces the power of music. The way music can bring people together and make lonely people feel understood. The ability a song has to somehow hint at emotions that can’t be explained through words alone. That’s why it’s important to listen to the songs on the album and not just read the lyrics!

As a long-time David Levithan fan. I loved falling back into his crisp, hilarious writing style. The idiosyncrasies of each wedding were particularly delightful to read, and I appreciated how J’s story felt contemplative and bittersweet.

I also loved getting reintroduced to Jens Lekman. (My much cooler sister was a fan in high school; I still remember hearing his songs through the wall that separated our bedrooms). The concept of a collaborative novel and album was fascinating for me. And I hope it will be for you if you decide to give this duo a try!