A Romantic Song of a Wedding

When I first heard "City Hall" by Vienna Teng, I liked the music, and found it catchy.  I saw it as being about a couple going down to a city hall to be married.  It's a departure from traditional songs like "Going to the Chapel", but I didn't know by how much.  It's for significant for reasons that shouldn't have to be.

I started stringing together the facts and cross-referencing them. and found out that it's about when the city of San Francisco first started approving same sex marriages.  The song had come out in 2006, but given the mention of a February holiday, and a long drive to a hilly and seaside town.  It had been ten years, but they had finally gotten the news.  From that point on, I narrowed down the search.  There were a few places that accepted same sex marriage licenses beginning in that month, but the description of the landscape and Teng's background in San Francisco drew me to this conclusion.

Aside from the singer/songwriter being female, no gender defining pronouns were used anywhere in the song.  I think that works to be all inclusive in expressing love and celebration of that day.  The lyrics write about how long the couple had been together and how many had died for the sake of having their lifestyles respected.  Towards the end, there's a verse (somber, defiant, and brave), that if anyone tries to void their marriage, the document, and memories of that day remain.  Being released in 2006, provides Teng with a particular perspective in the history of this issue. She had the knowledge of what happened in August of 2004 when the California Supreme Court voided those marriages that San Francisco had granted.  She had no way in knowing then, that in 2008, that state judicial system would legalize same sex marriages statewide.

There are still heated political and legal battles over LGBT rights.  There are places where all are welcome, and there are places in the world where do little to stop homophobia.  So, hopefully this blog post, and some small part brings attention to rights that many take for granted.