1966 Pop Song, Written by 18-Year-Old Laura Nyro, Became a No. 1 Pop Culture Staple

Laura Nyro wrote and released one of the most recognizable wedding-inspired songs in 1966, and it would become a major charting hit for another group that felt connected to its lyrics. Ever heard of the popular phrase 'wedding bell blues' that's often used by a hopeful young woman waiting for her boyfriend to propose or counting the days until her grand wedding? The phrase actually came from a hit song written by Nyro. At only 18-years-old, Nyro was already making herself known as a songwriter with previous hits 'And When I Die' and 'Blowing Away.' Nyro soon developed the track 'Wedding Bell Blues' in 1966 and had originally recorded it for her debut album, More Than a New Discovery. Nyro was inspired by a real-life story that she remembers from when she was younger, involving an affair. She was a good friend of Arrows' Alan Merrilldue to having grown up together, and Merrill's uncle later married Nyro's aunt. 'Wedding Bell Blues' mentions a Bill character, who was actually based on the real-life actor Bill Carter and his involvement with Merrill's mother. 'Around 1958 or so, my mom was dating a married man named Bill Carter, a B-film actor. He was married to Trink Wiman, heiress to the John Deere fortune. My mom and Bill co-owned a jazz club named The Night Owl (not the Greenwich Village rock venue) and were having a very passionate and public relationship,' said Merrill to SongFacts. 'The club was quite possibly funded by Ms. Wiman's money. The affair was so serious in fact that Trink had private detectives invade our apartment at 800 Grand Concourse (Bronx) in 1958, I was there and remember it. The ensuing newspaper scandal was the reason we left to reside in Europe for many years.' He went on to add that Nyro heard about the story growing up, with his mother confirming it years later when talking about the singer. His mother wasn't amused by the lyrics, but Nyro was spot on in getting it right. Sadly, Nyro's version stalled on the charts, which is believed to have been due to arranger Herb Bernstein. He didn't allow Nyro to use her original arrangement because of its changing tempos and thinking it wasn't a good fit as a commercial track. Two years later, 'Wedding Bell Blues' was revived thanks to The 5th Dimension. The group's producer, Bones Howe, was good friends with Nyro and had the group record a number of her songs before. 'Wedding Bell Blues' was a no-brainer, especially as members Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. were engaged at the time but had not set a wedding date. The 5th Dimension's cover of Nyro's track landed at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and on the Adult Contemporary chart. It also topped Cash Box and the overseas New Zealand chart. Its popularity also spiked due to McCoo and Davis Jr.'s singing arrangement during live TV performances. Related: 1969 Rock Song, Written by Mick Jagger, Is Still an Unforgettable Hit 57 Years Later Copyright 2026 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved This story was originally published September 8, 2026 at 12:44 PM.