If you walked into the theater expecting a repeat of the "Day-O" dinner party possession, you weren't alone. Tim Burton thrives on nostalgia. But when the lights dimmed for the climax of the 2024 sequel, we didn't get Harry Belafonte. Instead, we got Richard Harris. Or, more accurately, we got a chaotic, lip-synced, supernatural fever dream set to the sprawling, seven-minute epic known as "MacArthur Park." It was weird. It was grand. Honestly, it was exactly the kind of mess only a bio-exorcist could coordinate.
The Beetlejuice Beetlejuice wedding song choice wasn't just a random pull from a 1960s jukebox. It was a deliberate, almost aggressive pivot. While the first film used calypso to ground its ghost story in something rhythmic and playful, the sequel leans into the melodramatic camp of orchestral pop.
That "MacArthur Park" Moment Explained
Let's talk about the song itself for a second because it’s a trip. Written by Jimmy Webb, "MacArthur Park" is famous for being one of the most polarizing tracks in music history. It’s got lyrics about leaving a cake out in the rain and losing the recipe forever. It’s over-the-top. It’s structurally insane.
In the context of the movie, the song serves as the backdrop for the wedding between Betelgeuse (Michael Keaton) and Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder)—or the attempt at one, anyway. While the first film's wedding was interrupted by a giant sandworm, this one is interrupted by... well, a lot of things. But the music holds it all together. The sheer length of the track allows Burton to choreograph a multi-stage sequence that involves the entire cast, including Catherine O'Hara’s Delia Deetz and Jenna Ortega’s Astrid.
Why did it work? Because "MacArthur Park" mirrors the afterlife. It’s nonsensical, slightly bloated, visually evocative, and deeply theatrical. When the cake is literally melting in the rain of the lyrics, the visual metaphors on screen hit a level of literalism that feels earned in a world where shrunken-head ghosts work in call centers.
The Logic Behind the Lyrics
You’ve probably wondered why a song about a park in Los Angeles ended up in a movie about the Neitherworld.
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Burton has always had a thing for the "beautifully grotesque." "MacArthur Park" is often cited on "Worst Song Ever" lists, yet it reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100. It is a masterpiece of kitsch. By choosing this as the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice wedding song, the production team tapped into a specific kind of Gen X and Boomer nostalgia that feels dusty and forgotten—much like the attic of the Maitland house.
- The Cake Metaphor: "Someone left the cake out in the rain." In the film, this mirrors the decaying, temporary nature of the "perfect" life Lydia tried to build.
- The Tempo Shifts: The song changes gears constantly. It goes from a slow ballad to a high-energy orchestral break. This allowed the editors to cut between the frantic action of the church and the slow-motion dread of the characters.
- The Vocal Performance: Richard Harris’s version is Shakespearean in its gravity. It makes a ridiculous situation feel like high tragedy, which is the sweet spot for Michael Keaton’s performance style.
It Wasn't Always Going to Be Richard Harris
Music supervisor Karen Elliott and the team had a massive task. Following up "Day-O" is a nightmare scenario for any creative. You can't just do "Day-O 2." That would feel cheap. There were rumors and discussions about various tracks, but "MacArthur Park" reportedly won out because of its inherent "Burton-esque" DNA.
The song has been covered by everyone from Donna Summer to Waylon Jennings. However, the Harris version has a specific "haunted" quality. It feels like a man losing his mind, which is a pretty accurate description of anyone interacting with the Ghost with the Most.
How This Compares to the Original 1988 Soundtrack
Danny Elfman returned for the score, obviously. You can’t have the Ghost without the maestro. But the needle drops in the sequel had to work harder. In 1988, the use of "Banana Boat Song" was a stroke of genius because it contrasted the dark, German Expressionist visuals with bright, Caribbean sunshine. It was funny because it was out of place.
In 2024, the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice wedding song doesn't try to be "out of place." It tries to be the environment. The song is as maximalist as the set design. While the original movie used music as a tool of possession—forcing the characters to dance against their will—the sequel uses the music as a celebration of the chaotic world Lydia and Astrid are now permanently a part of.
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Honestly, the "wedding" in this movie is less about the union of two people and more about the collision of two worlds. The song acts as the glue. Without that driving, dramatic melody, the scene might have felt like just another CGI-heavy finale. Instead, it feels like a grand opera.
The Practical Impact on the Charts
We saw this with Stranger Things and Kate Bush. We saw it with Wednesday and The Cramps. Movies and shows are currently the biggest engines for music discovery. Shortly after the film’s release, searches for the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice wedding song spiked.
Younger audiences who had never heard a seven-minute song about a wet cake were suddenly adding Richard Harris to their Spotify playlists. It’s a testament to how visual storytelling can redeem "bad" art. Or, at the very least, it shows that "MacArthur Park" was just waiting for a director weird enough to give it the right home.
Why "Day-O" Didn't Make the Cut for the Big Finale
There’s a brief nod to the original music in the film—you can’t completely ignore it—but Burton was right to move on. Using the same song for the climax would have turned the movie into a legacy sequel that's afraid to grow. By choosing a new anthem, the sequel establishes its own identity.
Lydia Deetz is no longer the "strange and unusual" teenager; she’s a mother dealing with her own ghost-hunting franchise and a daughter who thinks she’s a fraud. The stakes are different. The music needed to feel more "adult," even if that adulthood is wrapped in a layer of campy 1960s pop.
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Insights for Your Next Rewatch
Next time you sit down to watch that wedding scene, pay attention to the timing. The way the characters move to the beat isn't just luck. It's a choreographed sequence that took weeks to perfect. Jenna Ortega has mentioned in interviews the level of detail that goes into these musical numbers. It’s not just about "looking cool"; it’s about the rhythm of the comedy.
If you're planning a themed event or just want to capture that specific "wedding from hell" vibe, here is how to handle the music.
- Don't skip the intro: The slow build of "MacArthur Park" is essential. You need that tension before the "cake" lyrics hit.
- Balance with the Score: Mix in Danny Elfman’s "Main Titles" to keep the energy consistent.
- Embrace the Camp: The song is ridiculous. If you play it seriously, it fails. If you play it with a wink, like Keaton does, it’s gold.
The Beetlejuice Beetlejuice wedding song isn't just a track on a soundtrack. It’s a bridge between the 1988 cult classic and the 2024 expansion. It’s a reminder that even in the afterlife, things are messy, over-rehearsed, and occasionally involve a melting dessert in a park.
To get the most out of the soundtrack, listen to the Richard Harris version on a high-quality audio setup. You’ll hear the subtle woodwinds and the sheer strain in his voice that makes the movie scene work so well. Then, go back and watch the scene again. You’ll notice how the choreography syncs with the orchestral swells in a way that’s almost invisible on the first viewing.