Hard to believe, but this song is over forty (count em, 40) years old! I remember when I first heard it. Not where I was, what I was doing. But really HEARING the song, and (even in my innocent youth- I was about 12) being very moved. And to be moved by such an 'adult' experience, I, even in my youthful innocence, had sincere appreciation for the skillfully conceived and constructed piece of music/lyrics that I had just experienced.
WHATSHERNAME (see my post of May 9th) embodies so much of what I strive to achieve in my songwriting. It captures a real human sentiment accurately and without preachiness, posturing or pretense. (Guess I should call that the three Ps???) A complex life situation is encapsulated in simplicity of presentation, something that on the surface seems (and sounds) easy, but which is, in fact, very difficult to accomplish. Thus is the ART.
The easy, swinging, lounge-type, yet very conversational rhythm belies the doubt and uncertainty that the speaking character is soon to reveal as the two old friends meet, presumably in a bar. Our leading man is very polite, inquiring about his friend's family, possibly mutual friends, and revealingly tells him, "Who me? Oh I'm great." And then under the guise of inquiring ". . . for a friend", our hero gets to the point. "Do you remember. . . a girl that I brought here, before I got married a couple of times at the end. . . " The same relative chord pattern, this too complex while sounding 'easy', accompanies the verse as the tempo decreases and the drama increases leading into the chorus.
The irony in the chorus is brilliantly expressed.
"Whatshername? She hardly knew me;
Now her name means something to me.
I wonder if she ever got over me?"
He can't remember her name (or CAN he?) but he's inquiring of her "for a friend" and he's wondering if SHE ever got over HIM!
(See what I mean by brilliance?)
Then, the crux of the story, our hero says,
"Anyway I should be flattered
For yesterday at least I mattered
Where did it go?"
'For yesterday, at least I MATTERED'
A 'mid-life' crisis probably. A universal sentiment, or doubt at least.
A little rationalization, '. . . all things considered, I've done fairly well. . . ' He confirms his love for his wife and then, during the second chorus indulges in his fantasy once more and concludes.
One gets the feeling that he's not gonna jump off a bridge, he probably won't get drunk that night and continue reminiscing. He'll stay with Ruth and the kids, probably retire to Florida eventually. But one does get the feeling that the memories of his old 'love' will return on a regular basis, as sometimes those memories do.
Such is life.
Wish I could write a song like that!
Cheers Paul! (Noel)
WHATSHERNAME
Stookey/Dixon/Kniss- Neworld Media Music Publishers ASCAP
(from Album 1700 by Peter, Paul and Mary)
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ANOTHER SHOT
by Ray Jozwiak
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