| "Wah-Wah" | ||||||||||||
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| Song by George Harrison from the album All Things Must Pass | ||||||||||||
| Published | Harrisongs Ltd. | |||||||||||
| Released | 27 November 1970 | |||||||||||
| Genre | Rock | |||||||||||
| Length | 5:35 | |||||||||||
| Label | Apple Records | |||||||||||
| Writer | George Harrison | |||||||||||
| Producer | George Harrison, Phil Spector | |||||||||||
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"Wah-Wah" is a song written by George Harrison that was first released on his 1970 album All Things Must Pass. It was inspired by Harrison's frustration towards Beatle bandmates John Lennon and Paul McCartney during the Let It Be sessions in 1969. The song was also part of Harrison's set list for the Concert for Bangladesh. It has been covered by Eric Clapton, Ocean Colour Scene and Mickey Thomas.[1]
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Harrison wrote "Wah-Wah" upon walking out of the Beatles sessions for what would become the Let It Be album on 10 January 1969.[2][3][4][5] At the time, Harrison was frustrated by John Lennon's apparent disrespect for his work and antics with Yoko Ono and by Paul McCartney's telling him how he should play guitar.[4][2] The lyrics of the song reflect Harrison's frustration at the time, for example:
concluding by saying "you've given me your wah-wah."[2][4][6] In the context of Harrison's frustration at the time, "wah-wah" has generally been interpreted as a "headache" or a "pain in the butt."[2][4] However, Allmusic critic Bill Janovitz interprets "wah-wah" to mean any of the things one feels dependent on, such as religion or drugs, noting that "Buddhism calls for a letting go of any dependency."[6] The song ends with a reminder that life will be sweet without "wah-wah."[6][7]
"Wah-Wah" is in the key of F major, but incorporates key changes that Wilfrid Mellers describes as "audacious."[8] It has a propulsive rhythm.[8] Musically, the song is built around a guitar riff described as "bluesy" by Bill Janovitz and "strong" and "snarling" by author Simon Leng.[3][6] The saxophone and trumpet play a similar riff.[3] Rolling Stone Magazine critic Ben Gerson described the effect as "a grand cacaphony of sound in which horns sound like guitars and vice versa."[7] The riff itself was developed from a riff that Eric Clapton wrote for the Delaney & Bonnie song "Coming Home" and Harrison played while Clapton and Harrison were both touring with Delaney & Bonnie.[3]
Harrison sings high in his range, and Phil Spector's production incorporates his Wall of Sound approach.[3][4][6] Harrison later came to the conclusion that the song was overproduced.[3] Bassist Klaus Voorman has stated "He knew it was overproduced. If you have all those acoustic guitars on top of each other it clutters the sound."[3]
Musicians on "Wah-Wah" include Harrison, Clapton and Badfinger on guitar, Voorman on bass, Billy Preston and Gary Wright on keyboards, Jim Price on trumpet, Bobby Keys on saxophone, Mike Gibbins on tambourine and Ringo Starr on drums.[3] Allmusic's Janovitz sums up the song by calling it "a driving, majestic song on the edge of being out of control."[6]
Harrison often played "Wah-Wah" live in concert, and the song led off Harrison's set at the Concert for Bangladesh at Madison Square Garden in New York City on 1 August 1971, and indeed led off the entire Western music portion of the concert.[2] It was played at both the afternoon and evening performances.[2][5] It was also included on the album and film of the concert.[2][9][10] The version of the song included on the album and film was a combination of Harrison's performances at the afternoon and evening shows.[2] Beatles author Robert Rodriguez believes that "Wah-Wah" "truly [came] into its own" at the Concert for Bangladesh, the performance of which represents "one of rock's transcendental moments," with a powerful vocal performance from Harrison backed by live gospel-sounding choir, multiple electric and acoustic guitars, Billy Preston and Leon Russell on keyboards, and both Ringo Starr and Jim Keltner on drums.[5][4] Allmusic's Janowitz states that this version "teeters even closer to destruction" than the version on All Things Must Pass.[6]
"Wah-Wah" was the last Harrison composition performed at the Concert for George, led off by Eric Clapton on lead vocals, with Jeff Lynne and Billy Preston also taking some of the lead vocals.[4][11] It was included on the album of the concert, but left off the DVD.[11][12]
Ocean Colour Scene covered "Wah-Wah" on their 2005 album A Hyperactive Workout for the Flying Squad.[1][13] Mickey Thomas covered the song on his 2011 album Marauder.[14]