"Why" is a song written by
Yoko Ono
Yoko Ono ( ; ja, 小野 洋子, Ono Yōko, usually spelled in katakana ; born February 18, 1933) is a Japanese multimedia artist, singer, songwriter, and peace activist. Her work also encompasses performance art and filmmaking.
Ono grew up i ...
that was first released on her 1970 ''
Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band
''Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band'' is the debut studio album by Japanese artist and musician Yoko Ono, released on Apple Records in December 1970. It was released simultaneously with her husband's album ''John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band''. Backed by the P ...
'' album. In the U.S. it was also released as the B-side of
John Lennon
John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...
's "
Mother
]
A mother is the female parent of a child. A woman may be considered a mother by virtue of having given childbirth, birth, by raising a child who may or may not be her biological offspring, or by supplying her ovum for fertilisation in the cas ...
" single, taken from his ''
John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
''John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band'' is the debut solo album by English musician John Lennon. Backed by the Plastic Ono Band, it was released by Apple Records on 11 December 1970 in tandem with the similarly titled album by his wife, Yoko Ono. At th ...
'' album.
Lyrics and music
Beatle biographer John Blaney described the song as "a raucous conflation of
avant-gardism and
rock 'n' roll
Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It originated from African-American music such as jazz, rhythm an ...
".
[ ''The Atlantic'' critic James Parker called it "a gibbering, snarling swath of experimental rock, wild but recognizable, in the vein of German pioneers like ]Can
Can may refer to:
Containers
* Aluminum can
* Drink can
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* Steel and tin cans
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* Metal can (disambiguation)
Music
* Can (band), West Germany, 1968
** ''Can'' (album), 1979
* Can (South Korean band)
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* C ...
or Faust
Faust is the protagonist of a classic German legend based on the historical Johann Georg Faust ( 1480–1540).
The erudite Faust is highly successful yet dissatisfied with his life, which leads him to make a pact with the Devil at a crossroads ...
".
The lyrics of "Why" consist of Ono repeating the word "why" over and over again. Ono also intersperses some non-verbal vocalizations.[ '']Pitchfork
A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves.
The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to th ...
'' critic Seth Colter Walls notes that Ono uses a variety of vocal approaches, including "long expressions full of vibrato", "shorter exhalations, rooted in the back of the throat" and "spates of shredded laughter" that according to Walls express "absurdist good humor".[ Music journalist ]John Kruth
John Kruth is a singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist best known for his highly energetic “Banshee Mandolin” style of playing. He has also worked as a music journalist and has authored several book about popular music.
Biography
He is al ...
describes the vocals as repeating "the nagging question 'Why?' like a child throwing a fit, unable to be placated no matter what answer the adult struggles to provide", going on to say that why' transforms into a terrifying mantra
A mantra (Pali: ''manta'') or mantram (मन्त्रम्) is a sacred utterance, a numinous sound, a syllable, word or phonemes, or group of words in Sanskrit, Pali and other languages believed by practitioners to have religious, ma ...
that embodies the cruelty and absurdity of human existence". ''Pitchfork'' contributor Sasha Geffen states that Ono sings the word "why" as if she'd be able to find an answer to the question "if she screamed hard enough".[ '']Creem
''Creem'' (often stylized in all caps) is a monthly American music magazine, based in Detroit, whose main print run lasted from 1969 to 1989. It was first published in March 1969 by Barry Kramer and founding editor Tony Reay. Influential criti ...
'' critic Dave Marsh
Dave Marsh (born March 1, 1950) is an American music critic, and radio talk show host. He was an early editor of ''Creem'' magazine, has written for various publications such as ''Newsday'', ''The Village Voice'', and ''Rolling Stone (magazine), ...
stated that Ono used her voice "as John Coltrane
John William Coltrane (September 23, 1926 – July 17, 1967) was an American jazz saxophonist
The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of br ...
used his horn", to "explore every possible nuance of the word-sound (chord) she scats
The Sydney Coordinated Adaptive Traffic System, abbreviated SCATS, is an intelligent transportation system that manages the dynamic (on-line, real-time) timing of signal phases at traffic signals, meaning that it tries to find the best phasing (i ...
about".[
Lennon plays guitar on the track, ]Klaus Voormann
Klaus Otto Wilhelm Voormann (born 29 April 1938) is a German artist, musician, and record producer.
Voormann was the bassist for Manfred Mann from 1966 to 1969, and performed as a session musician on a host of recordings, including "You're So V ...
plays bass
Bass or Basses may refer to:
Fish
* Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species
Music
* Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range:
** Bass (instrument), including:
** Acoustic bass gui ...
and Ringo Starr
Sir Richard Starkey (born 7 July 1940), known professionally as Ringo Starr, is an English musician, singer, songwriter and actor who achieved international fame as the drummer for the Beatles. Starr occasionally sang lead vocals with the ...
plays drums. Music lecturers Ben Urish and Ken Bielen describe Lennon's guitar playing as "searing" and "cascading", "matching Ono's vocals as she screams the title word over and over".[ Blaney describes Lennon's guitar playing as "explosive", stating that his guitar "howls like a ]banshee
A banshee ( ; Modern Irish , from sga, ben síde , "woman of the fairy mound" or "fairy woman") is a female spirit in Irish folklore who heralds the death of a family member, usually by screaming, wailing, shrieking, or keening. Her name is c ...
, matching the vocals perfectly". ''Fab Four FAQ'' author Robert Rodriguez considered Lennon's playing "the most adventurous Lennon guitar playing ever recorded". Walls states that the song "contains some of Lennon's most aggressive guitar work". Walls states that the "slide guitar swoops and febrile picking" in the intro anticipate Ono's varied vocalizations.[
Lennon claimed that Ono's singing influenced his guitar playing and stated that he was proud that "even we didn't know where Yoko's voice started and where my guitar ended on the intro".][
Walls describes Starr's drumming and Voorman's bass playing as "minimalist", stating that it provides a foil for Ono's vocal and Lennon's guitar inventions.][ Urish and Bielen similarly state that they provide "firm support" for Ono and Lennon.][ Rodriguez describes them as a "cooking rhythm section".][
]
Reception
Urish and Bielen claim that "Why" "embodies slicing pain, and no's and Lennon'smusical interactions are a marvel to hear, in what is clearly one of their finest joint efforts".[ Rodriguez calls it "a fascinating slide of ]proto-punk
Proto-punk (or protopunk) is rock music played mostly by garage bands from the 1960s to mid-1970s that foreshadowed the punk rock movement. The phrase is a retrospective label; the musicians involved were generally not originally associated wit ...
", although stating that it can be ignored by those who consider Ono's work to be "ear-spitting yammering".[ ''Goldmine'' contributor Gillian G. Gaar similarly states that "Why" "has Ono matching the wildness of Lennon's guitar playing by screaming out the song's title, a sonic blast of proto-punk. ''Pop Matters'' critic Adam Mason states that "Why" is "raw, aggressive, menacing and, yes, primal, wherein Yoko screams her 'why' in different tones as an apparent method of emotional catharsis, the savage sound of the band reflecting her inner turmoil and rage".] Music critic Johnny Rogan
John Rogan (14 February 1953 – 21 January 2021) was a British author of Irish descent best known for his books about music and popular culture. He wrote influential biographies of the Byrds, Neil Young, the Smiths, Van Morrison and Ray Davies. ...
called it "Yoko Ono at her most intense, screaming against a solid rock backing". Journalist Duncan Fallowell
Duncan Fallowell (born 1948) is an English novelist, travel writer, memoirist, journalist and critic.
Early life
Fallowell was born on 26 September 1948 in London. His family later moved to Somerset and Essex before settling in Berkshire. While ...
stated that "Why" is "the most ferocious and frantic piece of rock e'dheard in a long time".[ ''Spill Magazine'' critic Aaron Badgley described as "brilliant" the way "Lennon's guitar turns into Yoko's voice".
Blaney states that Lennon's guitar work on this track was superior to that of any guitar hero, including ]Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most ...
.[ ]Allmusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
critic James Chrispell also praised Lennon's guitar playing on "Why". ''Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'' critic Lester Bangs
Leslie Conway "Lester" Bangs (December 14, 1948 – April 30, 1982) was an American music journalist, critic, author, and musician. He wrote for ''Creem'' and ''Rolling Stone'' magazines, and was known for his leading influence in rock music c ...
praised Lennon's "strong and sizzling" guitar work with "eloquent distortions" on the entire ''Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band'' album and said specifically of "Why" that "when he suddenly shifts down from those flurries into an expertly abstracted guitar line straight out of Chuck Berry
Charles Edward Anderson Berry (October 18, 1926 – March 18, 2017) was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist who pioneered rock and roll. Nicknamed the " Father of Rock and Roll", he refined and developed rhythm and blues into th ...
, it just takes your breath away".
Guitarist Gary Lucas
Gary Lucas (born June 20, 1952) is an American guitarist/songwriter/composer who was a member of Captain Beefheart's band. He formed the band Gods and Monsters in 1989.
Lucas has released more than 50 albums to date as a solo artist or band l ...
stated that:John Lennon was always able to make his guitar talk. He was one of the most visceral from-the-gut rock guitarists of all time. But never more so than on "Why", where his guitar spits lovely, processed shards of metal to inspire Yoko Ono's uninhibited caterwauling. The is some of the most radical guitar soloing of the era, rivaling Lou Reed
Lewis Allan Reed (March 2, 1942October 27, 2013) was an American musician, songwriter, and poet. He was the guitarist, singer, and principal songwriter for the rock band the Velvet Underground and had a solo career that spanned five decades. ...
's "I Heard Her Call My Name
"I Heard Her Call My Name" is a song by American rock band the Velvet Underground. It is the fifth track from the band's second album, ''White Light/White Heat''. It is a particularly loud, brash and aggressive song that features a pair of atonal g ...
", Syd Barrett
Roger Keith "Syd" Barrett (6 January 1946 – 7 July 2006) was an English singer, songwriter, and musician who co-founded the rock band Pink Floyd in 1965. Barrett was their original frontman and primary songwriter, becoming known for his ...
's "Interstellar Overdrive
"Interstellar Overdrive" is an instrumental composition written and performed by Pink Floyd. The song was written in 1966 and is on their 1967 debut album, ''The Piper at the Gates of Dawn'', clocking in at almost ten minutes in length.
The son ...
" and Robert Fripp
Robert Fripp (born 16 May 1946) is a British musician, songwriter, record producer, and author, best known as the guitarist, founder and longest-lasting member of the progressive rock band King Crimson. He has worked extensively as a session ...
on " Cat Food" for sheer sonic bravado.
Influence
Blaney believes that the B-52s
The B-52's, also styled as The B-52s, are an American new wave band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1976. The original lineup consisted of Fred Schneider (vocals, percussion), Kate Pierson (vocals, keyboards, synth bass), Cindy Wilson (vocals, pe ...
were influenced by Ono's vocal style, particularly on this track, and also that the Pixies
Pixies is an American alternative rock band formed in 1986, in Boston, Massachusetts. Until 2013, the band consisted of Black Francis (vocals, rhythm guitar, songwriter), Joey Santiago (lead guitar), Kim Deal (bass, vocals) and David Lovering ...
were influenced by Lennon's guitar playing on this track.[
Singer-songwriter ]Peter Case
Peter Case (born April 5, 1954) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. His career is wide-ranging, from rock n' roll and blues, to folk rock and solo acoustic performance.
Biography
Early career
Case was born in Buffalo, New York a ...
said:
More than the Stooges
The Stooges, originally billed as the Psychedelic Stooges, also known as Iggy and the Stooges, was an American rock band formed in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1967 by singer Iggy Pop, guitarist Ron Asheton, drummer Scott Asheton, and bassist Dave ...
' "1969
This year is notable for Apollo 11's first landing on the moon.
Events January
* January 4 – The Government of Spain hands over Ifni to Morocco.
* January 5
**Ariana Afghan Airlines Flight 701 crashes into a house on its approach to ...
", "Why" invented punk rock. I still play that record in my pad, loud, on a regular basis. It's so focused and unhinged. The band rocks so completely! "Why" just says everything about "why" I love rock 'n roll
Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It originated from African-American music such as jazz, rhythm an ...
... the first thirty seconds with John's shouts and sliding guitar chaos, and Yoko's sometimes cutting, sometimes sustaining screams... there's horror and humor in it too.
''Warzone'' version
Ono included a shorter but slower and tuneless version of "Why" on her 2018 album '' Warzone''.[ This version removed the instrumentation from the original version and replaced it with animal sounds and synthesizers.] ''Pitchfork'' contributor Sasha Geffen stated that the original version "looks out onto a course that has yet to be set" while the ''Warzone'' version "looks back onto irreversible wreckage".[ ''The Guardian'' critic Alexis Petridis states that this version is "not easy listening, but it's incredibly potent".]
References
{{authority control
Yoko Ono songs
Songs written by Yoko Ono
Song recordings produced by Yoko Ono
Song recordings produced by John Lennon
1970 songs
1970 singles
Plastic Ono Band songs
Protopunk songs