Why So Blue – A Neglected Masterpiece?

I singled out the 2007 track Why So Blue in the second Volume of Paul McCartney After The Beatles: A Musical Appreciation, placing it “in the very top rank of McCartney’s songs after 1970”.

Why did I reach this conclusion?

Isn’t Why So Blue an obscure song?

For me, the song is an outstanding example of McCartney’s work for the following reasons:

• It features no fewer than five changes of key and has several bold movements to and from parallel major and minor keys.
• Each verse begins on the supertonic chord so that the tonal centre is not immediately revealed to the listener; this an example of tonal ambiguity. In many of McCartney’s best songs, he doesn’t “give the game away” to the listener.
• The use of the Phrygian cadence at the end of each chorus. This semitonal shift lends an almost exotic character to the song.
• The emotional intensity at the end of each chorus stands in sharp contrast to the relatively upbeat nature of the verse, providing an essential element of contrast.
• Rich Instrumentation – Memorable acoustic guitar arpeggio patterns with subtle mordent decorations and rich string samples.
• The whole song ends with an unmistakable sense of drama in contrast the opening. The listener is left with the impression that they have been taken on an interesting “musical journey”.

I would love to know what you think of this song – please leave your comments.

Read more about this track and others here (click below):