Wah-Wah (song) - Knowledge

499:", a song inspired by the bickering and negativity within the band. It was met with ridicule by Lennon and an argument ensued between the two musicians, during which Lennon dismissed Harrison's abilities as a songwriter. According to Sulpy and Schweighardt, Lennon's resentment was most likely a reaction to Harrison's productivity throughout the sessions, since he himself was "unable to write a decent new song". In addition, Harrison had been alone in voicing his objections to Ono's presence, telling the couple how, in Lennon's later recollection, "Dylan and a few people said she's got a lousy name in New York". 986:, often without Spector's assistance, from late July onwards. After receiving Harrison's initial mixes, in August, Spector wrote back with suggestions for each song; in the case of "Wah-Wah", these included the addition of a saxophone solo by Keys, and backing vocals. Harrison later recalled "Wah-Wah" as being one of the "big noise" tracks that benefited from Trident's 16-track equipment, which allowed for more overdubbing opportunities relative to EMI's 8-track facility. The song includes 682: 725:" – has led some authors to speculate that he deliberately withdrew his higher-quality compositions rather than risk having them played without the attention they deserved. Leng lists "Wah-Wah" among a number of solo Beatles songs that are "self-referential" in their lyrical theme and serve as episodes in what he calls "the Beatles soap opera". Harrison's bitterness at the restrictions imposed on him during the Beatles years resurfaced explicitly in " 761: 747: 964: 1192:

rival Delaney & Bonnie, with a heart of pure stone." Commenting on the production's "layer upon layer of sonic bombast", Elliot Huntley states that "Spector fans must have been in seventh heaven" when they first heard "Wah-Wah". Huntley refers to it as "one of the outstanding tracks" of Harrison's career, and a welcome though rare "flat-out, kick-ass rocker" in the singer's canon.

1083:, Don Heckman commented on the irony that it was Harrison "who, possibly because of his detachment from the Lennon–McCartney emotional axis, has maintained and even increased his creative momentum". He found "the spirit of the Beatles" present throughout the album, adding: "A piece like 'Wah‐Wah' calls up visions of the early days, when the quartet played 462:, who had quit the band briefly during the White Album sessions, partly as a result of McCartney's hectoring of his drumming, recalled of Harrison's refusal to be "dominated" by McCartney any longer: "Paul wanted to point out the solo to George, who would say, 'Look, I'm a guitarist. I'll play the solo.' And he always did, he always played fine solos." 951:-flooded production values" on the song. Harrison dismissed the result as "horrible", and recalled that when Clapton said he liked the way it sounded, he replied, "Well, you can have it on your album, then." Although Harrison said "I grew to like it", he subsequently reverted to his original opinion that the song, like much of 637:", which Harrison also wrote in early 1969, the lyrics touch on the failure of friendships within the band, which in the case of Harrison, McCartney and Lennon dated back to school years. Harrison later spoke of their familiarity with one another resulting in McCartney, especially, failing to recognise his artistic growth; in 53: 407: 1191:

Among Harrison biographers, Simon Leng writes that the song "trashes the roseate memory of the Beatles". He concludes his discussion of this "unusually heavy chunk of rock" by saying: "It's a song of anger and alienation, redolent of betrayal and hostility. To that extent, it's a good-time number to

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describes "Wah-Wah" as "layered with so many different guitar tracks it feels like three guitar rock songs fighting each other", and "possibly Harrison’s most pointed missive as a solo artist". Greene hears the message as "more bemused than pissed-off", citing the "swoop and dip" of the melody and a

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Speaking in 2000 about the session for "Wah-Wah", Harrison said that the music sounded "really nice" in the room, "with all these nice acoustics and piano, and no echo on anything", but he was shocked during the playback when he heard the sound treatment Spector had given the track. In Leng's words,

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led to him announcing his departure from the band on 9 April 1970, and to Harrison finally deciding to make an album of his many unused songs from the Beatles' later years. He subsequently described the process of recording his songs with outside musicians as "a breath of fresh air". Shortly before

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described "Wah-Wah" as "a simple statement by a musician who knows who he is and what he wants to play". Like Rodriguez, who considers that the song "truly into its own" that day, Andrew Grant Jackson views this live reading as superior to the studio recording. He writes: "The live version is a

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The completed recording begins with Harrison's guitar riff, which is then joined by Clapton's guitar, played through a wah-wah pedal. Leng suggests that the musical arrangement was influenced by the Delaney & Bonnie song "Comin' Home". "Wah-Wah" also features prominent percussion, including

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Doggett similarly recognises the self-referential nature of Harrison songs such as "Wah-Wah", "Run of the Mill" and "Isn't It a Pity", all of which offered Beatles fans "a teasing glimpse into an intimate world that had previously been off-limits to the public". Later examples include Lennon's

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The recording of "Wah-Wah" that appears on the live album was a composite of the audio from both the afternoon and evening shows. It was therefore one of the few examples of studio manipulation on an otherwise faithful record of the concert. Due to technical problems with the film footage, the

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Harrison later recalled his two months in the United States as having been "such a good time", yet "the moment I got back with the Beatles , it was just too difficult". These difficulties included having to endure McCartney's habit of dictating how the others should play their instruments and

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for the second show that day, about which Joshua Greene remarks on the "logical chronology" in Harrison's three-song opening segment: "Wah-Wah" "declared his independence from the Beatles, followed by 'My Sweet Lord,' which declared his internal discovery of God and spirit, and then

207:'s constant involvement in the band's activities. Music critics and biographers recognise the song as Harrison's statement of personal and artistic freedom from the Beatles. Its creation contrasted sharply with his rewarding collaborations outside the group in the months before the 990:, a technique that Harrison adopted for his solos after he had joined Clapton on Delaney & Bonnie's European tour in December 1969. Harrison also sang all the vocal parts on the track, for which he credited himself as "the George O'Hara-Smith Singers" on the album sleeve. 1693:

This situation would remain unchanged during a period in the mid 1970s when the other Beatles all began intimating that they would not be opposed to playing together again. Harrison's aversion to working with McCartney was still apparent before and after the band's

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magazine described it as "a grand cacophony of sound in which horns sound like guitars and vice versa". While several reviewers find the heavy production appropriate for the song, Harrison considered the recording overproduced and the sound too cluttered.

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describes the album as "Harrison's handful of earth upon the Beatle coffin", but, less impressed with the composition, he cites "Wah-Wah" as a rare example where "the material is probably too slight to carry the colossal weight of Spector's production".

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In keeping with Spector's signature production style, a large group of musicians took part in the sessions. The line-up has been hard to ascertain due to conflicting recollections and the informal approach of the project. According to Leng and author

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said that following "My Sweet Lord"'s role as an entrance to Spector's "cathedral of sound", " reaches sonic overload; three tunes into the album, Harrison is already storming heaven's gate." Kot added: "'Wah Wah' is the guitarist's version of

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Harrison's staging of the two benefit concerts enhanced his standing as the most popular of the former Beatles; Doggett describes him as having become "arguably music's most influential figure" over this period. In a laudatory review of the

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once admired as "audacious"; musically, Harrison biographer Elliot Huntley suggests, the composition mirrors the "intense atmosphere" at Twickenham in January 1969. Referring to the released recording, author Ian Inglis views "Wah-Wah" as a

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AllMusic's Bill Janovitz sums up the track as "a glorious rocker ... as edgy as anything Harrison ever sang while in the Beatles, if not more so", and "a driving, majestic song on the edge of being out of control". John Bergstrom of

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Over lunch on Friday, 10 January, a more severe argument took place in which Harrison berated Lennon for contributing nothing positive to the rehearsals. Harrison walked out of the Beatles, saying that the others should advertise in the

565:. Commentators have remarked on a change in Harrison's standing within the band as a result of his walkout, and later in 1969, Lennon and McCartney would be speaking admiringly of Harrison's growth as a songwriter. In an article for 495:" for consideration; these and other "numerous beautiful songs", music journalist Martin O'Gorman writes, "received derision and disinterest from Lennon or heavy-handed interference from McCartney". On 8 January, Harrison debuted " 1149:, a thunderous ascent that keeps adding instruments until it's almost impossible to imagine anyone even breathing in the saturated-till-bursting mix, a triumphant wail that collapses into the exhausted arms of 'Isn't It a Pity' 1769:, Anthony DeCurtis commented on Harrison's predicament, having never before led a band in concert: "When you hear the opening roar of 'Wah-Wah', you know that not one of the many musicians onstage was willing to let him fail." 1130:

s George Chesterton says the song "manages to be exciting and funny at the same time" and describes it as "a quasi-religious nursery rhyme about a guitar effects pedal and not being fully appreciated by Lennon and McCartney".

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McCartney told Lennon: "Until this year, our songs have been better than George's. Now this year his songs are at least as good as ours ..." Lennon named Harrison's "Something" as his favourite track on the Beatles'

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When we recorded Wah-Wah, the sound in your headphones was reasonably dry, but in the control room to hear the playback, the sound was loud and incredible. I loved it but George didn't: "What are you doing to my song?"

4347: 1739:. As an indication of the acrimony between him and his former bandmates, McCartney recalled a telephone conversion in December 1970 in which Harrison told him: "You'll stay on the fucking label – Hare Krishna!" 796:

reporter Howard Smith, and explained that, although he had some ideological differences with Lennon, his objection to any possible Beatles reunion was based solely on his musical differences with McCartney.

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jam" of "Wah-Wah" dismisses the Beatles' strife-filled final years as "so much white noise". While the song is "cutting", Bergstrom continues, "the sense of liberation is almost palpable." Jayson Greene of

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sessions. The message of the song, according to Harrison, was: "you're giving me a bloody headache." Leng identifies "Wah-Wah" as being directed at the "artifice" and "pretense" surrounding the Beatles.

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project, Doug Sulpy and Ray Schweighardt write that, as another frustration for Harrison, Lennon and McCartney regularly overlooked his compositions, even when they were "far better than their own".

1061:, and he recalls the "buzz" surrounding the release as having been "about a major talent unleashed, one who'd been hidden in plain sight" behind Lennon and McCartney. In a contemporary review for 1037:'s cover photo of Harrison surrounded by four comical-looking garden gnomes, "Wah-Wah" served as a comment by Harrison on his Beatle past. In February 1971, he, Lennon and Starr united in London's 1171:

was "by some distance, the best Beatles solo album" and the "widescreen sound" used by Harrison and Spector on tracks such as "Wah-Wah" had since been "echoed in the work of such Beatles fans as

1010:, which sees keyboards, horns and the many guitar parts competing for space in the mix. The song fades out on the single-chord main riff, accompanied by the sound of a car engine changing gear. 931:, has stated that he played electric piano on "Wah-Wah". Whitlock recalls that, having arrived at the session late due to traffic, and finding that the other musicians were all playing on the 553:

writes, their "feud" remained "intractable". At the meeting, much to Harrison's annoyance, Lennon once more chose to have Ono speak on his behalf. Harrison then went to his parents' home in

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on 27 November 1970 with "Wah-Wah" sequenced as the third track, between "My Sweet Lord" and "Isn't It a Pity". Despite its unusually high retail price, as one of rock music's first studio

446:... whatever you want me to play, or I won't play at all if you don't want me to play. Whatever it is that will please you, I'll do it." With the sessions being recorded by film director 5323: 517:, and wrote "Wah-Wah" that same afternoon. Despite the animosity between himself and Lennon on the day he quit the group, Harrison later confirmed a suggestion made by music journalist 3804: 3498: 1223:, Harrison comments: "It's important to state that a lot of water has gone under the bridge ... But talking about what was happening at that time , you can see it was strange." 557:

for a few days before imposing terms for his return to the band – namely, that McCartney's plans for a live concert be abandoned and the project be relocated to the Beatles' own

641:, he refers to "Wah-Wah" as reflecting "that concept of how everybody sees and treats everybody else, allowing no consideration for the fact that we are changing all the time". 5308: 1026:

sets, the album was a significant commercial success worldwide, and comfortably outperformed Lennon and McCartney's respective solo releases over 1970–71. Music journalist

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Harrison's diary records that Lennon and Ono "diverted" him at home over breakfast the following morning, but even after a subsequent band meeting at Starr's house, author

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notch slower, and the cleaner mix allows breathing room to hear the space between the instruments. And more importantly, there's the euphoria of the performance itself."

5313: 4253: 814:, partly for Spector's benefit. He performed "Wah-Wah" on electric guitar, accompanied by an unnamed bass guitarist. The recording subsequently became available on the 1217:

magazine to promote the reissue, he also revealed that McCartney had "long since" apologised for his behaviour towards him during the Beatles years. In the 2000 book

3961: 1266:, Harrison was backed by a large band that again included Clapton, Starr, Preston, Voormann and Badfinger, together with musicians such as Leon Russell, saxophonist 1049:

unity, "Wah-Wah" was widely assumed to be directed at McCartney only, just as Harrison's walkout two years before was thought to have been due solely to McCartney.

4875: 4915: 1262:'s Indian classical set on side one of the triple LP, "Wah-Wah" effectively served as the album's opening track for rock fans. Re-creating the Wall of Sound from 603:

There was too much restriction . It had to self-destruct … I could see a much better time ahead being by myself, away from the band … It was like a straitjacket.

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in January 1969, several commentators note the importance of his recent two-month visit to America, which followed the completion of the band's 1968 double album

5271: 4518: 3756: 1756:... in his mind, everything that was going on around him was just there to accompany him. He wasn't sensitive to stepping on other people's egos or feelings." 467:

I just got so fed up with the bad vibes – and that arguments with Paul were getting put in the film. I didn't care if it was the Beatles, I was getting out.

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The second verse reflects Harrison's frustration at being viewed by Lennon and McCartney as subservient to their ambitions, just as his 1968 composition "

1388: 715:"Wah-Wah" was never offered to the Beatles once Harrison joined the proceedings at Apple Studio. The choice of Harrison songs that would end up on the 5303: 5047: 693:

Religious academic Joshua Greene has written of Harrison being "too sure of his life's higher purpose" by January 1969, through his dedication to

1627: 5318: 5015: 634: 3512: 1077:, while describing "Wah-Wah" as a "vintage Beatle song" and "a grand cacophony of sound in which horns sound like guitars and vice versa". In 5167: 4856: 4841: 4781: 4766: 4697: 4652: 4637: 4622: 4577: 4538: 4504: 4470: 522: 268:"Wah-Wah" was the first song Harrison played live as a solo artist when he performed it as his opener for the Western-music portion of the 3037: 808:

album had recently enraged McCartney. On 27 May, having returned to London, Harrison recorded demos of songs intended for his solo album,

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sympathising with Harrison's position, recognising that McCartney and Lennon "don't offer him enough freedom within their compositions".

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George Chesterton similarly writes that "stripped of the wall of sound reverb", the live version has "an even greater impact" than the

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in New York. It was therefore the first song he ever played live as a solo artist and, given the humanitarian cause behind the event,

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According to Simon Leng (except where noted), the following musicians played on "Wah-Wah". Leng states that his keyboard credits for

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bootleg album. It was formally released in 2021 on the Day 2 Demos disc included in some editions of the 50th anniversary reissue of

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on the song, he was left to play alone in the obvious "open spot" – on the upbeat. The former Delaney & Bonnie horn section of

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In his book on the Beatles' first decade as solo artists, Robert Rodriguez includes "Wah-Wah" among the "essential components" of

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On 29 November 2002, exactly a year after his death from cancer, "Wah-Wah" was the last Harrison composition performed at the

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critic Bill Janovitz terms a "simple, spiritual sentiment", which serves as a statement of his independence from the Beatles:

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on electric piano. However, Wright's first session for Harrison was on 2 June, five days after the recording of "Wah-Wah".

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Miss O'Dell: My Hard Days and Long Nights with The Beatles, The Stones, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, and the Women They Loved

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It's a festering wound … It's only this year that has realised who he is. And all the fucking shit we've done to him.

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Whitlock writes of entering the studio and hearing Spector calling out a series of instructions to the engineers: "'

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in November 2002, a year after Harrison's death, "Wah-Wah" was performed by an all-star band that included Clapton,

4345:"LIVE: Dhani Harrison and Friends Come Together to Celebrate George Harrison for Jameson's 'George Fest' (9/28/14)" 4195: 4117: 3753: 1340: 1232: 575:

wrote that although Harrison "nominally" remained a Beatle, he was "serving out his notice" after 10 January 1969.

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was the recording engineer for the basic track, which was taped on 28 May, the first day of formal recording for

1818: 911:", the basic track for which they taped later in the 28 May session. While Leng consulted Voormann, Badfinger's 697:, to continue devoting time to the group's "petty squabbles". In the song's final verse, Harrison provides what 52: 4275: 1602: 1375: 1243:

writes, the New York audience "loved him ... before he'd even plucked a string". The running order of the

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in January 2001, Harrison admitted that he had been tempted to remix many of the tracks rather than simply

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music, surrounded by enormous crowds of weeping and wailing teeny‐boppers." By contrast, Alan Smith of the

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album and film. The lyrics reflect his frustration with the atmosphere in the group at that time – namely,

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On 1 August 1971, Harrison performed "Wah-Wah" as the opening song for the rock-music portion of the two

5255: 5209: 4526:, 2011 (directed by Martin Scorsese; produced by Olivia Harrison, Nigel Sinclair & Martin Scorsese). 1696: 1665: 1362: 1236: 1038: 649: 366:. Throughout this period, Harrison continued to bloom as a songwriter, having contributed four songs to 191: 589:, Harrison explains that the song title was a reference to "a 'headache' as well as a footpedal", the 406: 5348: 5250: 5040: 4925: 4312: 3282: 3277: 1623: 1548: 1518: 1408: 1324: 1204: 936: 810: 653: 572: 447: 395: 297: 175: 80: 4178: 5293: 5086: 5054: 4330: 4294: 3670: 3661: 3234:"Gimme Five: Gary Wright, Robben Ford, Bobby Whitlock, Alan White, Joey Molland on George Harrison" 2953: 2237: 1255: 1116: 967: 928: 671: 474: 415:

Lennon's increasing withdrawal from the band and emotional dependence on his ever-present partner,

323: 4091: 2949: 1006:, Janovitz writes, Harrison sings high in his range throughout, "almost drowned out" by Spector's 800:

In the same 1970 radio interview, Harrison announced that he would be co-producing the album with

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The previous year, Lennon and McCartney had similarly shown no interest in recording Harrison's "

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treatment in a live setting, using many of the participants from the 1970 album sessions. At the

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was created through a series of edits and cuts between visuals from the first and second shows.

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revue influenced the sound on "Wah-Wah", after Harrison had toured with them in December 1969

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that mentioned their difficult experiences of working with him. In the context of this post-

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to challenge McCartney's suit to dissolve the band's legal partnership; all three submitted

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later wrote of the album representing " bracing air of creative liberation" for Harrison.

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Over the first three days at Twickenham, Harrison had presented new compositions such as "

314: 170: 151: 143: 71: 3193: 5181: 4994: 1606: 1530: 1497: 1328: 924: 892: 856: 726: 379: 343: 196: 4232: 203:'s lack of engagement with the project and dismissal of Harrison as a songwriter, and 5287: 5260: 4955: 4165: 4065: 3970: 3764: 3597: 3518: 3507: 1834: 1507: 1491: 1258:,' which projected his message to the world." Since most listeners typically ignored 1184: 1073: 1063: 1007: 948: 908: 884: 837: 590: 455: 451: 424: 335: 273: 260: 247: 129: 362:

and thrived among what author Simon Leng calls the "group ethic and camaraderie" of

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also contributed to "Wah-Wah, although they were not present at the first session.

932: 912: 904: 896: 876: 872: 801: 722: 674:, Harrison laments that his bandmates never take the time to notice his sorrow or " 492: 391: 387: 383: 351: 328: 239: 235: 158: 124: 963: 427:'s words, "emotionally removed and artistically bankrupt". In their study of the 5008: 1792: 1736: 1722:

The Sessions Outtakes and Jams disc of the expanded 50th anniversary reissue of

1670: 1536: 1436: 1432: 1367: 1366:, as part of their parody of early 1970s rock stars such as the former Beatles. 1331:

and many other close musical friends – Starr, Voormann, Keltner, Horn, Brooker,

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This article is about the George Harrison song. For similarly-named songs, see

5079: 4870: 4309:"Paul Simon Performs 'Here Comes the Sun' for George Harrison Week on 'Conan'" 4257: 2748: 1987: 1646: 1631: 1592:

has described as "perhaps the single most impressive song on the White Album".

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McCartney was especially keen to cut his ties with Apple Records and manager

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among them – as well as Paul McCartney. This performance was released on the

982:. Overdubbing on many of the album's basic tracks was carried out at EMI and 5118: 1336: 1042: 880: 627: 496: 359: 255: 212: 101: 4160: 1091:

found the dense sound oppressive and regarded the song as "inconsequential

4514:, Capitol Records/Calderstone Productions (Los Angeles, CA/London, 2021). 4254:"Featured pop shows: Tedeschi Trucks Band, Paul Jost, and David Bromberg" 4240: 4203: 4147: 4099: 3926: 3688:"George Harrison's All Things Must Pass: 50 Years of Music in God's Name" 2707: 1512: 1357: 1267: 1250: 1208: 1141: 698: 694: 614: 416: 363: 216: 204: 4531:

Here Comes the Sun: The Spiritual and Musical Journey of George Harrison

1157:, Chris Ingham considers that without Spector's Wall of Sound excesses, 4893: 4849:

That Magic Feeling: The Beatles' Recorded Legacy, Volume Two, 1966–1970

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Get Back: The Unauthorized Chronicle of The Beatles' Let It Be Disaster

4182: 1109:"involve Harrison addressing his former band"; of these, the "raucous, 1068: 1067:, Ben Gerson suggested that the album was the rock-music equivalent of 544:– Lennon to McCartney, discussing Harrison's departure from the Beatles 3974:, 20 October 2005, p. 98 (archived version retrieved 27 January 2021). 1327:

shared lead vocals on the song. The band also featured Harrison's son

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says that in light of Lennon having offered only a "half-finished" "

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central riff that together convey "chuckling rather than shouting".

1095:... one of the weaker tracks, although it's not short on dressing". 1421:

in September 2014, as part of a week-long promotion for Harrison's

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documentary film, it was subsequently included on the DVD release.

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song where the "forceful rhythm" conveys "the momentum of anger".

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All Together Now: The First Complete Beatles Discography 1961–1975

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sessions, "Paul couldn’t see beyond himself. He was on a roll, but

1565: 999: 962: 836:) in London. "Wah-Wah" was the first song recorded for the album. 680: 405: 4600:

Mystical One: George Harrison – After the Break-up of the Beatles

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Principal recording for the album took place at EMI Studios (now

179:. Harrison wrote the song following his temporary departure from 4876:"George Harrison Realizes It's Time to Move on from the Beatles" 4484:, Rolling Stone Press/Simon & Schuster (New York, NY, 2002; 4354:, floodmagazine.com, 30 September 2014 (retrieved 17 July 2015). 1412: 1371: 689:, where he wrote "Wah-Wah" immediately after leaving the Beatles 293: 67: 4897: 1713:

the drums,' 'Phase the piano,' followed by 'Phase everything!'"

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starting work on the album, Harrison gave a radio interview to

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Like "Isn't It a Pity", the song "All Things Must Pass", and

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playing tambourine. Wright's first Harrison session was for "

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being a guitar effect that he favoured for much of the early

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Revolution in the Head: The Beatles' Records and the Sixties

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of E, the tune incorporates chord changes that musicologist

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record label, Harrison directed top session players such as

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You Never Give Me Your Money: The Beatles After the Breakup

3692: 1634:", Harrison must have been "enraged ... all the more". 1123: 374:, "firmly established him as a contender" beside bandmates 234:. The recording features a dense production treatment from 199:'s over-assertiveness and criticism of his guitar playing, 4660:

While My Guitar Gently Weeps: The Music of George Harrison

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have often included "Wah-Wah" in their live performances.

4871:"Wah-Wah (Remastered 2014)" on Harrison's YouTube channel 3341:"Read Phil Spector's Recording Notes for George Harrison" 3076: 3074: 4585:

A Day in the Life: The Music and Artistry of the Beatles

4403:

The Beatles Diary Volume 2: After the Break-Up 1970–2001

1883: 1881: 1879: 1877: 1875: 1873: 3628:, 20 December 1970, p. 104 (retrieved 3 November 2020). 1378:

in January 1991, a version that appeared on the band's

300:

are among the other artists who have covered the song.

3733:

John Harris, "What Did George Harrison Ever Do for Us?

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