Day After Day by Badfinger

The story of Badfinger is one of triumph, change, conflict and tragedy. Badfinger started as the Panthers, a band playing in clubs in South Wales. They hit the London circuit, known as the Iveys and became known for their fantastic covers of Motown and Beatles songs. Mal Evans an employee of Apple Records, the Beatles’ newly formed record label heard the band and thought the band had potential. He introduced Badfinger to the Beatles and they became the first band the Beatles signed to their label in 1968.

Badfinger worked with other Apple artist, recording “Come And Get It” a Paul McCartney composition for the soundtrack to the film, The Magic Christian and playing on George Harrison’s solo albums. Badfinger had success with their first two albums with Apple and toured American with great reviews though. In 1971, they began work on their third album Straight Up. This album featured Badfinger’s most well-known song “Day After Day” which included George Harrison as not only the producer but as a featured guitar soloist.

Badfinger eventually left Apple Records and internal conflict within the band started to tear the group apart. In 1975, Peter Ham committed suicide and stating in his suicide note that his fellow band member “Stan Polley is a soulless bastard. I will take him with me.” Unable to resolve conflicts within the band, during the 1980s two bands both called Badfinger toured. These bands were headed up by Tom Evans and Joey Molland both members of the band when they were singed with Apple records. These tours caused legal conflict and further strife between the original members of the group. In November of 1983, Tom Evans and Joey Molland engaged in an intense argument over finances of income from Badfinger’s music over the phone. After the argument, which was left unresolved, Evans committed suicide in his home.

“Day After Day” stand by itself as a work of art separate from the tragic story of Badfinger, however knowing he story behind the musicians that created the art adds a layer of meaning to the song. Some people believe strongly in separating the art from the artists while others find them interconnected. Music does live on its own merit but the humanistic nature of the emotions described in music, it can’t help but be an expression of the artist who created it and therefore in studying art we are studying the artist.

The slide guitar throughout the song played by George Harrison combines the soaring melody with the harsh and mournful tone of the guitar. The sound becomes constant reminder throughout this is a song of longing and regret.

The first verse is reflects feelings of solitude as the narrator sings about how he thinks about a girl day after day in his lonely room. The chorus lightens up the sound of the song and when the verse ends on “to you” the combinations of the harmony, piano, and solo voice brings of happiness as the narrator not only recalls his devotion to the girl but the love that she brings to him. In a different context, this line could have meant something very different, but because it’s preceded by a longing musical landscape it becomes something poignant, revealing and sad.

In the second verse, the narrator reminisces about holding his girl while they slept and says that he is empathetic to her pain feeling the tears that she is crying. Instead of looking out from his room, he states that he is looking out from his lonely gloom, a emotion space as opposed to a physical space. This brings to the mind how the sadness and depressions sometimes feels like a cage.

The third verse uses the same lyrics as the first verse but with different instrumentation. In the first verse the bass, drums and piano play together at the beginning and end of each phrase. These instrument toll like a bell with a lot of weight providing harmony and suspense while staying out of the way of the vocals. This allows us to focus in on the melody and the lyrics to gain a general meaning of the song early on. During the second verse the bass, drums and piano play more consistently creating not only a groove but also a steadier feeling less dramatic feeling as the singer provides more details about the relationship.

Badfinger varies the third verse featuring back-ups singers, who previously only sang in the choruses, harmonizing the melody and the slide guitar filling in the space between the phrases. The change in texture in the third verse provides variety in the song but give the verse a feeling of strength and resolves.

I listened to “Day After Day” casually when I heard it on the local oldies station when my dad drove me to school. Last weekend, my brother suggested use this song for my blog and what struck me about this song is the moment at the end of the chorus on the words “to me.” Every time this part of the song appears it focuses the meaning of this song.

At the end of the day, it is not what we have gotten from the world but what we have given. That is what lasts in our hearts and our feelings. I don’t think that the idea that giving is better then receiving is some ploy to make kids less bratty around the holiday season, I believe it’s true. “Day After Day” is something that a group of people gave to the world. It’s not the most important piece of art in the world and but it’s something that has brought enjoying to generations.

Music is a gift that people share with the world and it’s sad to think that situations that stemmed from the creation of music led to two unfortunate suicides. At the end of the story there is the music that stays with us day after day that brings us some meaning to the tragedy and a deeper understanding of what is truly important in our lives.