#1 for week of December 28, 1959.
"Why", is the final #1 hit song of the 1950's. Once the turbulent and counter-cultural 1960's rolled around, the music world would render most of the softer music from this time period obsolete and irrelevant. It is fitting that for the final song of 1959, a year full of #1 soft pop hits, we end with what is easily the most saccharine and over-sugary of them all.
There's nothing wrong with writing a sweet love song. In fact, we will get to songs later in this list that are purposely full of cliched love song lyrics, but have wonderful musical melodies. However, "Why", perhaps goes a bit too far in the sugar department.
Lyrically, the word, "love", is used so often in the song to the point that any chance of deeper lyrical complexity is rendered non-existent. When a later verse of the song features Frankie and a female singer singing lines back and forth like a love letter, the song's mushiness gets too unbearable for my taste.
Musically, the song features the standard soft-pop instrumentation of a stripped down band, and backing singers. Despite there being no strings, the inclusion of an xylophone adds to the song's overly innocent romantic ballad quality. I just find that all these elements together make the song way too sappy and sweet.
This does not mean that all sweet sounding love songs are bad. For example, "Cherish", by The Association, while a very gentle sounding tune indeed, features incredibly complex lyrics that describe, nearly in poetic quality, an enduring love for someone without just saying, "I love you and you love me too". Of course it helps that the song is musically complex as well. More on that when we get to 1966...
Furthermore, simplistic love lyrics are also not necessarily bad. "I Want You To Want Me", by Cheap Trick features simple lyrics, but since the song has such an energetic, and exciting melody, the simplicity of the lyrics compliment the song. "Why", on the other hand, combines simple cliched lyrics AND melody, and this does not help the song stand the test of time.
Final Verdict - As mentioned before, this song's music and especially lyrics are too sweet and easy-listening for my taste. If you are into sweet romantic soft-pop ballads, you may like this song. However,to anyone else, you'll most likely want to pass.
Coming Up Next - 1959 Reflection.
Until Next Time - Dr. Rock -
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