Day after day

I'm not quite sure why, but this has been my earworm for the last couple of weeks, "Day After Day" by Badfinger, a song I esteem to deserve the label "classic"--unlike so many other offerings from your local "classic rock" radio station.

This was in heavy rotation in Casa Montag circa 1971 or so, mostly because Montag's older, teenaged brothers loved this song, especially Cousin Andy, the middle son. And who can blame them or him? Like I said, classic. Lush and romantic in sound, wistful and plaintive, but with just enough rock-and-roll guitars and drums to provide some power and edge, leading no doubt to bro-bonding among the lovelorn.

I'm describing the song cheekily, I know, but I do think it is praiseworthy. Sure, it's a pop song but it's a poetic, artistic one, a song that makes you feel something, about love, loss, longing, and loneliness. Many pop songs attempt to accomplish this but often fail horribly at it, especially (in my humble opinion) those in the current era.

Usually, most pop tunes get stuck on the theme of love and run the needle into that groove, over and over and over. Longing gets its due as well, as does loss. But loneliness à la carte, let alone the bento box of all four emotions, rarely is listed on the pop menu.

I'm not sure I have any bigger point to this post, other than to say I adore this song, and it's been happily stuck in my brain for some time now. It's a good memory, a recollection of, again, the simplicity of childhood, the warmth of the family hearth, and the comfort of feeling that anything is possible--in 1971 or 2014--even love.