MP3: Rufus Wainwright et al. – What’ll I Do (Irving Berlin)
To my knowledge, love has never been about finding answers, and breaking up even less so. The questions raised by the end of a relationship are no better displayed than in Irvin Berlin’s classic song, “What’ll I Do?”–here covered by Kate McGarrigle, her children Rufus and Martha Wainwright, and her ex-Husband, Loudon Wainwright III on The McGarrigle Hour. This listless piano ballad perfectly captures the broken spirit and questioning nature that so frequently plague the newly lost.

But the questions. “What’ll I Do?” is all about questions. Using its full three minute and thirty-seven seconds to expound upon the title’s quandary, it goes absolutely no further. “What’ll I Do” poses no answers, or even guesses at what the future holds for the protagonist (or “protagonists,” in this case). Some might argue that this makes it an incomplete song, but I couldn’t disagree more. If you’re looking for a story in your song, this isn’t it. But as far as emotion brought out and laid bare, you can’t really top Irvin’s work. This is poetry.

Buy The McGarrigle Hour

Don’t forget about Daytrotter! Their last session was French Kicks and it (french) kicked my butt! Haha. Man, I’m not funny.

Everybody Cares, Everybody Understands did an interview with Kite Flying Society. I don’t want to give anything away, but let’s just say you can consider this a preview for an upcoming YANP feature.