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Why I'm Here
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Wikipedia article
"'Why I'm Here'" is a song by the American hard rock band Oleander. It was the lead single from their major label debut album, 'February Son'. The track was previously included on Oleander's eponymous EP in 1996 and their independent LP, 'Shrinking the Blob', in 1997. Despite comparisons to Nirvana's "Heart-Shaped Box," or perhaps because of them, "Why I'm Here" would become Oleander's best known song, charting higher than any of their other singles.
The melancholy power ballad features various hallmarks of post-grunge. A simple, clean guitar pattern strikingly similar to "Heart-Shaped Box" begins the song; the first three notes, as well as the overall chord progression, of both songs are indeed identical and largely responsible for its criticism. An additional guitar melody and drums enter shortly after with lonesome singing. The pre-chorus introduces a bittersweet violin and eventually enters an aggressive, heavy chorus. Lyrically, "Why I'm Here" describes people's vague resentment toward the narrator as well his/her indifference toward a significant other, singing "I can't love you anymore/I'm scared of the sound of it."
The promotional CD single of "Why I'm Here" includes both the album version and a "No Strings Attached" version which omits the violin.
The song was featured in the 'Dawson's Creek' second season finale, "Parental Discretion Advised."
Reception
Allmusic's Heather Phares named "Why I'm Here" one of three AMG Album Picks in her review of 'February Son'. She regarded it as among the band's "finest post-grunge-isms." However, Noel Murray of 'The A.V. Club' viewed the song more negatively, regarded Oleander as "[arriving] too late for grunge and too early for emo." He elaborated that "the band gamely struggles to justify its existence to major-label masters who can hear something marketable, but can't figure out who'd want to buy it."Murray, Noel [http://www.avclub.com/articles/inventory-16-fadingfrommemory-hits-from-the-now-th,1621/ Inventory: 16 Fading-From-Memory Hits From The Now That's What I Call Music! Collection] 'The A.V. Club' (October 27, 2006). Retrieved on 7-18-09.
Track listing
Charts
End of year charts
References
Category:1999 singles
Category:Oleander (band) songs
Category:Rock ballads
Category:1990s ballads
Category:1996 songs
Category:Universal Records singles
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