On Repeat: “Waving Through A Window,” from Dear Evan Hansen, by Pasek & Paul

There’s never a problem with doing what works, especially when you do it well; words like ‘groundbreaking’ and ‘revolutionary’ feel far more attached to marketing strategies than they are to the products they espouse. Take Hamilton — lost in the buzz over its (legitimately) groundbreaking achievements, there exists a musical structure that utilizes plot points and story beats that have been used for decades; “My Shot,” after all, is a classic an ‘I want’ song. Lin-Manuel Miranda, Theatre Nerd Laureate of the United States (salute), is a self-professed musical fanatic, and has repeatedly dubbed Hamilton as a love letter to his predecessors. He didn’t so much start a revolution as he wrote the American Les Mis.
The plot of Dear Evan Hansen isn’t new — our hero lives out a lie that spirals out of control. The style of music isn’t new — piano-infused, radio-friendly pop-rock. And yet it is all executed with such skill and precision that it should be recognized as a triumph. My favorite song from the show — the one that always gets multiple spins when it comes across my Spotify — is “Waving Through A Window.” It is a masterful blend of composition, performance, and production.
A useful and simple way to understand song structure, both modern and classical, is through chord progressions. A chord progression is the road map of a song; it’s the floor plan of a building, the steps of a recipe. Follow it along and you’ll get where you’re supposed to go; you’ll also understand how its made.
A lot of songs, both modern and classical, are variations on the same kind of chord progression. Just like most chairs have four legs and a seat, most songs consist of the same sequences of chords. There are exceptions to this, of course — like, jazz — but truly, most chord progressions you hear are a variation on an idea that has existed for centuries. And that’s perfectly fine! They’re used so much because they work. They are satisfying and entertaining, they allow for intrigue, emotion, and infinite permutations.
The chorus of “Waving Through A Window” is a triumph, and it is rooted in an incredibly popular chord progression. In scale nomenclature, it’s a vi — IV — I — V progression, or 6–4–1–5. Each number corresponds to a chord, and in this instance, those chords are F# minor-D major-A major-E major. It is popular because it is undeniably satisfying; it inches slowly towards the primary chord in such a way that when it hits, it hits hard, and it feels good. It’s no mistake that the song’s best and most important lyric — the title of the song — is sung over the primary chord, A major. The 5 chord, E major, is there to smoothly set us up for the next repetition, and before we know it, we’re back into the progression, one chord closer to satisfaction.
Another reason the chorus works — and perhaps the entire song, and perhaps all of Dear Evan Hansen’s music — is the vocal performance of Ben Platt. I voice-crush hard on this guy. I’m Jennifer Paige, Paramore, and DMB, all rolled into one. There has been a lot of ink spilled about the wonders of Mr. Platt and his Tony Award-winning performance — all of it deserved — so my adulation with remain brief; that being said, all of his exceptional talents are on display in “Waving Through A Window,” and perhaps most impressive in this song is his breath control.
Here are the lyrics to the chorus of “Waving Through A Window.” I have marked, with a ‘’’ symbol, the points at which Platt takes a breath.
On the outside always looking in, will I’
ever be more than I’ve always been, because I’m
tap tap tapping on the glass’
waving through a window
I’ try to speak but nobody can hear, so I’
wait around for answer to appear, while I’m
watch watch watching people pass’
I’m waving through window
If you’re a singer of any training, try singing the chorus with the marked breaths. If you’re not a singer, or if you’re in your office or on public transit and can’t exactly start belting showtunes, let me spoil it for you — it’s really hard. What Ben Platt does with his breath control is incredible. Also worth nothing is the subtle character choice that appears to be behind his breath choices; most frequently, he stops to breathe after the pronoun ‘I’. And so the character of Evan Hansen, plagued with social anxiety, innately pauses whenever he starts to talk about himself.
The production on this song is beautiful; it’s complex yet approachable, crisp and clear and dynamic. To my fellow theatre nerds out there this is no surprise, as the song is arranged by Alex Lacamoire, a Hogwarts-level wizard of Broadway accompaniment, arrangement, conducting, and Hamilton-ing. His powers are on full display here, as he effortlessly allows room for every instrument involved — piano, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, synthesizers, bass, drums, backing vocals, a full arrangement of strings, and of course, the golden pipes of Platt. Platt’s pipes can be challenging in a mix because they demand prominence; when Platt is singing, everything else needs to take a backseat. Lacamoire honors this, and still allows for plenty of detail and clarity in the supporting sounds.
“Waving Through A Window” has a step-up key change in the final chorus; there’s also a step-up key change in the final chorus of Backstreet Boys’ “I Want It That Way.” Do what works.
The Nerdy Stuff
Key Signature: A Major, with a step-up key change to B flat Major ahead of the final chorus
Primary Chord Progression: vi — IV — I — V, a chorus that will make your heart soar
Number of Times You Will Swoon over Ben Platt’s voice: ∞
