Whatever Happened To Us

Album: Unrequited (1975)
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Songfacts®:

  • Loudon Wainwright III was stomping on the pieces of a crumbling marriage to folk singer Kate McGarrigle when he wrote "Whatever Happened to Us" for his fifth album Unrequited. "Anybody having a crappy love affair hopefully can identify with that one," he told the A.V.Club.

    Wainwright doesn't waste much time contemplating what once was or what might have been. He even throws a dig at Frank Sinatra, who crooned "you fell in love, and love is the tender trap":

    And it's a whole lot of crap about a tender trap
    What it is is a suicide snare
    And all I wanna do is to forget you and our lousy love affair


    The volatile lovers have recorded several other songs about each other. Wainwright wrote "On The Rocks" and "Mr. Guilty" while McGarrigle challenged him with "Go Leave" and "Blues in D."

    Soon after their divorce, McGarrigle's sister (and singing partner) Anna sang, "Pack up all your children, come home to our love and concern" in her song "Kitty Come Home."

Comments: 1

  • Ellie from Fla.I Believe ”WHATEVER HAPPENED TO US” was the best song Tammy n George recorded together
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