All the waiters in your grand café
Leave their tables when you blink, ohh
Every dog must have his everyday
Every drunk must have his drink
Don't wait for answers
Just take your chances
Don't ask me why

All your life you had to stand in line
Still you're standing on your feet, ohh
All your choices made you change your mind
Now your calendar's complete
Don't wait for answers
Just take your chances
Don't ask me why

Mmh, you can say the human heart
Is only make believe
I am only fighting fire with fire
But you are still a victim
Of the accidents you leave
As sure as I'm a victim of desire

All the servants in your new hotel
Throw their roses at your feet, ohh
Fool them all but baby I can tell
You're no stranger to the street
Don't ask for favors
Don't talk to strangers
Don't ask me why

Yesterday you were an only child
Now your ghosts have gone away, ohh
You can kill them in the classic style
Now you, parlez-vous français
Don't look for answers
You took your chances
Don't ask me why
Don't ask me why


Lyrics submitted by kevin

Don't Ask Me Why Lyrics as written by Billy Joel

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group

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Don't Ask Me Why song meanings
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16 Comments

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  • +3
    General Comment
    I love this song. Just one thing I wanted to mention since I always notice it: I don't know if it was a slip (Billy's Long Island accent coming out at a perfect moment) or not, but in every verse he sings "don't ASK me why" except the verse with the line "You're no stranger to the street," when he sings "don't AX me why." (NY accent stereotypical pronunciation of ask) I always wondered if he was making a very subtle point there...
    bangdrumon September 14, 2009   Link
  • +2
    General Comment
    Yes, this is about a woman who climbs up the society ladder and is trying to forget where she came from. Fool them all, but baby I can tell You're no stranger to the street.
    neurotic.housewifeon May 10, 2006   Link
  • +2
    General Comment
    Love the beat. :)
    redshiftdazzleron July 22, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    My first Billy Joel CD was his Greatest Hits Volume I & II, and I'd never heard this song before. When I did hear it, I feel in love with it, although I realise it may sound... a bit... out of touch to some. The last two verses are wonderful...
    chat-noiron August 30, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    Now you, "parlez vous francais" (Now you speak your French) I hope that helps someone else because I can't think of a meaning yet...
    JoshFon March 17, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    This song is about a girl who comes into money (i'm not sure how) and then tries to hide her lower class roots.
    ballouon April 22, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    Wow, for a long time I thought this was a Paul McCartney song. I guess it's similar in musical style.
    mr_1977on July 18, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    His voice is (or can be) very similar to Mccartneys. Listen to the first few lines of Vienna to hear the similarity most (IMHO).
    hankoon February 12, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    I used to think that My Life was a Paul McCartney song. The melody and voice seemed McCartneyesque. Joel is actually more influenced by Lennon, but Macca's influence is plain to see.
    segouldon September 03, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    I love this song. It's so cool and easy. In this thing the 12 Gardens version cannot reach the album version. I agree with you that this song is about a high society woman hiding and ignoring her roots. And then she has to face the fact that she can't hide where she comes from. And that's why she's using other means like speaking French which means she emigrated to France where she thinks she got rid of her roots. Her "chances" were from my point of view that there would have been new perspectives or opportunities if she hadn't hidden her roots. Now that she isn't at her home where those chances exist but in France she lost them which means she lost opportunities that could have helped her and would not - as she thinks - ruin her. That's my interpretation of "Don't Ask Me Why".
    Geofreakon October 13, 2008   Link

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