This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
[Mary J. Blige]
Whyyyyyy, whyyyyyy
Whyyyyyy, whyyyyyy
[Chorus:]
I really wish I could explain it baby
It's just the world is kinda crazy baby
Ain't no pretty way to paint it baby
Don't cry, dry your eyes
[Will Smith]
September 11th I woke up about 7 AM
West coast time, french toast and my turkey bacon
Takin' my time awakin, turnin' my TV on
To my surprise, saw what everybody in the world saw
Me and my children, images were chillin'
My son said - daddy were there people in that building?
A cold sweat, frozen with a lump in my chest
I heard his question, couldn't bring my lips to say yes to him
That night at my son's side, he cried
And prayed for the ones who died in the World Trade
His palms to God, seeds of qualms with God
He just, kept on pressin' me, wanna know why
Then one week later our bombs were dropped
We seein' them, on CNN, they just won't stop
The infrared, images of brutal attack
He said "Daddy now we killin' 'em back," right right
[Chorus]
[Chorus]
Souls are captured (souls are captured)
Dreams are stolen (dreams are stolen)
Hearts are broken (hearts are broken)
Evil plaguin' he rewardin'
Hate surrender (hate surrender)
Love exalted! (Love exalted!)
Hope elated! (hope elated!)
Negativity destroyed and..
[Will Smith]
Honest to God, why is the bomb always gettin' the last word
and why, did her uncles have to molest her
and why, did all them cops have to be shootin' to kill?
And why, did all them priests have to act so ill?
Tell me why did James Byrd Jr. have to be touched?
Tell my why did Malcolm and Martin depart from us
Tell me why did the sniper make that little boy shoot
And why, is human life always denied for loot?
Tell me WHY did MANDELA have to live in a cage
Why did my brother Sterling have to die at that age
Tell me why did Reginald Denny deserve his fate
And why the fuck can't love, seem to defeat hate?
Tell me why is it so hard for all the children to eat?
Why did 'Pac and Biggie Smalls have to fall in the street?
Tell me why did Jam Master Jay have to go that way?
Please, what am I supposed to say my kids when they say
[Chorus]
[Chorus]
[Will Smith]
Can't explain it baby life is just really crazy
I mean if it's world wars or the life of a little baby
We got more stores than they got rice under buddha lazy
You live four scores and still it be drivin' you crazy
But for me I try to see the button side
Sometimes it be like the goodness be tryin' to hide
or tryin' to flee, but it can't, it's deep inside
Sweetie you be the light for others, make 'em believe in God
Whyyyyyy, whyyyyyy
Whyyyyyy, whyyyyyy
[Chorus:]
I really wish I could explain it baby
It's just the world is kinda crazy baby
Ain't no pretty way to paint it baby
Don't cry, dry your eyes
[Will Smith]
September 11th I woke up about 7 AM
West coast time, french toast and my turkey bacon
Takin' my time awakin, turnin' my TV on
To my surprise, saw what everybody in the world saw
Me and my children, images were chillin'
My son said - daddy were there people in that building?
A cold sweat, frozen with a lump in my chest
I heard his question, couldn't bring my lips to say yes to him
That night at my son's side, he cried
And prayed for the ones who died in the World Trade
His palms to God, seeds of qualms with God
He just, kept on pressin' me, wanna know why
Then one week later our bombs were dropped
We seein' them, on CNN, they just won't stop
The infrared, images of brutal attack
He said "Daddy now we killin' 'em back," right right
[Chorus]
[Chorus]
Souls are captured (souls are captured)
Dreams are stolen (dreams are stolen)
Hearts are broken (hearts are broken)
Evil plaguin' he rewardin'
Hate surrender (hate surrender)
Love exalted! (Love exalted!)
Hope elated! (hope elated!)
Negativity destroyed and..
[Will Smith]
Honest to God, why is the bomb always gettin' the last word
and why, did her uncles have to molest her
and why, did all them cops have to be shootin' to kill?
And why, did all them priests have to act so ill?
Tell me why did James Byrd Jr. have to be touched?
Tell my why did Malcolm and Martin depart from us
Tell me why did the sniper make that little boy shoot
And why, is human life always denied for loot?
Tell me WHY did MANDELA have to live in a cage
Why did my brother Sterling have to die at that age
Tell me why did Reginald Denny deserve his fate
And why the fuck can't love, seem to defeat hate?
Tell me why is it so hard for all the children to eat?
Why did 'Pac and Biggie Smalls have to fall in the street?
Tell me why did Jam Master Jay have to go that way?
Please, what am I supposed to say my kids when they say
[Chorus]
[Chorus]
[Will Smith]
Can't explain it baby life is just really crazy
I mean if it's world wars or the life of a little baby
We got more stores than they got rice under buddha lazy
You live four scores and still it be drivin' you crazy
But for me I try to see the button side
Sometimes it be like the goodness be tryin' to hide
or tryin' to flee, but it can't, it's deep inside
Sweetie you be the light for others, make 'em believe in God
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Tell Me Why Lyrics as written by Peter Knight Robert Johnson
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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