In between X and Z

Why?

To complete the series WHO-WHAT-WHERE-WHEN-HOW, we need to consider "WHY".  I left that one for last because, in my mind, it is the the most mysterious.  It's relatively easy to know who, or what, when or where, but it is sometimes very perplexing to understand "WHY".   Why are we here? Why is the sky blue?  Why is the alphabet in that order? Is it because of the song?

For as long as man has thought about anything, he has wondered "Why?"  "Why" is an instrument of change. Often in history, someone has thought WHY are we doing this the hard way?  WHY don't we make it easier, faster, stronger, better?  WHY do we treat each other the way we do?  WHY can't we all just get along?

Billy Joel must have gotten exasperated because he wrote "Don't Ask Me Why".  Norah Jones seemed sincere when she sang "Don't Know Why".  The Eagles were clearly hiding something when they said "I Can't Tell You Why".

Usually, however, songwriters who ask "Why?" are trying to understand the reason why their love has left them or some other crisis that has been brought on by love.  According to the Drive-By Truckers in their great song "A World of Hurt", "...to love is to feel pain."  That certainly seems to be the case in so many songs bearing the word "Why".

Annie Lennox simply wanted to know "Why?".  George Jones pleaded "Why Baby Why?" Alicia Keys asked, "Why Do I Feel So Sad?"  "Why Don't You Love Me?", asked Hank Williams.  "Why Do Fools Fall In Love?", queried Frankie Lymon. Kris Kristofferson wondered "Why Me Lord?" And most plaintive of all, Weird Al Yankovic asked "Why Does This Always Happen To Me?"   I Guess that's WHY they call it the Blues.

Somehow, we are able to overcome the sadness.  I guess we ask ourselves, WHY do I have to feel so bad? "Why Can't This Be Love?", asked Van Halen.  "Why Can't We Be Friends?", wondered War.  In a more jaunty mood, the Beatles asked "Why Don't We Do It In The Road?" and, one of my all-time favorites, Jimmy Buffett romantically asked "Why Don't We Get Drunk?".

So if you're sad, turn your frown upside down and smile. To smile every day, just listen to some great music.
Just like the James Taylor song, "That's WHY I'm Here".