Tell Me Why

(Why, why, why, why?)

(Why?)
I really wish I could explain it baby,
(Why?)
it's just the world is kinda crazy baby,
(Why?)
ain't no pretty way to paint it baby,
(Why?)
don't cry,
dry your eyes.

September 11th
I woke up about 7AM
West Coast time,
French toast and my
turkey bacon,
taking my time awakin',
turning 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 'im.
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?'

(Why?)
I really wish I could explain it baby,
(Why?)
it's just the world is kinda crazy baby,
(Why?)
ain't no pretty way to paint it baby,
(Why?)
don't cry,
dry your eyes.
(Why?)
I really wish I could explain it baby,
(Why?)
it's just the world is kinda crazy baby,
(Why?)
ain't no pretty way to paint it baby,
(Why?)
don't cry.

Souls are captured,
dreams are stolen,
hearts are broken,
evil blatantly rewarded.
Hate surrenders,
love exalted,
hope elated,
negativity is shorted.

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 me, why did Malcolm and Martin depart from us?
Tell me, why did that sniper make the 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 to my kids,
when they say,
'Why?'
I really wish I could explain it baby,
(Why?)
it's just the world is kinda crazy baby,
(Why?)
ain't no pretty way to paint it baby,
(Why?)
don't cry,
dry your eyes.
(Why?)
I really wish I could explain it baby,
(Why?)
it's just the world is kinda crazy baby,
(Why?)
ain't no pretty way to paint it baby,
(Why?)
don't cry,
dry your eyes.

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 driving you crazy.
But for me,
I try to see the bright side.
Sometimes it'd be like
the goodness be tryin' to hide,
be tryin' to flee,
but it can't,
it's deep inside.
Sweetie,
you be the light for others,
make 'em believe in God.

Souls are captured,
dreams are stolen,
hearts are broken,
evil blatantly rewarded.
Hate surrenders,
love exalted,
hope elated,
negativity is shorted.

Music and lyrics by Will Smith, from the album Lost and Found.

To hear and see Will Smith and Mary J. Blige sing Tell Me Why, click the play button on the YouTube video below:

If the video runs slowly, play it on YouTube.