Why This, Why That and Why

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a picture of a life lived in a state of perpetual questioning, starting from an almost instinctual awareness as an infant to a profound existential confusion in adulthood. The narrator moves through distinct life stages – infancy, twenties, and thirties – each marked by a different flavor of uncertainty. Initially, there's a sense of being "thrown into this planet" with a vague understanding, quickly replaced by a youthful struggle to "dig out / The man that I could be" and find a "little me." This early phase is characterized by a desperate, loud search for identity. The core tension arises from the contrast between the narrator's perceived progress and the persistent lack of answers. The thirties bring a false sense of mastery, "cruising in the river like a silver trout," only to find the environment suddenly hostile and disorienting: "Overnight the ocean turned out to be / Too dark." This shift from apparent control to being lost in an overwhelming, lightless expanse highlights a deep-seated anxiety about the unpredictable nature of life and the futility of seeking definitive understanding. The repeated, simple refrain "Why this? / Why that? / And why?" acts as a powerful anchor for the song's central theme. It’s not just a passive query but an active, almost frantic plea born from struggle, as seen in the bridge where the narrator is "struggling up the river." The starkness of the questions, devoid of specific context, amplifies the feeling of being overwhelmed by circumstances beyond one's comprehension. The lyrics suggest that the search for a singular "answer" might be the very thing leading to despair. Ultimately, the effectiveness of these lyrics lies in their raw, unvarnished portrayal of existential searching. By tracking the narrator's evolving confusion across different life stages and employing the stark, repetitive chorus, the song captures a universal feeling of being adrift. The craft focuses on the emotional arc from youthful striving to adult bewilderment, making the simple questions resonate with a profound sense of human vulnerability and the ongoing quest for meaning in a seemingly chaotic existence.