1.
C               Dm
Why do diamonds come from coal?
F              C
Why is New Mexico?
C           F       Am
Why is fire hot and not
     Bb
   a crystal like the snow?

C                   Dm
Why not three sides to a square?
F               C
Why is the sky above?
C               Am
Why when babies cry
             Bb
  do mothers care
               C
    and why is love?

2.
Why do birds lay eggs?
Why doesn't water run uphill?
Why is money? Why is funny?
   Why is William Bill?

Why chip potatoes? Pick tomatoes?
Lick an ice cream cone?
Why is a crowd so loud?
   Why do I sometimes feel alone?

3.
Why is cheer? Why is fear?
Why is L.S.D.?
Why was Hitler? Why is Buddha?
   Why do you and me?

Why are what? how? who? how often?
When? Which? Where? and Why?
Why is a three year old?
   Why is the Fourth of July?

Why why why why why why why?
   Why is the Fourth of July?

Why? -- Bubby told us that when Jay was little, he would ask "Why...?" so often and about everything that one day she burst out, "Why, why, why, why, why is the Fourth of July?" I wrote this and dedicated it to Jay when he was three. That was decades ago.

This song actually comes in two flavors, which differ slightly but significantly. This is the original "adult" version, as opposed to the more cleaned-up kids' version. The tune is one I borrowed from Tom Allen's Universal Unity -- which I sometimes append to the above, as an answer; I'll put that up here sometime if he'll permit. I've used the tune for some other songs, too, and Tom said it was okay. First web publication ©1997 Mar 17. Offline for a long time, re-published on mindfulwebworks.com 2007 Apr 12.