This song has been on basically every incarnation of 'Pas Le Second' since it was a concept. It's a rock song with no guitars, because I didn't play guitar back then. Instead, I use distorted synthesizers to create something like a chugging electric guitar, and the lead riff is an altered preset on the Microkorg. Despite the tone of the lyrics, the energy of the song is meant to be upbeat.
The lyrics were vaguely inspired by a breakup, though not directly. I thought the idea of having two perspectives in a song - both the person being broken up with, and the person who has to hear the story over and over again - was interesting. That way you get two sides of the same story.
I think I went a little crazy with the chord progression on this one. The chorus is a 50s progression with a line cliche, and the riff is simply using mixolydian mode, but I feel like I put a lot of interesting chords into the verses! I have no idea what possessed me to do this nor can I really describe the logic. I do remember that I learned what a Neopolitan chord was and I was excited to try it out and thought, "wouldn't this work well in this song?" I think it really provided a sense of drama and tension that helps get us back into the key of C.
The original vocal recording was very glib, so I re-recorded it to be a little more snide and metallic. If I were going to re-record it another time, I would lower the key to Bb. It was really murder to try to hit those notes over and over again!
This song is very old, with the oldest demo I have of it being December 9, 2012. This one has most of the chord progression for the verses and we have most of the chorus as well. The verse still has the C - Ab - C - Ab - Fm progression, but it changes from there. Chorus is still C-Am-F-G with a line cliche in the second part.
By December 16, the riff has been developed but was on a different song called "Welcome to the Butchery" (also the original name of Pas Le Second - I had a low opinion of my music back then). That song never really went anywhere and was not very good, but I liked the riff a lot, and eventually decided to weld that riff to what I had on Why.
By December 25, 2014, the concept had thoroughly changed to 'Pas Le Second' and the song was briefly uploaded. All the backing tracks are laid and the first vocal takes were done. As with the other Pas Le Second songs, I was unsatisfied with the mix and the vocal performance so I took it down and the songs sat for ten more years.
Lyricwise, the first draft I can find is from June 18, 2012, and the chorus is basically the same. The verses are totally different. By February 14, 2013, the verses have reached their modern state but the chorus had changed slightly. September 16, 2013, the lyrics are basically in their final state with minor word swaps.
C Bb B
C Bb B
C Bb B
C Bb B
C Bb B
C F C F
C Ab
I got a friend who says she's above it all
C Ab
Despite her pride, she can't escape love at all
F Fm
It works about as well as you'd expect it to
D G
And when it's over, she never knows what to do
Eb Ab
She looks at me, barely holding back a scream
Eb Eb
She says she still can't figure out what it means
Eb Gb G
That word haunts her in her dreams
C Am F G
Why (why!) did it have to be this time, this place this century this guy this face?
C Am F G
Why did he think that some simple ordinary girl could take my place?
C Am F G
Why did it turn out like it did, oo whoa oh?
Am C+
It could have been ever so marvelous
C D
It could have been ever so fabulous
F G C E
and I ask you why he didn’t believe
Am C+
Instead he thought it wasn’t worth a try
C D
He took the easy road and said goodbye
F G
And all I can ask is why?
C Bb C
C Bb C
C F C F
C Ab
I feel bad because she suffers from heartache
C Ab
But her need to know the truth is giving me a headache
F Fm
I move on very quickly! I do not understand
D G
She might as well write her dissertation on this man
Eb Ab
She looks at me, barely holding back a scream
Eb Eb
She says she still can't figure out what it means
Eb Gb G
That word haunts her in her dreams
Eb Ab
She looks at me, barely holding back a scream
Eb Eb
She says she still can't figure out what it means
Eb
That word haunts her in her dreams
C Am F G
Why (why!) did it have to be this time, this place this century this guy this face?
C Am F G
Why did he think that some simple ordinary girl could take my place?
C Am F G
Why did it turn out like it did, oo whoa oh?
Am C+
It could have been ever so marvelous
C D
It could have been ever so fabulous
F G C E
and I ask you why he didn’t believe
Am C+
Instead he thought it wasn’t worth a try
C D
He took the easy road and said goodbye
F G C
And all I can ask is why?
C Bb C
C Bb C
[Solo]
C Bb C
C Bb C
C Bb C
Am C+
It could have been ever so marvelous
C D
It could have been ever so fabulous
F G C E
and so I'm asking you why he didn’t believe in me
Am C+
Instead he thought it wasn’t worth a try
C D
He took the easy road and said goodbye
F G F G F G N.C.
And all I can ask, all I can ask, all I can ask is why