Story Behind The Song

I wrote it as my first marriage disintegrated and I was trying to decide what to do. I tried to keep my sense of humor about the whole situation.

Song Description

This is a tongue-in-cheek philisophical romp in the style of The Traveling Wilburys with a couple of updates.

Lyrics

WHY AM I HERE?

Words and Music by Roger Ferguson and Billy Anderson

Sometimes I feel like I don?t belong, completely out of place
Like I?m from some other planet or another time in space
Everybody in the world?s in on the joke except for me
I?m a stranger to myself and even to my family.
I must be from another land, somewhere far beyond the sea
It ain?t nothing like New Jersey, but not unlike Tennessee.

Where am I from? Where should I be?
My purpose in this life is still a mystery to me.
Why am I here? I sure don?t know.
If I knew where I was meant to be, that?s right where I would go.

If women are from Venus, I must be the man from Mars
The alien, no not the one who makes those candy bars
My baby she done left me. I can?t even tell you why
Unless, of course, she thought that it was time to say goodbye.
I hope it won?t be long before I figure out my fate
Should I stay or should I go?
I just can?t seem to get it straight.

Where am I from? Where should I be?
My purpose in this life is still a mystery to me.
Why am I here? I sure don?t know.
If I knew where I was meant to be, that?s right where I would go.

There?s got to be some reason. Got to be some rhyme
Some meaning and some purpose for this crazy life of mine.

I wanna hop into a fast black car and drive to I don?t care
Just to leave behind this feeling that I don?t belong nowhere
Tell me what I got in common with the petit bourgeoisie
Tell me that I?m not some interplanetary refugee
Please tell me that you love me - that we stand on common ground
Please let me know somehow that I should even be around.

(Chorus)

© 2004 Where?s Ruth Music