You can say the human heart is only make-believe
And I am only fighting fire with fire But you are still the victim of the accidents you leave As sure as I'm a victim of desire Billy returns to pure pop with "Don't Ask Me Why" which sounds a bit like Paul McCartney. The song has a Latin beat and rhythm, and sounds a bit out of place on Glass Houses. The piano interlude, with castanets in the background, sounds like a vampy ballroom number. It is a carefree tune, musically and lyrically.
Don't ask me what the lyrics mean, though I think it's about phoniness and pretension (see also "Big Man on Mulberry Street"). Billy speaks about a person who fools everyone into believing he (or she) is hot stuff as they throw roses at his feet, but is actually "no stranger to the street" and whose "ghosts have gone away." Maybe a fan will ask him about the song's meaning at a future MasterClass. Update: On SiriusXM radio in January 2016, Billy stated that "Don't Ask Me Why" was more figurative than literal. It was a "stream of consciousness" song, with various thoughts that came to him. He also said the Spanish or Latin feel, including the ballroom-dancing like piano solo, was influenced by time he had spent in Madrid. Billy Joel on "Don't Ask Me Why." Subscribe to SiriusXM.
The song was released as a single on July 24, 1980 and reached #19 on the US charts. One fan apparently really enjoys the song, creating a YouTube playlist of the song.
In 2018, Billy dedicated "Don't Ask Me Why" to his daughter Della Rose (born 2015) at his 100th show at Madison Square Garden. It is her favorite song. Billy has three daughters: Alexa Ray, Della Rose, and Remy Anne.
Della Rose Joel (2015). Photo: Myrna Suarez.
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Words and Music by Billy Joel
All the waiters in your grand cafe
Leave their tables when you blink Every dog must have his every day Every drunk must have his drink Don't wait for answers Just take your chances Don't ask me why All your life you've had to stand in line Still you're standing on your feet Oh, all your choices make you change your mind Now your calendar's complete Don't wait for answers Just take your chances Don't ask me why You can say the human heart is only make-believe And I am only fighting fire with fire You are still the victim of the accidents you leave As sure as I'm a victim of desire All the servants in your new hotel Throw their roses at your feet Fool them all but baby I can tell You're no stranger to the street Don't ask for favors Don't talk to strangers Don't ask me why Yesterday you were an only child Now your ghosts have gone away Oh, you can kill them in the classic style Now you parlez-vous francais Don't look for answers You took your chances Don't ask me why Don't ask me why Vertical Divider
A cute rendition of "Don't Ask Me Why" by Della Rose Joel (2018).
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