Can I ask you a question?
Or more like 20 of them.
These songs ask questions1. And I have the answers.
How Do You Do?
I’m good, thanks for asking! And yourself?
How Do You Sleep?
Honestly? Pretty well these days, thanks to some lifestyle changes. And weirdly, John Lennon’s been asking me the same thing.
What’s the Rumpus?
Great question, sir. I’m hoping we can talk through it when I see you on May 5. I’ll try and re-watch Miller’s Crossing by then.
Can I Kick It?
[Say it with me:] Yes, you can!
How Long Do I Have to Wait for You?
Sorry about that. Traffic.
Who’s Zoomin’ Who?
These days, Aretha, almost everyone. Though some people prefer Google Meet.
Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?
It’s not that I wanna, Prince. And I do know you love me. It’s just … you wouldn’t pass the initiation. You have to purify yourself in the waters of Lake Minnetonka2.
Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?
I am. But to be fair, Taylor, you did say that I should be.
How Long?
Too long.
How Do You?
How do I what?3
D’You Know What I Mean?
Well, lads, considering your lyrics read like they were written after ingesting enough cocaine to kill a small horse, and your interviews require subtitles even though you speak English… let’s just say that no, I am not quite sure what you mean.
I think the song’s advising God on how to be more popular(?!). In any event, it’ll sound amazing on the reunion tour!
Who?
You!
Why?
Why not!
Why Don’t We Do It in the Road?
I think that’s obvious. But I’ll give Macca credit — this is one of (at least!) two songs about car sex in his catalog. The man knows what he likes.
What Good Am I?
If a man with a Nobel (and an Oscar, and countless Grammys) has to ask this, what hope is there for the rest of us?
Will You Love Me Tomorrow?
Yes, Carole, I will.
How Blue Can You Get?
Anywhere from cerulean to midnight.
Is This All There Is?
Yes.
Is This All There Is?
… yes.
Is That All There Is?
Yes, but I appreciate the small variation in your line of questioning.
Do You Realize??
Probably not as often as I should.
Who? Me?
Yes, Tex. You.
Why a playlist of questions? Good, er, question. I was inspired by a recent opportunity to ask Jason Isbell something during the audience q&a portion of his interview on Overheard with Evan Smith on PBS. My question (and his answer) is embedded below, and you can watch the full episode here.
Questions are the answers you might need,
P.L.U.
My rule was that the songs had to have question marks in the title, which meant omitting such punctuation-averse classics as “What’s Going On,” “Is This It,” “Have You Ever Seen the Rain,” “Have You Seen Her,” “Which Will,” “(Was I) In Your Dreams,”
“Can You Get to That,” “Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses,” and “Will the Circle Be Unbroken.”
NSFW-ish.
Look, I get it. When you have a catalog with “Paranoid Android,” “Everything In Its Right Place,” “Pyramid Song,” “Fake Plastic Trees,” etc., etc., a song like this one is understandably forgotten. But if it were by a mid-tier ‘90s grunge band, it might’ve been a hit! Also, the lyrics, um, remind me of someone.
Ever since I reviewed that Strokes record in college, typing "Is This It" without a question mark has made me cry 96 tears.
Today I learned ? & the Mysterians recorded a song called "Do You Feel It" — sans punctuation.