Jimmie Allen, Darius Rucker and Charley Pride Unite on Stirring ‘Why Things Happen’ [Listen]
Jimmie Allen calls on Darius Rucker and Charley Pride to ask life's existential questions in his powerful new song, "Why Things Happen." The trio doesn't shy away from tough subjects, such as wondering why mothers lose children and why people die in vehicle accidents.
From the haunting opening notes, it's clear that the song will carry weight, which is proven by Rucker's introductory line: "You'll never know when your last breath's gonna fade / Like a July sunset / Or how a tragedy, like gravity, holds you still while the world keeps spinning." It's followed by Pride's storied voice, which adds even more depth to the song's meaning as he ponders how some circumstances leave us with more questions than answers.
Allen then takes lead on the chorus, asking why certain things occur, ultimately altering one's life. He brings the song to an anthemic end as he cries, "Tell me why things happen / How time leaves you / It gets you all confused / In the blink of a moment / Gone 'fore you know it / Hits you right out of the blue / Wonderin' why things happen like they do." Harmonies from Rucker and Pride are sprinkled in, capturing the sentiment of the lyrics.
Allen shared in a TikTok video that he wrote "Why Things Happen" with Cary Barlowe, Tate Howell and Brandon Day the day after Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna were killed in a helicopter crash in January.
"Just questioning life sometimes and things that happen without any understanding," Allen explains of the song's meaning. "I feel like it's healthy to question because we're always going to have questions."
"Why Things Happen" is the fifth song on Allen's new EP, Bettie James. The project also features collaborations with Mickey Guyton, Brad Paisley, Nelly and Tim McGraw, along with Allen's single "This Is Us," a duet with Noah Cyrus. The EP is named after Allen's late grandmother and father, respectively.
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