I’ve heard this song a few times now on the Sirius XM “On Broadway” channel, and I love it. It’s from the 1975 musical Shenandoah (which was based on the 1965 film of the same name). It’s a duet between two young boys of different backgrounds. Music by Gary Geld, lyrics by Peter Udell.
Why Am I Me?
Tell you what I’m thinkin’
Honestly and true…
How come I come to life as me
And not to life as you.
Lord, I know the feeling
‘Cause when I’m by myself
I wonder why
I’m who I am
And not somebody else
‘Way down underneath it all
Where no one gets to see
I’ll bet it feels no different
Bein’ you or bein’ me.
Why was I born
When I was born
Who I was born to be
Why was I given
The body I’m livin’ in?
Why am I Gabriel?
Why am I Anderson?
Why am I me, why am I me…
Why am I here
Why am I now
Why am I who you see
Why was I handed
The body I landed in
Why am I Gabriel? (So how come we’re all slaves…)
Why am I Anderson? (And how come we’re all free…)
Why am I me, why am I me, why am I me?
I figured
Somebody puts the “who” into folks,
Like dropping a stone in a lake
So maybe I’m thinkin’
I’m Abraham Lincoln
And somebody made a mistake?
If I were born
Somebody else
Betcha I still would be me
So many beings I know I could be me in.
Why must I be in the being you see me in?
(So how come we’re all slaves
And how come we’re all free)
Why am I me?