I don't know why
Sunflower Thieves Lyrics

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Counted all the roses in your garden on my walk last night
After 32 I wasn′t sure if I'd gone wrong or I was right
Eight more minutes passed and then
I chose to leave the numbers up to you
And if you find this in the morning
Write the answer on the back and pass it through

I don′t know why

I don't know why
I don't know why
I don′t know

Taking off my clothes and raising
Both eyes to the sky so I see God
But I didn′t feel a thing beyond
The shape of every pebble I was stood on

I don't know why
I don′t know why
I don't know why
I don′t know

Sat inside and listened to the
Top songs you must hear before you die
I got lost after the first line of the
Second track with nothing on my mind
Plan your life so you can leave the island
With a ticket to a place you'll like
Wait for every other friend and foe to sit beside you
Laugh and say that you were right

I don′t know why
I don't know why

I don't know why
I don′t know

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of Sunflower Thieves’ song I Don’t Know Why create a vivid image of the singer walking through someone else’s garden, counting the roses they come across. The uncertainty of whether they’ve counted correctly or not eventually leads the singer to relinquish control and leave it up to the garden owner to provide the correct answer. The chorus, featuring the repeated refrain “I don’t know why,” gives the impression that the singer is lost, uncertain and searching for answers.

The second verse describes a similar feeling of searching, but this time it’s a spiritual search. The singer strips down and looks to the sky, hoping to connect with God, but finds themselves disconnected and unable to feel anything more than the physical sensation of the ground. Again, the chorus emphasizes this sense of not understanding, not knowing why they’re searching or what they’re searching for.

The final verse seems to suggest a solution to this feeling of disconnection and uncertainty: planning for the future with a sense of purpose. The singer listens to a playlist of essential songs and dreams of leaving the island they’re on for a better place. By waiting for others to join them, the singer finds a sense of validation in being “right” about their choices. However, the chorus once again emphasizes that the singer doesn’t really understand why any of this matters or what it all means.

Overall, I Don’t Know Why paints a picture of a person feeling lost and searching for meaning, but without any clear answers or direction. The garden, sky, and music all seem to hold potential for connection, but ultimately leave the singer feeling unsatisfied.

Line by Line Meaning

Counted all the roses in your garden on my walk last night
I spent last night counting all the roses in your garden during my walk.

After 32 I wasn't sure if I'd gone wrong or I was right
I was unsure whether I counted accurately after reaching 32 roses.

Eight more minutes passed and then I chose to leave the numbers up to you
I stopped counting after eight minutes and decided to leave the rest of the counting to you.

And if you find this in the morning Write the answer on the back and pass it through
If you come across my counting notes in the morning, please write the correct answer on the back and give it to me.

Taking off my clothes and raising Both eyes to the sky so I see God But I didn't feel a thing beyond The shape of every pebble I was stood on
I stripped down and looked up at the sky hoping to feel the presence of God, but instead, I was only aware of the pebbles beneath my feet.

Sat inside and listened to the Top songs you must hear before you die I got lost after the first line of the Second track with nothing on my mind
I sat inside and listened to the top songs everyone should hear before they die, but got lost after the first line of the second track because my mind was blank.

Plan your life so you can leave the island With a ticket to a place you'll like Wait for every other friend and foe to sit beside you Laugh and say that you were right
Arrange your life in a way that you can leave the place you are unhappy with and go to a place that you will enjoy. Wait for everyone to sit around you, be it friends or enemies, and confidently say that you made the right choice.

I don't know why I don't know why I don't know why I don't know
I am unsure why things are the way they are and do not have any answers.

Writer(s): Tom Hammond

Contributed by Sydney K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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