"Why I Love You" is a song by American hip hop artists Kanye West and Jay-Z, from their collaborative album Watch the Throne. The song features pop musician Mr. Hudson who is signed to West's GOOD Music label. "Why I Love You" heavily samples French house duo Cassius' 2010 single "I <3 U So", which itself is based upon a sample from the original 1971 version of "I Feel a Song (In My Heart)" by Sandra Richardson. The song almost entirely features Jay-Z rapping and only contains a few lines provided by West. Lyrically, the song is about the people who have stood in the way of Jay-Z throughout the year and expresses themes of victory and anger. This is the last song on the album for the normal version.
Reception[]
The song received generally positive reviews from music critics, who normally praised the production. The song was released as the fifth single from Watch the Throne. The song became a top 40 single on the UK R&B Chart, in Iceland and in Belgium. "Why I Love You" received mostly positive reviews from music critics. Rob Harvilla of Spin commented that "Why I Love You" closes out the album proper with a monster Cassius-lifted chorus." Alexis Petridis of The Guardian stated that the song is "pure pop aggrandisement", musing that "this rather enjoyable piece of maximalism feels quite at home on an album writ so large, both in sound and verse, that a planetarium was deemed the only fitting venue for its first playback." Craig Jenkins of Prefix wrote that "Mike Dean's titanic, Cassius-sampling "Why I Love You" slowly peels layers off its stuffy largess to reveal the gorgeous string accompaniment underfoot. Kanye and his team are still trafficking in proggy, kitchen-sink experimentation, and Kanye's transformation into rap's own ELO is nearly complete." Entertainment Weekly's Kyle Anderson was less enthusiastic about the track, writing that "Everything falls apart on the album-closing "Why I Love You," which cranks up West's love of prog-rock bombast so much that it sounds like guest crooner Mr Hudson is trying to sing the hook over a poorly recorded bootleg of a Muse concert."
Lyrics[]
[Chorus: Mr. Hudson]
Ooooh, I love you so
But why I love you, I'll never know
(Ooooh, I love you so
But why I love you, I'll never know)
Ooooh, I love you so
But why I love you, I'll never know
(Ooooh, I love you so
But why I love you, I'll never know)
[Verse 1: Jay-Z]
Picture, if you will, that the throne's burning
Rome's burning, and I’m sitting in the corner all alone, burning
Why does it always end up like this?
Something that we don’t determine
Same people that I fought for, that I fight for, that I ride for
That I live for, that I die for
Be the reason that these n****s is alive for
And they want me dead, but I’m sorry, but I just can’t die for you
But I can make 'em put their hands in the sky for you
We waiting for the fireworks like July 4th
Get fly more, get high more, cry boy, why for?
When the grief is over, beef is over
I’ll be fly when Easter’s over
I tried to teach n****s how to be kings
And all they ever wanted to be was soldiers
So when love is gone 'til blood is drawn
'Cause we no longer wear the same uniform
Fuck you, squares, the circle got smaller
The castle got bigger, the walls got taller
And truth be told, after all that said
N****s still got love for you
[Chorus: Mr. Hudson]
Ooooh, I love you so
But why I love you, I'll never know
(Ooooh, I love you so
But why I love you, I'll never know)
Ooooh, I love you so
But why I love you, I'll never know
(Ooooh, I love you so
But why I love you, I'll never know)
[Verse 2: Jay-Z & Kanye West]
Showed love to you n****s
You ripped out my heart and you stepped on it
I picked up the pieces 'fore you swept on it
Goddamn, this shit leaves a mess, don’t it?
Shit feelin’ like death, don’t it?
Charge it to the game, whatever’s left on it
I spent about a minute, maybe less on it
Fly, pelican, fly, turn the jets on it
But first I shall digress on it
Wasn’t I a good king?
Maybe too much of a good thing, huh?
Didn’t I spoil you? Me or the money, what you loyal to?
Huh, I gave you my loyalty
Made you royalty and royalties
Took care of these n****s' lawyer fees
And this is how n****s rewarded me, damn
[Chorus: Mr. Hudson]
Ooooh, I love you so
But why I love you, I'll never know
(Ooooh, I love you so
But why I love you, I'll never know)
[Verse 3: Jay-Z & Kanye West]
Bussin’ at me, b-b-b-bussin’ at me
But I’m bulletproof, bitch, you can’t get nothin’ past me
Got body armor
A n***a gotta watch the throne
And I’m bussin’ back
So n****s in a glass house should not throw stones
What do you do when the love turns to hate?
Gotta separate from these fuckin' fakes
Caesar didn’t see it so he ceased to exist
So the n***a that killed him had keys to his shit
Am I my brother’s keeper?
Only if that n***a don’t creep up
Got a pistol under my pillow
I’ve never been a deep sleeper
P-p-p-paranoia, 'cause the n*** that said he’ll
Blast for ya is now blastin' for ya
That’s an assassin for ya
These n**s got a shot, they’ll shoot
Please Lord, forgive him
For these n****s not know what they do, ooh