Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc - "Somebody Tell Me Why" (Part 2 - Analysis & Comments)

Heru Academy, Sept 10, 2017 **** Edited by Azizi Powell Latest revision - February 2, 2024 This is Part !I of a two part pancocojams series about the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. song "Somebody Tell Me Why" That song is sometimes given On YouTube as "Tell Me Why" , "Why Do They Treat Me So Bad", and "I Wanna Know". This post presents my analysis of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. song "Somebody Tell Me Why" and includes selected comments from the discussion thread of the first YouTube video of that song that is showcased in Part I of this pancocojams series. Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/02/omega-psi-phi-fraternity-inc.html for Part II of this pancocojams series. That post showcases four YouTube videos of the Omega Psi Phi song "Somebody Tell Me Why?". My transcription of the lyrics for this song is also included in this post. The content of this post is presented for folkloric, cultural, and aesthetic purposes. All copyrights remain with their owners. Thanks to the composer/s of this song and thanks to all those who are featured in this showcased video. . Thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post. ****MY ANALYSIS OF THE OMEGA PSI PHI SONG "SOMEBODY TELL ME WHY" by Azizi Powell Additions and corrections are welcome. "Somebody Tell Me Why" is an Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. song that voices some of the emotions men feel during the difficult experience of striving to become a member of that fraternity. That song affirms that those difficulties were worth it because the end result is that the person becomes an Omega man. As such, depending on when it was composed and first sung, "Somebody Tell Me Why" could be a reflection of the time when fraternity/sorority hazing was legal and/or could a remnant of the time (probably including the present) when some hazing still occurs but is underground.

General Information About This Song

"Somebody Tell Me Why" is an Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. song that appears to be most often associated with that organization's probates (program that introduce new members to the general public) and Founders Day programs. People who are associated with other Greek letter fraternities and sororities have indicated that they can identify with the words and emotions of "Somebody Tell Me Why". However, the position appears to be that this song should only be sung by people who are associated with Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. Read some of the comments included below] The Earliest Date For This Song The title for the earliest video for "Somebody Tell Me Why" song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvJWPKPAlHE indicates that Kevin McCall sang that song during his Omega Psi Phi probate in 2006.

@kennethwright5770,A commenter in that video's discussion thread (given as comment #41 below) wrote that he sang this song as part of his probate (program in which new members are introduced to the public) in 1993. The lyrics for "Somebody Tell Me Why" is given in Part I of this pancocojams series. Also, click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_McCall for information about singer, songwriter, rapper, and record producer, Kevin McCall).

How This Song Is Sung As is the case with other historically Black Greek letter organizations, "Somebody Tell Me Why" is sung a capella. (One video of this song that is included in Part I of this pancocojams series include finger snapping). The lyrics, tune, and slow tempo for this song are consistent among all of the examples that I have found online.

"Somebody Tell Me Why" has a call & response pattern: a soloist sings a line or a series of lines [the call] and another person or the rest of the group sings the reply [the response] "Zoom Zoom Zoom".

One example that I found at https://www.watchtheyard.com/omegas/treat-bad-alpha-chapter-ques-spring-2013-probate/ "OMEGAS “Why Do They Treat Me So Bad?” Alpha Chapter Ques Spring 2013 Probate", the video shows new members using a call and response pattern in which a soloist sings a line and the rest of the group repeats that line. I don't know whether that way of singing this song is common. This Song's Source (Inspiration)

The Omega Psi Phi song "Somebody Tell Me Why" was undoubtedly inspired by the 1965 Gospel song "Why Am I Treated So Bad". Staple Singers- Why Am I Treated So Bad

piotrgibus, Aug 30, 2007

Montreux Jazz Festival 1981 with Roebuck Staples on solo and Michael Logan on keyboards

**
Click https://www.songfacts.com/facts/the-staple-singers/why-am-i-treated-so-bad for information about the Gospel song "Why (Am I Treated So Bad". Here's a portion of that article. [This song] "is about the Little Rock Nine, the first black students to attend the segregated Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas. In 1957, after in accordance with a Supreme Court ruling outlawing segregation, the nine students enrolled at the school. On the first day of school, they were met with angry protests and blocked by the Arkansas National Guard, as ordered by the governor. President Dwight D. Eisenhower responded by sending federal troops to escort the students into the school three weeks late.

The vitriol the students faced for simply trying to attend an all-white school was shocking, and made national headlines. The incident galvanized the civil rights movement, which drew support from across the nation.

"Why? (Am I Treated So Bad)" was written by the Staple Singers patriarch Roebuck "Pops" Staples in reaction to the protests.

 According to Mavis Staples, this song was a favorite of Dr. Martin Luther King.

Four different versions of this song made the Hot 100 in 1967."...
-end of quote-

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The Underlying Message Of The Song "SomebodyTell Me Why"
"Somebody Tell Me Why" is an example of a sub-set of historically Black Greek letter organization songs that refer to how hard it is pledging that particular organization. 
As such, this song probably was composed prior to 1990  when some form of hazing prospective members was legally done among those organizations. These types of historically Greek letter songs and chants are found in each of the nine fraternities and sororities that are members of the National Pan-Hellenic Council ("The Divine Nine").  

"Somebody Tell Me Why" and similar songs are sung for inspirational purposes. Singing these types of songs have the goal of helping prospective members reinforce the convictions and maintain the strength, fortitude, and perseverance they need to continue on until the end of that "pledging process" when they finally "cross the burning sands" thereby becoming bonafide members of that organization.

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SELECTED COMMENTS FROM A DISCUSSION THREAD ABOUT THIS SONG

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvJWPKPAlHE "Tell Me why? Omega Psi Phi pledge song Kevin McCall XAA FALL O6", published by Kevin McCall,  Nov 23, 2008 iews • Nov 23, 2008

mE SINGIN THE SONG THAT HELPED ME SEE IT THROUGH ROO
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I've added some editorial notes under some of these comments.

Additions, corrections, and your opinions about what I wrote are welcome.

Numbers are added for referencing purposes only.

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1. @Dulcecomolacana, 2008
"ROO to the Bruh, you brought back memories with that"
-snip-
"Roo" is Omega Psi Phi Fraternity's signature call. That call mimics the song that dogs' make, since Omegas positively refer to themselves as dogs and are positively referred to as dogs.  

** 2.@chizucc, 2009 "Yeah Bruh this song help me through it too!  ROO to the BruhZ!!! Keep it up team!"

**

3. @frat4life, 2009 "THAT'S THE ENTHUSIASM THAT KEEPS GOOD BRUHZ GOIN! MAD

PROPS FROM A 20 YR OLD(PLUS) BRUH...

ROO 2 DA GOOD BRUHZ!

MEOW MIX 2 DA CATZ.

ChrisRocK

SPR. 88

FEARLESS PHI KAPPA

2ND D." **

4. @kevinlmccalljr, 2009 "did your history on negro spirituals... and u'll realize this is actually not OUR song just cuz we switch some of the words." -snip- By at least the 1980s, it has become standard to capitalize the letter "n" in that outdated reference to African Americans. Also, I believe that Kevin McCall is referring to the fact that in 1965 Pop Staples composed the Gospel song "Why I Am Treated So Bad". That song is a Gospel song, and not a Spiritual. ** 5. @tyandcee, 2010 "Roo-OOP! I remember our bruhs singing this! brings a tear to my eyes thinking of the tough times! lol" -snip- This comment is written by a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., a historically Black Greek letter sorority that, like Omega Psi Phi, is part of the National Pan-Hellenic Council (informally known as the Divine Nine) is an association of five historically Black Greek letter fraternities and four historically Black Greek letter sororities. Click https://www.nphchq.com/ for information about the Pan Hellenic Association.)

"Roo- OOP" is an example of the custom by which sorority members combine a portion of a fraternity's call with their call or a portion of their call when communicating in written form with that fraternity member. "Roo" is the Omega Psi Phi signature call and "OOP" is a portion of the Delta Sigma Theta signature call. **

6. @CAUECSU, 2010 "I live for Ques signing helps the process!" -snip- “Signing” is probably a typo for “singing”

**

7. @KillKyle712, 2010 "Thumbs up if you were doing the "zoom zoom zoom"

lol" -snip- "Doing the "zoom zoom zoom" - singing that part while watching the video

**

8. @tyandcee, 2010 "@imhim312  alrite

crimsom n cream love! I crossed this spring too! ACE club! OOOOOOO-OOP!" -snip- "Crimsom and cream" are the colors for Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. "Ace" means that the commenter was number 1 on her "line" (the group with which she joined that organization's chapter). "OOOOOOO-OOP!" is the Delta's signature call.

**

9. @bralcox,2010 "Bruh u just don't know how thIZ helped me and my lbs see

it thru. Roo dawg team" **

10. @cmr0608, 2010 "Brother...flashback! I felt ya pain and love at the same time! Brother in Greekdom...plus, you killed! Hear the church in ya voice!" ** 11. @ligon3ice, 2011 "roo dawg. i sang this song on line to persevere through some of those hard but fair nights."

**

12. @DriveAustra,2011 "The emotional connection to this Que and his brotherhood is incredible. You feel it way down in your soul."

**

13. @havic0327, 2011 "I AM A NUPE (KAPPA) AND 4 THE 14 THAT DON'T LIKE THIS ARE

PEOPLE WHO DIDNT GET TO MAKE IT ONLINE... -snip- "Nupe" is a reference to members of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc, another Divine Nine fraternity. The commenter is saying that at the time he wrote his comment, there were fourteen people who pressed the dislike feature for this video [That feature is no longer operable on YouTube.] The commenter is saying that four of those people [probably] didn't make it on to a fraternity or sorority "pledge" line.

** Reply 14. @Ch4rli3heart, 2011 "@POORGEORGIE1 Weak people can't make it through the pledging process."
** 15. @Jimend09, 2011 "looks like theres 14 skaters on here lol" -snip- "14 skaters" in this comment (and at least one other comment in this compilation) refers to the number of people who clicked the dislike button for this YouTube video at that time. That feature is no longer available or seen on YouTube. Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/01/black-fraternities-sororities-chants.html 2015 for the pancocojams post entitled "Black Fraternities & Sororities Chants That Mention Paper, Skating, & Sliding Into Their Organizations".

I believe that people have to be familiar with those terms if they want to understand the underlying but essential meaning of "Somebody Tell Me Why" and other historically Black Greek Letter Organizations (BGLO) "pledge songs. For that reason, I'm quoting this excerpt from a portion of that 2015 pancocojams post:

"What is skating?" [archive] http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/archive/index.php/t-90475.html [hereafter given as Greekchat-skating], it's clear that the old skool ways of pledging historically Black Greek letter fraternities and sororities are still very highly valued and are still very widely practiced underground (in secret). This continues inspite of the very real dangers of serious physical injuries and deaths that continue to result from those pledging/hazing processes, inspite of the consequences of being banned by those organizations' national office if those underground activities became known, and inspite of the probability of the organization being sued. Chants that mention or allude to "paper", "skating" or "sliding" into these organizations make it abundantly clear that the Bglo membership intake process and those who are initiated into D9 organizations by way of that process are largely viewed with considerable disgust and disdain."

**

16. @Enduce40, 2011 "I see you team.... I'm a solo bruh and this is the only

things that help me see it through

Elgin Anderson

Solo

Epsilon Iota

July 18th, 2010 @1:24AM

I'm the first and the last, the beginning and the end,

I'm a solo bruh!" -snip- "Solo" = the only person who joined that chapter at that time

**

17. @DameBrown, 2011 "im not a que but i feel this song" -snip- "Que" = a referent for members of Omega Psi Phi

** 18. @NigerianGoddess21, 2011 "I love the Dogmatic Brothers of Omega

Psiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii Phiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii Fraternity Incorporated!!!!!!"

** 19. @bamenner89, 2011 "respect to the video. PBS is what i rep but i must say this song would help

anybody make it through the troubles of getting in an organization" -snip- "PBS" = Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc, a fraternity that is a member of the Divine Nine.

** 20. @LooseAsADEUCE, 2011 "Im blue phi til the day I die but I gotta admit I felt this, and u can tell he felt it 2. Anybody who had a process can relate to a song like this. ** 21. @trentonkid16, 2011 "This Is the 7foot bruh 2 psi theta fall09 Roo to the good bruhz this song helped me big time for people who didn like this song ur either paper or dudes that dropped" -snip- "Paper" (also described as people who "skated") are insulting terms for people who join a historically Black Greek letter organization by just filling out papers i.e. without any hazing.

** 22. @johnnynupe, 2012 "This songs hold tru for every MAN that krossed those burning SANDS"

** @justincarpenter1271, 2012 "Bruh if you Pledged you definitley can relate to what this Ni-ga* singing about..

Que Alpha Kappa Sigma . Don't matter

I'm an Alpha.. Fall 2011 Alpha Phi .CAU -snip- *This word is fully spelled out in this comment. "Alpha, "Kappa", "Sigma" are names for three other fraternities that are members of the Divine Nine. ** 23. @justinaskew1699, 2012 "Roo dawg...this video was watched everyday for 9 months straight back in the day"

** 24. @16jcrazy,2013 "LOVE ME A QUE DOG!!!"

**

25. @nikkimechele123, 2013 "Bruhhhhhhh!!!;) niiiiiccceeeee gotta let my Dad hear this hepledged in 65 #greek love rqq-skee!! .... -snip- This commenter is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (a Divine Nine sorority), as evidenced by her use of a portion of AKA's signature call "skee" with the Omega's call, hence the call "rqq-skee".

** 26. @clemmiealcorn6949, 2014 "Listen to the words of the song.  I don't think y'all know what that feeling islike, to be a member of this fraternity, where Friendship Is Essential To the Soul. RQQ to all the Good Ques!!!  We don't die we MULITPLY!" -snip- "We don't die. We multiply" is an Omega Phi Psi saying.

** 27. @petedorsey3794, 2014 "Mann itz Crazzy how i was jus Sneaking to watch this ,and jus be on sum whole nother Zone flow. It felt like just yesterday me and my Lb's was at the "SafeHouse" waitng on the Call (Puttin on Them BOBO'S... to get suited and booted. #FLASHBACK... But yeaa RQQ to da Singin BRUHZ ... ALLLLLL da WAY FROM  the GAMMA GAMMA Chapter of Omega Psi Phi on the campus of Grambling State University in North Louisiana .... DEUCE DOGG FALL 12 ' BLACK OPS..O,T,G ReQon aka MC Hamma aka #MrSTLouisiANA aka Pskillz N da Buildin ….

** 28. @roberttaylor5848, 2015 "I've been invited to go through the selection process.  I'm honored and proud.  Your version of the song is truly an inspiration and gave me goose bumps.  IfI am truly blessed I will see you on the other side in 2016.  Thank You for Posting!"

** Reply 29.@camilleparkinson3462, 2016 "Amen Ra did you make it" -snip- Apparently "Amen Ra" was roberttaylor5848's previous screen name. ** Reply 30. @roberttaylor5848, 2016 "Yes I did....Que Psi Phi til I die!"

** Reply @leoncraig6519, 2021 31. "Robert Taylor  RQQ Team"

** 32. @daviddurham2824, 2016 "Never understood this song until I crossed into Omega Land"

** 33. @FleeceThavon48, 2017 "I’m Blu Phi till I die, however I really enjoy hearing this song, to me it encapsulates what it means to be a black in America. Salute to the brothers of Omega Psi Phi." -snip- "Blu Phi" is a positive referent for members of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. that is used by members of that Divine Nine fraternal organization.

**

34. @MILLIONAIREMINDHIVE, 2017 "@waltercadamsjr4941

Those Of Us Who Know…KNOW!!! RQQ!!! 💜💛ome people think that it's some kind of fad or they do it for show.... but those that know truly know how it is to cross the burning sands! Every man has to find his own journey during this process and along the way you will gain some friends...hopefully they will be your 21st friend!" -snip- "Crossing the burning sands" = the final ritual by which a person becomes an official member of that fraternity or sorority

** 35. @yahrielwalton7700, 2018 "I have a question...is it okay to sing the song if youare not a part of the Greek life?" ** Reply 36. @therealistt2.22, 2018 "Yahriel Walton Noooo" ** Reply 37. @joshuahuff607, 2018 "Yahriel Walton Never lol" -snip- Members of one Greek letter organization aren't supposed to sing another Greek letter organization's songs or chants.

** 38. @marcusphillips7032, 2018 "Ever since 02-06-09 this song has been my go to during rough times. Bruhz who truly earned their way into our beloved fraternity know exactly why this song will forever be a source of inspiration for me!!

ROO TO THE BRUZ!! 4-TZ-09!"

**

39. @AP-yy6dk, 2020 "Dawg team singing zoom zoom was made right.  Lol" -snip- To become a member of a historically Black Greek letter organization is equated with being reborn (to be made again). To be made right means that you were "instructed" how to be a member of that organization the right way. **

40. @kennethwright5770, 2021 "5 Kappa Delta fall 93

 I  sang lead or my line  And set this out at our probate" ** 41. @waltercadamsjr4941, 2023 "Those Of Us Who Know…KNOW!!! RQQ!!! 💜💛"

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This concludes Part II of this pancocojams series. Thanks for visiting pancocojams. Visitor comments are welcome.