Numerous reasons which, when added together, becomes kind of compelling.
I guess the main ones are, firstly, that there is something magic about music. Maybe literally magic. Something about the vibrations and how certain sounds, in certain orders, can really change how one feels or perceives the world. As long as I can remember I've listened to and played music. And someone actually composed every bit of that music so it was a natural progression to want to dabble in that side of things myself. It's also chance to say something about how one sees the world - always a good thing to do as we all see things slightly differently. For me, part of that is trying to make sense of the world, of life, of people and of situations.
Secondly (or is that thirdly?), I love stories. Being able to write songs means there's an outlet for stories that don't quite cut it as a novel, or a short, or even as limerick. There are certain stories that work best as a song.
Next, songwriters are just so cool - be it Dylan or Lennon, Kristofferson or Prine, whomever - who wouldn't want to go in search of some of that cool?
Then, if you're out there gigging and playing other people's songs there comes a time when you just want to try out this thing, see if you've got anything within you that others like, make those gigs that bit more special, personal, original. There comes a moment when playing other people's songs starts to become a bit too juke-box-ish - so you twist their songs inside out, come up with new arrangements, new styles. You play and pay tribute to your heroes. But there's nothing like laying it on the line yourself, opening up your heart and soul, as it were.
Then finally there's the itch. As most people of sound mind would say, this is a heart-breaking, soul-destroying, road to nowhere. It'll get you no money, it'll use up your time. The gigs will pay less than those tribute band gigs ( a lot less money ). You could better use your time watching soap operas and footie - at least you'd have something to talk to your co-workers about in the morning. They - the one's that know - will tell you, if you don't have to do it, then don't do it. You'll be a lot happier. And that's the really reason we do it - we have no choice. We have an itch and it has to be scratched.
That's me, anyway.
Derek