Here we go again: a tragedy in the music world, a tragedy waiting to happen that did. Disturbing headlines before and after leave us scratching our heads and asking why. On the days before her death, Whitney Houston was disheveled, dressed in clothes that didn't match, hair dripping with water or sweat, doing handstands by the pool, waving her arms erratically at a rehearsal, visiting doctors in Beverly Hills and even filling prescriptions at the Michael Jackson-made-famous Mickey Fine Pharmacy. And yes, she checked in to the hotel with a large retinue.

Did they try to stop her? Or did they fill the prescriptions and stock the bar for her? Did they see her behaving erratically? Did...