Don't Know Why

For other uses, see Don't Know Why (disambiguation).

"Don't Know Why" is a song written and composed by American singer-songwriter Jesse Harris that originally appeared on his 1999 album, Jesse Harris & the Ferdinandos. A cover of the song later appeared Norah Jones' debut studio album, Come Away with Me (2002), and was released as her debut single on January 28, 2002.

"Don't Know Why"
Single by Norah Jones
from the album Come Away with Me
B-side	"Lonestar" "Peace" "Cold Cold Heart" "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight" "Crazy" (live)
Released	January 28, 2002 (2002-01-28)
Studio	Sorcerer Sound (New York City) Allaire (Shokan, New York)
Genre	Jazz pop[1]
Length	3:06
Label	Blue Note
Songwriter	Jesse Harris
Producers	Norah Jones Arif Mardin Jay Newland
Norah Jones singles chronology
"Don't Know Why" (2002) "Feelin' the Same Way" (2002)
"Turn Me On" (2003) "Don't Know Why" / "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight" (2003) "Sunrise" (2004)
Alternative cover
Cover art for "Don't Know Why" / "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight"
Audio sample
file help
Music video
"Don't Know Why" on YouTube

Jones' version of "Don't Know Why" peaked at number 30 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and was a critical success, winning three Grammy Awards in 2003 for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the 45th Annual Grammy Awards. "Don't Know Why" was also successful abroad, reaching number five in Australia, number six in Croatia, and number 24 in New Zealand. The song was ranked number 459 in Blender magazine's "500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born".^[2]

Jones' piano-playing has been compared to that of Floyd Cramer, having a "style and grace, a musical maturity not found in many keyboard players today."^[3][4][5]

Music video

A music video directed by Anastasia Simone and Ian Spencer was filmed in February 2002 and released later that year.^[6] It features Norah Jones performing the song on a gray beach at sunrise, on a rocky pier, and at a beach rental stand accompanied by a wooden piano while undersea images are projected onto the walls.

Track listings

UK CD single^[7]

1. "Don't Know Why" – 3:05
2. "Lonestar" – 3:05
3. "Peace" – 3:51

Dutch CD single^[8]

1. "Don't Know Why" – 3:05
2. "Cold Cold Heart" – 3:38

French CD single^[9]

1. "Don't Know Why" – 3:05
2. "Lonestar" – 3:07

Australian CD single^[10]

1. "Don't Know Why"
2. "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight"
3. "Lonestar"
4. "Peace"

UK CD single (2003)^[11]

1. "Don't Know Why" – 3:05
2. "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight" – 3:16
3. "Crazy" (live) – 3:29

Credits and personnel

Credits are lifted from the Come Away with Me album booklet.^[12]

Recording

• Recorded at Sorcerer Sound (New York City) and Allaire Studios (Shokan, New York)
• Mixed at Sear Sound (New York City)
• Mastered at Sterling Sound (New York City)

Personnel

• Jesse Harris – writing, acoustic guitar, electric guitar
• Norah Jones – vocals, piano, production
• Lee Alexander – bass guitar
• Dan Rieser – drums
• Arif Mardin – production, mixing
• Jay Newland – production, mixing, engineering
• Mark Birkey – assistant engineering
• Ted Jensen – mastering

Charts

Weekly charts 2002–2003 weekly chart performance for "Don't Know Why" Chart (2002–2003) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[13] 5 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[14] 56 Croatia (HRT)[15] 6 France (SNEP)[16] 74 Germany (GfK)[17] 82 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[18] 86 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[19] 24 Scotland (OCC)[20] 71 Scotland (OCC)[21] with "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight" 78 UK Singles (OCC)[22] 59 UK Singles (OCC)[23] with "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight" 63 US Billboard Hot 100[24] 30 US Adult Alternative Songs (Billboard)[25] 5 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[26] 4 US Adult Pop Airplay (Billboard)[27] 8 US Pop Airplay (Billboard)[28] 32 2022 weekly chart performance for "Don't Know Why" Chart (2022) Peak position Japan Hot Overseas (Billboard Japan)[29] 20

Year-end charts 2002 year-end chart performance for "Don't Know Why" Chart (2002) Position US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[30] 38 US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[31] 25 US Triple-A (Billboard)[32] 5 2003 year-end chart performance for "Don't Know Why" Chart (2003) Position Australia (ARIA)[33] 77 US Billboard Hot 100[34] 97 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[35] 7 US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[36] 25

Certifications

Certifications and sales for "Don't Know Why"

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[37]	Platinum	70,000‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[38]	Gold	45,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[39] sales since 2009	Platinum	70,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[40]	2× Platinum	60,000‡
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[41]	Platinum	60,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[42] with "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight"	Gold	400,000‡
United States (RIAA)[43]	3× Platinum	3,000,000‡
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Don't Know Why"

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United States	January 28, 2002	Triple A radio	Blue Note	[44]
United Kingdom	May 13, 2002	CD	Parlophone	[45]
United States	June 24, 2002	Hot adult contemporary radio	Blue Note	[46]
	August 5, 2002	Contemporary hit radio		[47]
Australia	February 24, 2003	CD	Parlophone	[48]
United Kingdom (re-release)	September 1, 2003			[49]