I Don't Know Why (I Just Do)

"I Don't Know Why (I Just Do)" is a 1931 popular song.

The music was written by Fred E. Ahlert, the lyrics by Roy Turk. The song was published in 1931. It had three periods of great popularity: in 1931, right after its publication; in 1946; and in 1961^[1] into 1962.

In 1931, the biggest-selling version was either by Russ Columbo^[1] or by Wayne King;^[2] both versions and recordings by Benny Krueger's orchestra (with a vocal by Smith Ballew) and by Kate Smith all had significant popularity.^[1]

In September 1943, Frank Sinatra sang this song on the radio series A Date with Judy.

In 1946, three versions, by Tommy Dorsey's orchestra (with a vocal by Stuart Foster), by Frank Sinatra, and by Skinnay Ennis, all contended for popularity.^[1]

In 1961, a US hit recording was issued by Linda Scott. It reached a peak position #12 in 8 weeks on the Billboard chart;^[3][4] The song has been recorded by many artists (ranging from country-blues legends like Moon Mullican and Jerry Lee Lewis to Dean Martin) and is now a standard.

Recorded versions

• The Andrews Sisters and Vic Schoen's orchestra (recorded May 8, 1946, released by Decca Records as catalog number 18899A, with the flip side "Azusa"^[5])
• The Aristocrats (recorded September 1, 1931, released by Romeo Records as catalog number 1711, with the flip side "Let's Drift Away on Dreamer's Bay"^[6])
• Georgie Auld and his orchestra (recorded April 30, 1946, released by Musicraft Records as catalog number 15078, with the flip side "Just You, Just Me"^[7])
• Hoagy Carmichael and his orchestra (released by ARA Records as catalog number 148, with the flip side "I Can't Get Started"^[8])
• Larry Clinton and his orchestra (released by Cosmo Records as catalog number 704, with the flip side "More Than You Know"^[9])
• King Cole Trio (released by Capitol Records as catalog number 1030, with the flip side "You're the Cream in My Coffee"^[10])
• Russ Columbo (recorded September 3, 1931, released by Victor Records as catalog number 22801,^[1] with the flip side "Guilty"^[11])
• Eddie Davis Trio (recorded August 16, 1955, released by King Records as catalog number 4832, with the flip side "It's a Pity to Say Goodbye"^[12])
• Jimmie Davis (recorded March 6, 1953, released by Decca Records as catalog number 29157, with the flip side "Just Between You and Me"^[13])
• The Deep River Boys (featuring Harry Douglass) (released October 1959 by Top Rank Records as catalog number JAR174, with the flip side "Timbers Gotta Roll"^[14])
• The Delicates (released 1961 by Roulette Records as catalog number 4387, with the flip side "Strange Love"^[15])
• The DeMarco Sisters with Bud Freeman (recorded October 1945, released by Majestic Records as catalog number 7194, with the flip side "Chiquita Banana"^[16])
• Hal Denman and his orchestra (recorded November 27, 1931, released by Supertone Records as catalog number 2768, with the flip side "How's Your Uncle?"^[17])
• Lou Donaldson on his 1995 album Caracas
• Tommy Dorsey and his orchestra (vocal: Stuart Foster; recorded April 16, 1946, released by RCA Victor Records as catalog number 20-1901, with the flip side "Remember Me"^[18])
• Skinnay Ennis and his orchestra (released by Signature Records as catalog number 15033B, with the flip side "Got a Date with an Angel"^[19])
• Erroll Garner Trio (recorded June 28, 1950, released by Columbia Records as catalog numbers 39038, with the flip side "When Johnny Comes Marching Home,"^[20] and 39168, with the flip side "It Could Happen to You"^[20])
• Ken Griffin (recorded April 1953, released by Columbia Records as catalog number 40101, with the flip side "It Had to Be You"^[21])
• Annette Hanshaw (recorded September 22, 1931, released by Harmony Records as catalog number 1376-H, with the flip side "Guilty"^[22])
• Eddie Heywood (recorded May 29, 1946, released by Decca Records as catalog number 23590, with the flip side "Loch Lomond"^[23])
• Eden Kane (recorded 1961, released by Decca Records in Britain as catalog number F 11460, with the flip side "Music For Strings". In early 1962, this version reached the British Top 10, peaking at #7 with his version.^[24]
• Lloyd Keating and his orchestra (recorded August 20, 1931, released by Clarion Records as catalog number 11002, with the flip side "Love Letters in the Sand"^[25])
• Wayne King (recorded September 3, 1931, released by Victor Records as catalog number 22817,^[1][2] with the flip side "Guilty"^[11])
• Benny Krueger and his orchestra (vocal: Smith Ballew; recorded September 14, 1931, released by Brunswick Records as catalog number 6185,^[1] with the flip side "I Idolize My Baby's Eyes"^[26])
• Dean Martin (from Dream with Dean, released by Reprise Records RSD2014)
• Tony Martin with Al Sack's Starlight Orchestra (recorded April 1946, released by Mercury Records as catalog numbers 3019^[27] and 5034,^[28] both with the flip side "Without You"^[27][28])
• Kenzie Moore with Joe Dyson’s Band (recorded January 1953, released by Specialty Records as catalog number 456, with the flip side "Let It Lay"^[29])
• Leon Payne (released by Capitol Records as catalog number 1405, with the flip side "If I Could Only Live My Life Over"^[10])
• The Platters (From Volume Two, released by Mercury Records as catalog number 20216 ^[30])
• The RadioLites (recorded September 18, 1931, released by Columbia Records as catalog number 2540-D, with the flip side "Love Letters in the Sand"^[31])
• The Ravens (recorded September 1947, released by National Records as catalog number 9059, with the flip side "How Could I Know?"^[32])
• Linda Scott (released by Canadian-American Records as catalog number 129^[3][4])
• Bobby Sherwood and his orchestra (recorded May 5, 1942, released by Capitol Records as catalog number 107, with the flip side ""^[33])
• Frank Sinatra (recorded July 30, 1945, released by Columbia Records as catalog number 36918, with the flip side "You Go to My Head"^[34])
• Kate Smith (recorded September 15, 1931, released by Columbia Records as catalog number 2539-D,^[1] with the flip side "You Call It Madness"^[31])
• Claude Thornhill and his orchestra (recorded July 25, 1942, released by Columbia Records as catalog number 36858, with the flip side "Buster's Last Stand"^[34])
• Al Trace's Silly Symphonists (released by Hit Records as catalog number 8081A, with the flip side "Sugar Blues"^[35])
• Billy Williams Quartet (released by Mercury Records as catalog number 70012, with the flip side "Mad About Cha"^[36])
• Country Joe McDonald (Paris Sessions) (1973) (Vanguard Records)
• Jeff Goldblum & the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra and Ariana Grande (released by Decca Records on April 24, 2025)^[37]

Translations

It was translated into French and performed as "Je ne sais pas pourquoi" by Georges Beauchemin in 1932, and Charles Trenet in 1946.^[38]