Don't Know Why
Song written and composed by Jesse Harris, popularized by Norah Jones
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"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 on Norah Jones' debut studio album, Come Away with Me (2002), and was released as her debut single on January 28, 2002.
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- "Lonestar"
- "Peace"
- "Cold Cold Heart"
- "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight"
- "Crazy" (live)
- Sorcerer Sound (New York City)
- Allaire (Shokan, New York)
| "Don't Know Why" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by Norah Jones | ||||
| from the album Come Away with Me | ||||
| B-side |
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| Released | January 28, 2002 | |||
| Studio |
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| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:06 | |||
| Label | Blue Note | |||
| Songwriter | Jesse Harris | |||
| Producers |
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| Norah Jones singles chronology | ||||
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| Alternative cover | ||||
 Cover art for "Don't Know Why" / "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight" | ||||
| Audio sample | ||||
| 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]
- "Don't Know Why" – 3:05
- "Lonestar" – 3:05
- "Peace" – 3:51
Dutch CD single[8]
- "Don't Know Why" – 3:05
- "Cold Cold Heart" – 3:38
French CD single[9]
- "Don't Know Why" – 3:05
- "Lonestar" – 3:07
Australian CD single[10]
- "Don't Know Why"
- "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight"
- "Lonestar"
- "Peace"
UK CD single (2003)[11]
- "Don't Know Why" – 3:05
- "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight" – 3:16
- "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
|
Year-end charts
|
Certifications
| 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
| 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] |