I Don't Know Why
| "I Don't Know Why" | |
|---|---|
| Single by Stevie Wonder | |
| from the album For Once in My Life | |
| A-side | "My Cherie Amour" |
| Released | January 28, 1969 |
| Recorded | 1968 |
| Genre | Soul, pop |
| Length |
|
| Label | Tamla |
| Songwriter(s) |
|
| Producer(s) |
|
| Stevie Wonder singles chronology | |
"I Don't Know Why" (sometimes listed as "Don't Know Why I Love You") is a song by American singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder, from the 1968 album For Once in My Life . It was released as a single on January 28, 1969, with "My Cherie Amour" on the B-side. A few months later, the single was re-issued with sides reversed because of the growing popularity of "My Cherie Amour", which became a Top Ten hit.[1]
Cash Box stated that "Wonder is softened just a trifle on this slower and more dramatically developing ballad."[2]
Personnel
[edit ]- Stevie Wonder – vocals, clavinet
- The Funk Brothers – all other instruments
Charts
[edit ]The single peaked at No. 39 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song was recorded when Wonder was 18 years old, and became a moderate hit single, together with "You Met Your Match", another song from the album. It also showcases Wonder's talents on the clavinet.
| Chart (1969) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[3] | 48 |
| Canadian Singles Chart][4] | 41 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[5] | 22 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[6] | 20 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[7] | 14 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 [8] | 39 |
| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard )[9] | 16 |
Rolling Stones version
[edit ]| "I Don't Know Why" | |
|---|---|
| Single by the Rolling Stones | |
| from the album Metamorphosis | |
| A-side | "Try a Little Harder" |
| Released | May 1975 (1975-05) |
| Recorded | June 1969 |
| Studio | Olympic, London |
| Genre | Rock |
| Length | 3:01 |
| Label | ABKCO |
| Songwriter(s) |
|
| Producer(s) | Jimmy Miller |
| The Rolling Stones singles chronology | |
A rendition of "I Don't Know Why" by the Rolling Stones is included on their 1975 rarities compilation Metamorphosis . It was recorded on July 3, 1969, during the sessions for Let It Bleed . It was also the night that news broke of former guitarist Brian Jones' death, less than a month after he had been fired from the band.
The song was also used as the B-side for their 1975 single "Try A Little Harder", and peaked at No. 42 on the US Billboard Hot 100.[10]
References
[edit ]- ^ Betts, Graham (2014). Motown Encyclopedia. AC Publishing. pp. 414–415. ISBN 9781311441546.
- ^ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. February 15, 1969. p. 20. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
- ^ "Stevie Wonder – I Don't Know Why" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
- ^ "The RPM 100". RPM. Vol. 11, no. 3. March 17, 1969. p. 5.
- ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Stevie Wonder" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
- ^ "Stevie Wonder – I Don't Know Why" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
- ^ "Stevie Wonder: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 13 April 2021.
- ^ "The Hot 100 Chart". Billboard. March 22, 1969. Retrieved October 7, 2020.
- ^ "Stevie Wonder Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 13 April 2021.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012. Record Research. p. 720.