I Ca n't Tell You Why - wikipedia I Ca n't Tell You Why `` I Ca n't Tell You Why '' Single by Eagles from the album The Long Run B - side `` The Greeks Do n't Want No Freaks '' Released February 8, 1980 Format 7 '' Recorded March 1978 Genre Blue - eyed soul Length 4 : 30 ( 7 `` ) 4 : 56 ( LP ) Label Asylum Records Songwriter ( s ) Timothy B. Schmit, Glenn Frey, Don Henley Producer ( s ) Bill Szymczyk Eagles singles chronology `` The Long Run '' ( 1979 ) `` I Ca n't Tell You Why '' ( 1980 ) `` Seven Bridges Road '' ( 1980 ) `` The Long Run '' ( 1979 ) `` I Ca n't Tell You Why '' ( 1980 ) `` Seven Bridges Road '' ( 1980 ) `` I Ca n't Tell You Why '' is a song by the American rock band Eagles which appeared on their 1979 album The Long Run. The song was written by band members Timothy B. Schmit, Glenn Frey, and Don Henley. Recorded in March 1978, it was the first song finished for the album and the first Eagles song to feature Schmit on lead vocals. The studio version became a Billboard Top 10 hit in April 1980, reaching number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 3 on the Adult Contemporary chart. It is their last Top Ten hit on the Hot 100. The original key of the song is D major. Contents 1 Background 2 Track listing 3 Covers 4 Personnel 5 Chart performance 5.1 Weekly charts 5.2 Year - end charts 6 References 7 External links Background Timothy B. Schmit came up with the song title and composed the nucleus of `` I Ca n't Tell You Why '', which he then presented to Glenn Frey and Don Henley and they completed the song together. Henley described the finished song as `` straight Al Green '', and that Frey, an R&B fan as he came from Detroit and grew up with the music, was responsible for the R&B feel of the song. Frey said to Schmit : `` You could sing like Smokey Robinson. Let 's not do a Richie Furay, Poco - sounding song. Let 's do an R&B song. '' Schmit describes the song as `` loosely based on my own experiences ''. Schmit said : `` I had some writing sessions with Don and Glenn and I threw out a bunch of my ideas and that one ( for `` I Ca n't Tell You Why '' ) stuck. I had ( composed ) a pretty good part of it, not a huge part but enough for them to think ' That could be good ' and go with it. So Don, Glenn and I finished it over a few all night sessions. '' `` When it was being developed in the studio... I knew it was a great song. I ( thought ) ' Yes ! This is an amazing debut for me. ' When we finally mixed it, we had a little listening party at the studio. As people were hearing it, Don turned to me and said, ' There 's your first hit. ' '' Schmit sang the lead vocals on the song, with Frey and Henley singing counterpoint. Schmit also played the bass on the track, which has the distinctive bass riff believed by Schmit to have been devised by Frey. According to Henley, Frey came up with the counterpart on the song, and played the guitar solo on the song. In 1980 the band promoted the song with a music video which featured Schmit on bass guitar accompanied by Frey on the electric piano, although Frey recorded the guitar solos as it is printed on the LP inside sleeve ( Joe Walsh played all the keyboard parts on the actual studio recording ), with Henley on the drums, Don Felder on the electric guitar, Walsh on the organ and Walsh 's touring sideman Joe Vitale on synthesizer. Live versions of the song were released in the 1980 album Eagles Live and 1994 's Hell Freezes Over. Schmit also performed `` I Ca n't Tell You Why '' while on tour as a member of Ringo Starr & His All - Starr Band in 1992. Their performance of the song was included on the 1993 live album Ringo Starr and His All Starr Band Volume 2 : Live from Montreux. Track listing 7 '' single ( 45 - 1965 / AS 12.418 / K 12418 / E-46608 ) Side A No. Title Writer ( s ) Length 1. `` I Ca n't Tell You Why '' Frey, Henley, Schmit 4 : 30 Side B No. Title Writer ( s ) Length 2. `` The Greeks Do n't Want No Freaks '' Frey, Henley 2 : 20 7 '' promo ( E-46608 ) Side A No. Title Writer ( s ) Length 1. `` I Ca n't Tell You Why '' ( Mono ) Frey, Henley, Schmit 4 : 30 Side B No. Title Writer ( s ) Length 2. `` I Ca n't Tell You Why '' ( Stereo ) Frey, Henley, Schmit 4 : 30 Covers In 1990 R&B singer Howard Hewett covered `` I Ca n't Tell You Why '' which is on his Very Best of Howard Hewett album. It peaked at number 24 on the Billboard Hot R&B / Hip - Hop Singles & Tracks. In 1993 `` I Ca n't Tell You Why '' was covered by American country music artist Vince Gill for the Eagles tribute album Common Thread : The Songs of the Eagles. Schmit sang backing vocals on the recording. This version went to number 51 on the Hot Country Songs chart. In 1995 R&B group Brownstone covered the song on their debut album, From the Bottom Up. Their version reached number 54 on the Billboard Hot 100, number 22 on the Hot R&B chart and number 27 in the UK Top 75. In 2015 Canadian jazz pianist and singer Diana Krall covered the song on her album Wallflower. Her version reached number 10 on the Billboard Smooth Jazz chart. Personnel Timothy B. Schmit : bass guitar, lead vocals Glenn Frey : lead guitar, backing vocals Don Henley : drums, backing vocals Don Felder : rhythm guitar Joe Walsh : Hammond organ, Fender Rhodes electric piano, string synthesizer ( Walsh played all keyboard parts on the studio recording. ) Chart performance Weekly charts Chart ( 1980 ) Peak position Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) 5 Canada Adult Contemporary ( RPM ) Netherlands ( Single Top 100 ) 49 New Zealand ( Recorded Music NZ ) 11 US Billboard Hot 100 8 US Adult Contemporary ( Billboard ) Year - end charts Chart ( 1980 ) Rank Canada RPM Top Singles 43 US Billboard Hot 100 62 References Jump up ^ `` 0 / 1 : 5 essential Eagles albums - ' Hotel to ' Border ' ''. AZCentral. Jump up ^ Ruhlmann, William. The Long Run at AllMusic. Retrieved 2013 - 10 - 22. Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 2002 ). Top Adult Contemporary : 1961 -- 2001. Record Research. p. 84. ISBN 0898201497. Jump up ^ Glazer, Mitchell ( July 1983 ). `` Don Henley Musician Interview ''. Musician. ^ Jump up to : Crowe, Cameron ( August 2003 ). `` Conversations With Don Henley and Glenn Frey ''. The Uncool. Jump up ^ `` Timothy B. Schmit of the Eagles ''. SongFacts.com. Retrieved June 10, 2014. ^ Jump up to : `` The Eagles Timothy B. Schmit talks about The Long Run, his solo career & life as an Eagle ''. LegendaryRockInterviews.com. Retrieved June 10, 2014. Jump up ^ `` Interview : Timothy B. Schmit on playing with The Eagles, solo touring ''. MusicRadar.com. Retrieved June 10, 2014. ^ Jump up to : `` I Ca n't Tell You Why '' at Discogs ( list of releases ) Jump up ^ The Very Best of Howard Hewett at AllMusic. Retrieved 2015 - 02 - 25. Jump up ^ Whitaker, Sterling. `` Remember When Vince Gill Covered the Eagles ? ''. Taste of Country. Jump up ^ Common Thread : The Songs of the Eagles at AllMusic. Retrieved 2013 - 10 - 22. Jump up ^ From the Bottom Up at AllMusic. Retrieved 2013 - 10 - 22. Jump up ^ `` Diana Krall : I Ca n't Tell You Why ''. Billboard Smooth Jazz Songs - Billboard.com. Retrieved April 4, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Top RPM Singles : Issue 0153a. '' RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Jump up ^ `` Top RPM Adult Contemporary : Issue 4712. '' RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Jump up ^ `` Dutchcharts.nl -- Eagles -- I Ca n't Tell You Why '' ( in Dutch ). Single Top 100. Jump up ^ `` Charts.org.nz -- Eagles -- I Ca n't Tell You Why ''. Top 40 Singles. Jump up ^ `` Eagles Chart History ( Hot 100 ) '' Billboard. Jump up ^ `` Eagles Chart History ( Adult Contemporary ) '' Billboard. Jump up ^ `` Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada ''. Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 16. Jump up ^ `` Pop Singles '' Billboard December 20, 1980 : TIA - 10 External links Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Eagles Glenn Frey Don Henley Bernie Leadon Randy Meisner Don Felder Joe Walsh Timothy B. Schmit Studio albums Eagles Desperado On the Border One of These Nights Hotel California The Long Run Long Road Out of Eden Live albums Eagles Live Hell Freezes Over Farewell 1 Tour - Live from Melbourne Compilation albums Their Greatest Hits ( 1971 -- 1975 ) Eagles Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 The Very Best of the Eagles Selected Works : 1972 -- 1999 The Very Best Of Eagles Singles `` Take It Easy '' `` Witchy Woman '' `` Peaceful Easy Feeling '' `` Tequila Sunrise '' `` Outlaw Man '' `` Already Gone '' `` James Dean '' `` Best of My Love '' `` One of These Nights '' `` Lyin ' Eyes '' `` Take It to the Limit '' `` New Kid in Town '' `` Hotel California '' `` Life in the Fast Lane '' `` Please Come Home for Christmas '' `` Heartache Tonight '' `` The Long Run '' `` I Ca n't Tell You Why '' `` Seven Bridges Road '' `` Get Over It '' `` Love Will Keep Us Alive '' `` Hole in the World '' `` How Long '' `` Busy Being Fabulous '' Other songs `` Desperado '' `` Ol ' ' 55 '' `` The Last Resort '' `` In the City '' Tours Long Road Out of Eden Tour History of the Eagles Tour Related Discography Poco Linda Ronstadt Flying Burrito Brothers Common Thread : The Songs of the Eagles History of the Eagles Heaven and Hell : My Life in the Eagles ( 1974 -- 2001 ) Book Vince Gill Studio albums The Things That Matter The Way Back Home When I Call Your Name Pocket Full of Gold I Still Believe in You When Love Finds You High Lonesome Sound The Key Let 's Make Sure We Kiss Goodbye Next Big Thing These Days Guitar Slinger Bakersfield Down to My Last Bad Habit Compilation albums The Essential Vince Gill Souvenirs Icon Christmas albums Let There Be Peace on Earth Breath of Heaven : A Christmas Collection ' Tis the Season Extended plays Turn Me Loose Notable singles `` True Love '' `` If It Were n't for Him '' ( with Rosanne Cash ) `` Oklahoma Borderline '' `` Cinderella '' `` Let 's Do Something '' `` Everybody 's Sweetheart '' `` The Radio '' `` Never Alone '' `` Oklahoma Swing '' ( with Reba McEntire ) `` When I Call Your Name '' `` Never Knew Lonely '' `` Pocket Full of Gold '' `` Liza Jane '' `` Look at Us '' `` Take Your Memory with You '' `` I Still Believe in You '' `` Do n't Let Our Love Start Slippin ' Away '' `` No Future in the Past '' `` One More Last Chance '' `` Tryin ' to Get Over You '' `` Whenever You Come Around '' `` What the Cowgirls Do '' `` When Love Finds You '' `` Which Bridge to Cross ( Which Bridge to Burn ) '' `` You Better Think Twice '' `` Go Rest High on That Mountain '' `` High Lonesome Sound '' `` Worlds Apart '' `` Pretty Little Adriana '' `` A Little More Love '' `` You and You Alone '' `` If You Ever Have Forever in Mind '' `` Kindly Keep It Country '' `` Do n't Come Cryin ' to Me '' `` My Kind of Woman / My Kind of Man '' ( with Patty Loveless ) `` Let 's Make Sure We Kiss Goodbye '' `` Feels Like Love '' `` Shoot Straight from Your Heart '' `` Next Big Thing '' `` Someday '' Guest singles `` The Heart Wo n't Lie '' ( with Reba McEntire ) `` House of Love '' ( with Amy Grant ) `` I Will Always Love You '' ( with Dolly Parton ) `` It 's Not Over '' ( with Mark Chesnutt and Alison Krauss `` No Place That Far '' ( with Sara Evans ) `` Building Bridges '' ( with Brooks & Dunn and Sheryl Crow ) `` Do n't Rush '' ( with Kelly Clarkson ) `` I Just Ca n't Help Believing '' ( with B.J. Thomas ) `` Sober Saturday Night '' ( with Chris Young ) Other songs `` Here We Are '' `` I Ca n't Tell You Why '' Related articles Discography RCA Records MCA Records Pure Prairie League The Notorious Cherry Bombs The Notorious Cherry Bombs Book : Vince Gill Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=I_Can%27t_Tell_You_Why&oldid=807231188 '' Categories : 1979 songs 1980 singles 1993 singles 1995 singles Eagles ( band ) songs Vince Gill songs Brownstone ( group ) songs Songs written by Glenn Frey Songs written by Don Henley Asylum Records singles Song recordings produced by Bill Szymczyk Hidden categories : Use mdy dates from December 2014 Articles with hAudio microformats All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from February 2016 Track listings with deprecated parameters Singlechart usages for Canadatopsingles Singlechart usages for Canadaadultcontemporary Singlechart usages for Dutch100 Singlechart usages for New Zealand Singlechart usages for Billboardhot100 Singlechart usages for Billboardadultcontemporary Talk Contents About Wikipedia Italiano Norsk nynorsk Português Edit links This page was last edited on 26 October 2017, at 18 : 45. 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Question: who sang lead on i can't tell you why
Answer: Timothy B. Schmit