Don't Ask Me Why (Billy Joel song)

"Don't Ask Me Why"
Single by Billy Joel
from the album Glass Houses
B-side	"Through the Long Night"
Released	1980
Format	7"
Recorded	1980
Genre	Pop
Length	2:59
Label	Columbia Records
Writer(s)	Billy Joel
Producer	Phil Ramone
Billy Joel singles chronology
"It's Still Rock and Roll to Me" (1980) "Don't Ask Me Why" (1980) "Sometimes a Fantasy" (1980)

"Don't Ask Me Why" is a Billy Joel song released in 1980. The lyrics talk about the oddities of life that have become obvious over time. It is more characteristic of a track that would have appeared on Joel's earlier albums in that it has a lighter folk sound as compared to the harder, more rock oriented tracks found throughout the album. The background track contains all acoustic and Latin percussion instruments performing in an Afro-Cuban rhythmic style. An eclectic, instrumental "Latin Ballroom" piano solo, played over the bridge section after the second verse, is also featured part of the song. "Don't Ask Me Why" spent two weeks at number one on the Adult Contemporary chart and went to number nineteen on the Billboard Hot 100.^[1]

It was released as the third single from the album Glass Houses and later included on on Greatest Hits Volume 2.

Chart positions

Chart (1980)	Peak position
Canadian Singles Chart[2]	4
Dutch Singles Chart	42
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	19
U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary	1

Personnel

• Billy Joel: Vocals, Pianos
• Dave Brown: Acoustic Guitar
• Richie Cannata: Keyboards
• Liberty Devitto: Drums and Percussion
• Russell Javors: Acoustic Guitar
• Doug Stegmeyer: Bass Guitar

See also

• List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 1980 (U.S.)

References

1. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Record Research. p. 127. 
2. ^ http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?brws_s=1&file_num=nlc008388.0255a&type=1&interval=24&PHPSESSID=cgsc9om72arnb284jqqpculmj7