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Don't Ask Me Why (Billy Joel song)

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Released
  
July 24, 1980

Recorded
  
1980

Format
  
7"

Length
  
2:59

Genre
  
Pop rock, soft rock, folk rock

"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 song supported public perception that Joel was a middle-of-the-road artist. 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 in part of the song; Joel states that the mix for the midsection includes "fifteen pianos overdubbed on top of each other." The song spent two weeks at number one on the Adult Contemporary chart and peaked at number nineteen on the Billboard Hot 100.

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

Personnel

  • Billy Joel - vocals, piano, Yamaha electric grand piano
  • David Brown - acoustic guitar
  • Liberty DeVitto - maracas, bass drum, triangle, claves, ratchet, temple blocks
  • Russell Javors - acoustic guitar
  • Doug Stegmeyer - bass
  • References

    Don't Ask Me Why (Billy Joel song) Wikipedia


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