I Can't Tell You Why
Appearance
"I Can't Tell You Why" | |
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Song | |
B-side | "The Greeks Don't Want No Freaks" |
"I Can't Tell You Why" is a song from the Eagles which appeared on their 1979 album The Long Run. The song was written by Timothy B. Schmit, Glenn Frey, and Don Henley, and was the first Eagles song to feature Schmit (bass guitar) on lead vocals.The original album credits for The Long Run (and the CD of the album) list Glenn Frey on guitar solos. In the 1980 promotional video for the song, Schmit is accompanied by Frey (piano), Henley (drums), Don Felder (electric guitar and guitar solos), and Joe Walsh (organ), along with Joe Walsh's touring sideman Joe Vitale (synthesizer). The studio version became a Top 10 hit in April of 1980, reaching #8; the song also appears in live versions on Eagles Live in 1980 and Hell Freezes Over in 1994.
Cover versions
- Country musician Vince Gill covered this tune in 1993 on The Eagles tribute album Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles.
- Female R&B trio Brownstone covered the song in 1995 on their album From the Bottom Up and was a minor hit but their version did not feature the guitar solos and replaced it with soliloquys and repeating the phrase "tell me why".
- Comedian Will Ferrell does a cover in the independent movie Winter Passing. In the film, Ferrell plays a wannabe musician who has trouble singing and playing guitar at the same time. He makes an attempt to do so at an open-mic night at a bar, but at the last second, ditches his guitar and instead sings along with a pre-recorded backing track.
- Filipina pop singer Nina covered it live on her love songs live album, Nina Live!.
- Smooth Jazz Artist Kenny G covered it in 1982 with his first solo album titled "Kenny G".
- Smooth Jazz guitar superstar Larry Carlton cover version released in 2001 with Glenn Frey on organ/piano. Vocals by Shai.
- Chromeo a Montreal based electrofunk duo released a cover for the 2009 installment of !k7.com DJ-KiCKS series.
Personnel
- Timothy B. Schmit: Lead vocals, bass guitar
- Don Henley: Drums, backing vocals
- Glenn Frey: Lead guitar, electric piano, backing vocals
- Don Felder: Electric guitar
- Joe Walsh: Organ, string synthesizer
External links
- Video of "I Can't Tell You Why" from 1980