Standards
Don't Know Why chords & key
“Don't Know Why” is a jazz standard by Jesse Harris. It is usually played in B♭ major as a ballad, and the 50-bar AAABAA form has 6 sections. In this atlas it appears on 2 album tracks.
Chord changes
Showing in: Concert (C) — B♭ major
In
A
A
×2B
A
×2·
×2⊕
Changes as commonly played (concert pitch). Your band's version may differ.
Harmonic analysis
0Major ii–V–I
0Minor ii–V–i
16ii–V moves
0Tritone substitutions
16Dominant chains
13Different chords
Most used chords
- Gm7×16
- C7×16
- F7sus×12
- B♭×12
- B♭maj7×9
- B♭7×9
Recorded on these albums
| 1970 | Eric Clapton Eric Clapton · “Don’t Know Why” |
| 2026 | Norah Jones in London 2007 Norah Jones · “Don’t Know Why (Jesse Harris Cover)” |
Standards with similar changes
Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.
| Title | Key |
|---|---|
| 52nd Street Theme 29% | C major |
| Don't Blame Me 25% | C major |
| Just You, Just Me 25% | C major |
| When The Saints Go Marching In 25% | F major |
| Across The Alley From The Alamo 24% | F major |
| Easter Parade 24% | B♭ major |
| Flying Home 23% | E♭ major |
| All Of A Sudden My Heart Sings 22% | C major |
Frequently asked questions
What key is Don't Know Why in?
Don't Know Why is usually played in B♭ major. For B♭ instruments that is C major, for E♭ instruments G major.
Who wrote Don't Know Why?
Don't Know Why was written by Jesse Harris.
What is the form of Don't Know Why?
Don't Know Why has 6 sections (AAABAA) with 50 bars in total.
How fast is Don't Know Why played?
The usual groove is Ballad.
What are the chord changes to Don't Know Why?
The opening bars are Bbmaj7 Bb7 | Ebmaj9 D9 | Gm7 C7 | F7sus Bb. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.