“I Can’t Tell You Why” is a popular R&B-influenced ballad by the American rock band The Eagles, which appeared on their sixth studio album, The Long Run, released in 1979.
Key Information and Context
- Album: The Long Run (1979)
- Writers: Timothy B. Schmit, Glenn Frey, and Don Henley.
- Lead Vocalist: The song is notable as the first Eagles track to feature Timothy B. Schmit on lead vocals. Schmit had recently replaced founding bassist Randy Meisner.
- Genre: Soft Rock / R&B Ballad. The song has a pronounced soul and R&B feel, which Don Henley described as “straight Al Green.” Glenn Frey encouraged Schmit to lean into a Smokey Robinson-like vocal style for the song.
- Release: The song was released as a single in February 1980.
Chart Performance
Although the album was released in 1979, the single’s peak chart performance came in 1980.
- US Billboard Hot 100: Peaked at No. 8 (in April 1980).
- US Adult Contemporary: Peaked at No. 3.
It was the third of three Top 10 singles from The Long Run album (following “Heartache Tonight” and “The Long Run”) and was the group’s last Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 until their 1994 reunion single, “Get Over It.”
The Song Story
Schmit brought the initial title and a partially composed song to the writing sessions for The Long Run, loosely based on his own relationship experiences. Henley and Frey then helped him complete the track during “all night sessions” in the studio. Its soulful delivery and instrumentation, including electric piano (Fender Rhodes) and a melodic guitar solo by Glenn Frey, made it an instant classic and a fan favorite.