Jazz, Pop

Don’t Know Why Chords

Norah Jones Beginner Key of C 5 Chords 3 min read Updated Jul 2026

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Key

C

Difficulty

Beginner

Capo

None

Chords

C · Am · F · G · Dm

Don’t Know Why Chords – Guitar

Norah Jones’s Grammy-winning debut single about longing and missed chances. Beginner difficulty in the key of C.

Jazz Ballad Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a light, relaxed strum to match the song’s mellow feel.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

Am F

I waited ’til I saw the sun

C G

I don’t know why I didn’t come

Am F

I left you by the house of fun

C G

I don’t know why I didn’t come

Am F

I don’t know why I didn’t come

Verse 2

Am F

When I saw the break of day

C G

I wished that I could fly away

Am F

Instead of kneeling in the sand

C G

Catching teardrops in my hand

Chorus

F C

My heart is drenched in wine

G Am

But you’ll be on my mind

F

Forever

Verse 3

Am F

Out across the endless sea

C G

I will be thinking of you

Am F

My heart is beating slowly

C G

I’ve come to feel my home

Chorus

F C

My heart is drenched in wine

G Am

But you’ll be on my mind

F

Forever

Bridge

F C G

Something has to make you run

F C

I don’t know why I didn’t come

F C

I feel as empty as a drum

G Am

I don’t know why I didn’t come

F C

I don’t know why I didn’t come

G Am

I don’t know why I didn’t come

Chorus

F C

My heart is drenched in wine

G Am

But you’ll be on my mind

F

Forever

Practice tip: Practice the Am-F-C-G progression slowly until you can switch chords without pausing the strum pattern.

Frequently Asked Questions

What chords do you need to play "Don’t Know Why"?

You need 5 beginner-friendly chords: C, Am, F, G and Dm.

Is "Don’t Know Why" easy to play on guitar?

It is rated beginner and uses only 5 chords in the key of C, making it a good choice for players at that level.

What key is "Don’t Know Why" in?

It is in the key of C.

Who wrote "Don’t Know Why"?

It was written by Jesse Harris, and released in 2002.

Ctap to play

Amtap to play

Ftap to play

Gtap to play

Dmtap to play

Key

C

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

G-C-E-A

Chords

C · Am · F · G · Dm

Don’t Know Why Chords – Ukulele

Norah Jones’s Grammy-winning debut single about longing and missed chances. Beginner difficulty in the key of C.

Jazz Ballad Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a light, relaxed strum to match the song’s mellow feel.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

Am F

I waited ’til I saw the sun

C G

I don’t know why I didn’t come

Am F

I left you by the house of fun

C G

I don’t know why I didn’t come

Am F

I don’t know why I didn’t come

Verse 2

Am F

When I saw the break of day

C G

I wished that I could fly away

Am F

Instead of kneeling in the sand

C G

Catching teardrops in my hand

Chorus

F C

My heart is drenched in wine

G Am

But you’ll be on my mind

F

Forever

Verse 3

Am F

Out across the endless sea

C G

I will be thinking of you

Am F

My heart is beating slowly

C G

I’ve come to feel my home

Chorus

F C

My heart is drenched in wine

G Am

But you’ll be on my mind

F

Forever

Bridge

F C G

Something has to make you run

F C

I don’t know why I didn’t come

F C

I feel as empty as a drum

G Am

I don’t know why I didn’t come

F C

I don’t know why I didn’t come

G Am

I don’t know why I didn’t come

Chorus

F C

My heart is drenched in wine

G Am

But you’ll be on my mind

F

Forever

Practice tip: Practice the Am-F-C-G progression slowly until you can switch chords without pausing the strum pattern.

Frequently Asked Questions

What chords do you need to play "Don’t Know Why"?

You need 5 beginner-friendly chords: C, Am, F, G and Dm.

Is "Don’t Know Why" easy to play on guitar?

It is rated beginner and uses only 5 chords in the key of C, making it a good choice for players at that level.

What key is "Don’t Know Why" in?

It is in the key of C.

Who wrote "Don’t Know Why"?

It was written by Jesse Harris, and released in 2002.

Ctap to play

Amtap to play

Ftap to play

Gtap to play

Dmtap to play

Key

C

Difficulty

Beginner

Left Hand

Root notes

Chords

C · Am · F · G · Dm

Don’t Know Why Chords – Piano

Norah Jones’s Grammy-winning debut single about longing and missed chances. Beginner difficulty in the key of C.

Jazz Ballad Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a light, relaxed strum to match the song’s mellow feel.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

Am F

I waited ’til I saw the sun

C G

I don’t know why I didn’t come

Am F

I left you by the house of fun

C G

I don’t know why I didn’t come

Am F

I don’t know why I didn’t come

Verse 2

Am F

When I saw the break of day

C G

I wished that I could fly away

Am F

Instead of kneeling in the sand

C G

Catching teardrops in my hand

Chorus

F C

My heart is drenched in wine

G Am

But you’ll be on my mind

F

Forever

Verse 3

Am F

Out across the endless sea

C G

I will be thinking of you

Am F

My heart is beating slowly

C G

I’ve come to feel my home

Chorus

F C

My heart is drenched in wine

G Am

But you’ll be on my mind

F

Forever

Bridge

F C G

Something has to make you run

F C

I don’t know why I didn’t come

F C

I feel as empty as a drum

G Am

I don’t know why I didn’t come

F C

I don’t know why I didn’t come

G Am

I don’t know why I didn’t come

Chorus

F C

My heart is drenched in wine

G Am

But you’ll be on my mind

F

Forever

Practice tip: Practice the Am-F-C-G progression slowly until you can switch chords without pausing the strum pattern.

Frequently Asked Questions

What chords do you need to play "Don’t Know Why"?

You need 5 beginner-friendly chords: C, Am, F, G and Dm.

Is "Don’t Know Why" easy to play on guitar?

It is rated beginner and uses only 5 chords in the key of C, making it a good choice for players at that level.

What key is "Don’t Know Why" in?

It is in the key of C.

Who wrote "Don’t Know Why"?

It was written by Jesse Harris, and released in 2002.

Ctap to play

Amtap to play

Ftap to play

Gtap to play

Dmtap to play

Key

C

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

gDGBD (Open G)

Chords

C · Am · F · G · Dm

Don’t Know Why Chords – Banjo

Norah Jones’s Grammy-winning debut single about longing and missed chances. Beginner difficulty in the key of C.

Jazz Ballad Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a light, relaxed strum to match the song’s mellow feel.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

Am F

I waited ’til I saw the sun

C G

I don’t know why I didn’t come

Am F

I left you by the house of fun

C G

I don’t know why I didn’t come

Am F

I don’t know why I didn’t come

Verse 2

Am F

When I saw the break of day

C G

I wished that I could fly away

Am F

Instead of kneeling in the sand

C G

Catching teardrops in my hand

Chorus

F C

My heart is drenched in wine

G Am

But you’ll be on my mind

F

Forever

Verse 3

Am F

Out across the endless sea

C G

I will be thinking of you

Am F

My heart is beating slowly

C G

I’ve come to feel my home

Chorus

F C

My heart is drenched in wine

G Am

But you’ll be on my mind

F

Forever

Bridge

F C G

Something has to make you run

F C

I don’t know why I didn’t come

F C

I feel as empty as a drum

G Am

I don’t know why I didn’t come

F C

I don’t know why I didn’t come

G Am

I don’t know why I didn’t come

Chorus

F C

My heart is drenched in wine

G Am

But you’ll be on my mind

F

Forever

Practice tip: Practice the Am-F-C-G progression slowly until you can switch chords without pausing the strum pattern.

Frequently Asked Questions

What chords do you need to play "Don’t Know Why"?

You need 5 beginner-friendly chords: C, Am, F, G and Dm.

Is "Don’t Know Why" easy to play on guitar?

It is rated beginner and uses only 5 chords in the key of C, making it a good choice for players at that level.

What key is "Don’t Know Why" in?

It is in the key of C.

Who wrote "Don’t Know Why"?

It was written by Jesse Harris, and released in 2002.

Ctap to play

Amtap to play

Ftap to play

Gtap to play

Dmtap to play

Key

C

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

G-D-A-E

Chords

C · Am · F · G · Dm

Don’t Know Why Chords – Mandolin

Norah Jones’s Grammy-winning debut single about longing and missed chances. Beginner difficulty in the key of C.

Jazz Ballad Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a light, relaxed strum to match the song’s mellow feel.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

Am F

I waited ’til I saw the sun

C G

I don’t know why I didn’t come

Am F

I left you by the house of fun

C G

I don’t know why I didn’t come

Am F

I don’t know why I didn’t come

Verse 2

Am F

When I saw the break of day

C G

I wished that I could fly away

Am F

Instead of kneeling in the sand

C G

Catching teardrops in my hand

Chorus

F C

My heart is drenched in wine

G Am

But you’ll be on my mind

F

Forever

Verse 3

Am F

Out across the endless sea

C G

I will be thinking of you

Am F

My heart is beating slowly

C G

I’ve come to feel my home

Chorus

F C

My heart is drenched in wine

G Am

But you’ll be on my mind

F

Forever

Bridge

F C G

Something has to make you run

F C

I don’t know why I didn’t come

F C

I feel as empty as a drum

G Am

I don’t know why I didn’t come

F C

I don’t know why I didn’t come

G Am

I don’t know why I didn’t come

Chorus

F C

My heart is drenched in wine

G Am

But you’ll be on my mind

F

Forever

Practice tip: Practice the Am-F-C-G progression slowly until you can switch chords without pausing the strum pattern.

Frequently Asked Questions

What chords do you need to play "Don’t Know Why"?

You need 5 beginner-friendly chords: C, Am, F, G and Dm.

Is "Don’t Know Why" easy to play on guitar?

It is rated beginner and uses only 5 chords in the key of C, making it a good choice for players at that level.

What key is "Don’t Know Why" in?

It is in the key of C.

Who wrote "Don’t Know Why"?

It was written by Jesse Harris, and released in 2002.

Ctap to play

Amtap to play

Ftap to play

Gtap to play

Dmtap to play

Key

C

Difficulty

Beginner

Harp Key

C Diatonic

Chords

C · Am · F · G · Dm

Don’t Know Why Chords – Harmonica

Norah Jones’s Grammy-winning debut single about longing and missed chances. Beginner difficulty in the key of C.

Jazz Ballad Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a light, relaxed strum to match the song’s mellow feel.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

Am F

I waited ’til I saw the sun

C G

I don’t know why I didn’t come

Am F

I left you by the house of fun

C G

I don’t know why I didn’t come

Am F

I don’t know why I didn’t come

Verse 2

Am F

When I saw the break of day

C G

I wished that I could fly away

Am F

Instead of kneeling in the sand

C G

Catching teardrops in my hand

Chorus

F C

My heart is drenched in wine

G Am

But you’ll be on my mind

F

Forever

Verse 3

Am F

Out across the endless sea

C G

I will be thinking of you

Am F

My heart is beating slowly

C G

I’ve come to feel my home

Chorus

F C

My heart is drenched in wine

G Am

But you’ll be on my mind

F

Forever

Bridge

F C G

Something has to make you run

F C

I don’t know why I didn’t come

F C

I feel as empty as a drum

G Am

I don’t know why I didn’t come

F C

I don’t know why I didn’t come

G Am

I don’t know why I didn’t come

Chorus

F C

My heart is drenched in wine

G Am

But you’ll be on my mind

F

Forever

Practice tip: Practice the Am-F-C-G progression slowly until you can switch chords without pausing the strum pattern.

Frequently Asked Questions

What chords do you need to play "Don’t Know Why"?

You need 5 beginner-friendly chords: C, Am, F, G and Dm.

Is "Don’t Know Why" easy to play on guitar?

It is rated beginner and uses only 5 chords in the key of C, making it a good choice for players at that level.

What key is "Don’t Know Why" in?

It is in the key of C.

Who wrote "Don’t Know Why"?

It was written by Jesse Harris, and released in 2002.