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Don't You Cry
Big Joe Turner with Harry Van Walls and his Orchestra Lyrics


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Don't you know I care
Or don't you care to know?
If you know I care,
How can you hurt me so.
Darling, you are part of ev'ry breath I take
Will you break my heart
Or give my heart a break?
I can't figure out what love's all about,
and where I fit into your scheme.
Am I wasting time, please tell me



'Cause I'm down to my last dream.
Won't you please be fair,
Love me or let me go
Don't you know I care
Or don't you care to know?

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Big Joe Turner's song "Don't You Cry" with Harry Van Walls and his Orchestra are about the confusion and uncertainty that can come with falling in love. The opening lines, "Don't you know I care / Or don't you care to know?" suggest a sense of frustration and confusion on the part of the singer. He is clearly invested in the relationship, but he doesn't understand why his partner seems to be hurting him.


As the song continues, the singer expresses his feelings of vulnerability and uncertainty. He tells his partner that she is "part of ev'ry breath" he takes and asks her to either "break [his] heart / Or give [his] heart a break." This sentiment is echoed later in the song when he asks if he is "wasting time" and pleads with her to "love [him] or let [him] go."


Ultimately, the lyrics paint a picture of a relationship that is fraught with tension and uncertainty. The singer is clearly invested in the relationship, but he is unsure whether his feelings are being reciprocated. The repeated refrain of "Don't you know I care / Or don't you care to know?" underscores this sense of frustration and confusion.


Line by Line Meaning

Don't you know I care
I love you deeply and with all my heart.


Or don't you care to know?
Or maybe you simply don't care whether or not I love you?


If you know I care,
If you know my heart is yours,


How can you hurt me so.
Why do you insist on causing me pain?


Darling, you are part of ev'ry breath I take
You are such an integral part of who I am that I cannot imagine living without you.


Will you break my heart
Will you shatter my soul, rendering me broken and lost forever?


Or give my heart a break?
Or will you allow me to love you and care for you as you deserve?


I can't figure out what love's all about,
I'm struggling to truly understand what love is and what it means to feel it in my heart.


and where I fit into your scheme.
And I'm not sure where I belong in your life or how I fit into your plans.


Am I wasting time, please tell me
I need to know if I'm investing my love and energy into a hopeless situation.


'Cause I'm down to my last dream.
I'm afraid that my last hope of true love lies with you, and if you don't feel the same way, I'm lost.


Won't you please be fair,
Please treat me with the respect and kindness that I deserve in this difficult situation.


Love me or let me go
Either commit to loving me or give me the freedom to find someone who will.


Don't you know I care
Above all else, know that my love for you is genuine and true.


Or don't you care to know?
Although I'm willing to lay my heart on the line for you, maybe you don't feel the same way and don't want to know.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ANTOINE DOMINO, DAVE BARTHOLOMEW

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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