You Don't Know Me
Armand van Helden Lyrics


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You don't even know me
You say that I'm not living right
You don't understand me
So why do you judge my life?

I don't ask for nothing
I'm always holding my own
Every time I turn around, there's something
People talking 'bout what they don't know

And when I try to move on up
They're always pullin' me down
I'm tired and I had enough
It's my life, and I'm living it now

You don't even know me
You say that I'm not living right
You don't understand me
So why do you judge my life?

I always wonder why people try to hurt me
No happiness in their own lives
So they act out all their jealousy
Who are you to say that I'm living wrong?

Always telling me what to do
I decided that I gotta be strong
What makes you think that I needed you?
You don't know me

You don't even know me
You say that I'm not livin' right
You don't understand me
So why do you judge my life

You don't even know me
You say that I'm not living right
You don't understand me
So why do you judge my life?

Who are you?
You say I'm not livin' right
Anything I try to do
You haven't walked in my shoes

I'm gonna move on
It's my life, it's my life
It's my life, it's my life
It's my life, it's my life

Ah

You don't even know me
You say that I'm not living right
You don't understand me
So why do you judge my life?

You don't even know me
You say that I'm not living right
You don't understand me
So why do you judge my life?





You don't even know me

Overall Meaning

Armand van Helden's "You Don't Know Me" is a song that tackles the issue of being misunderstood and judged by others. The lyrics revolve around the singer's clueless accusers who criticize their lifestyle and choices despite not knowing them personally. The lines "You don't even know me, You say that I'm not living right, You don't understand me, so why do you judge my life?" highlight the frustration of being misjudged, and the disregard for other people's feelings.


The song captures the universal experience of dealing with negative criticisms and people's unsolicited opinions. The lyrics, "I'm always holding my own, Every time I turn around, there's something, People talking 'bout what they don't know," speak to the feeling of people always having something to say about the singer's life, making it hard to move forward. However, the character's drive to move on and build a life for themselves is admirable: "I decided that I gotta be strong, What makes you think that I needed you?"


In summary, "You Don't Know Me" is an anthem of empowerment, encouraging listeners to live their lives as they please without worrying about what others think.


Line by Line Meaning

You don't even know me
You have no real understanding of who I am and what I stand for.


You say that I'm not living right
You criticize my lifestyle and decisions without being familiar with the context of my life.


You don't understand me
You lack the knowledge and empathy to comprehend who I am and what I go through on a daily basis.


So why do you judge my life?
If you don't know me and my situation, why do you feel like you have the right to criticize and pass judgment?


I don't ask for nothing
I don't demand anything from anyone.


I'm always holding my own
I am self-sufficient and capable of dealing with my own problems.


Every time I turn around, there's something
Every time I face a challenge or difficulty, there is someone there to criticize and bring me down.


People talking 'bout what they don't know
People make assumptions and spread rumors about my life without actually knowing anything about it.


And when I try to move on up
When I try to improve my situation or advance in life,


They're always pullin' me down
there are always people trying to hold me back, prevent me from succeeding, and discourage me from pursuing my dreams.


I'm tired and I had enough
I'm exhausted and fed up with all the criticism and negativity directed at me.


It's my life, and I'm living it now
I am the one who controls my life and decisions, and I refuse to let anyone else dictate or judge them.


I always wonder why people try to hurt me
I'm always baffled by why some people feel the need to harm and attack me, both physically and emotionally.


No happiness in their own lives
Those who try to hurt me are often unhappy with their own lives and seek to spread their misery to others.


So they act out all their jealousy
They express their envy and resentment towards me in harmful ways.


Who are you to say that I'm living wrong?
Why should I care about your opinion on how I choose to live my life when you don't know or understand anything about it?


Always telling me what to do
You always feel the need to give me unsolicited advice and try to control my decisions.


I decided that I gotta be strong
I realized that I need to be resilient and stand up for myself in the face of criticism and adversity.


What makes you think that I needed you?
I don't need your approval or validation to live my life and make my own decisions.


Anything I try to do
Whenever I attempt to make changes or move forward in life,


You haven't walked in my shoes
You haven't experienced the same challenges, obstacles, and experiences in life that I have, so you can't judge or criticize my actions.


I'm gonna move on
I'm going to leave behind the negativity and criticism and focus on moving forward in life.


It's my life, it's my life
I am the one who has the power and agency to make choices and decisions about my own life.




Lyrics © Ultra Tunes, BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Kossi Gardner, Armand Van Helden, Duane Harden

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Colin Hare

This was recently removed from spotify, loved this remix

jeasocrazy

OLD school remix baby! 

Diooidio

Hard disco rave!

arthur mcmanus

frigtfully nice mix

S-006 / SVN DVDE

cool

Quad Damage

I guess nothing is sacred anymore... that entire "remix" has less complexity or skill involved than simple 2-beat chunk from the drumline of original. I want 1999 back

VYЯДL

Electro?

Michelle MacDonald

not sure about this remix.....

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