I Don't Know Why I Love You
B.E.F. & Green Gartside Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I get a thousand thoughts in a day
Persuasions to view
Ideas to throw away
Not a single one is good enough
Er, perfect enough
To gratify my ego
I still try
Don't know why

I still try
I'm still a thousand lightyears away
The good ones drop by
But the shitty ones stay
If I catch a glimpse of something shiny
And I capture something tiny
I will find out what it eats
And I will learn to garden

I'll still try
Don't care why

Overall Meaning

"I Don't Know Why I Love You" by B.E.F. & Green Gartside is a song about falling in love with someone and wanting to dance with them, even if you don't know how. The opening lines of the song, "I wanna dance with you / But I don't know how to dance at all," express the singer's fear and uncertainty about stepping onto the dance floor with their crush.

As the song progresses, the singer makes a promise to always let their partner lead on the dance floor, a gesture of trust and vulnerability that suggests they may be falling in love. The line "Give my hand to you / Show me a thing or two" communicates a desire to learn from and be guided by their partner. The melody of the song is playful and upbeat, conveying a sense of joy and possibility in the face of uncertainty and fear.

Overall, "I Don't Know Why I Love You" is a sweet and sentimental love song that captures the vulnerability and excitement of falling in love, as well as the willingness to take risks and try new things in order to be closer to someone you care about.

Line by Line Meaning

I wanna dance with you
I desire to dance with you

But I don't know how to dance at all
However, I lack the skill to dance

Will you still dance with me
Regardless, would you still dance with me?

I promise to always let you lead
I assure you that I'll always follow your steps

Give my hand to you
I'll extend my hand towards you

Show me a thing or two
Please teach me some of your dance moves

Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: Brandon Tennison

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

Mochamom5

15y↑10

Such an amazing voice then and now. His old stuff stands the test of time, and his new stuff never fails to please.

pooboy19

16y↑4

this is an absolutely quality version puts all others into persepective why the hell was this not a big hit?? love it xxx

TheNouveauxdecadence

13y↑5

Green makes me want to cry when he sings. His voice is a gift from the angels up above +

pooboy19

16y↑6

what a fantastic song. each to their own, i love it green class as always

youarebeautiful23

16y↑3

This is the greatest cover of all time, No question. Thank you for uploading this, I never knew there was a video. Green & Heaven 17. Does not get any better.

TONYA P JACKSON

I respectfully disagree. I think Michael Jackson's is the best

guitarspy

14y↑3

I remember hearing this back in 1991 but regretting not buying it at the time. Love it

zillionairemark

14y↑2

Brilliant find..didn't know a video existed..such a cool collaboration between 2 seriously underrated artists (scritti/heaven17). Can't wait for the new scritti album.

CTuxford

16y↑1

For a cover dating back to 1991, this is a fantastic effort by Gartside. The piano arrangement at the beginning especially impressed me. The purists may hate this cover, but if Mr Miles Davis was willing to work with him there must be a lot right about him. Don't say it was the money that made Miles Davis play, as he didn't whore himself for money. Music meant too much to him.

B RW

11y↑2

What needs to be said about Green Gartside? Superb singer, songwriter and all round super nice guy. His decision to tour again over the past few years has made me a VERY happy man. Thanks Green .x

Lost in Musik

13y↑1

Just beautiful - just oozes class

Dallas Crawley

11y↑1

I friggin LOVE this. Heard it on Myspace years ago. Thought it was lost forever. Thank whomever!

Roger Moore

15y↑1

Fantastic ! I never know there was a music video of this song. Could you perhaps provide this music video in it´s real format too ? Please let me know because I am very interested, thanks a lot for this posting !

Helge Frisenette

17y

BS! This an awesome variation of the song. A good cover doesn't necessarily have to be a faithful interpretation of the song. On the contrary, I'd say that it shows more respect towards the original work to make something entirely different and creative. And this is what this is. And it does it wonderfully.

mommyboo1

15y↑1

I haven't seen this in a LONG time but I have always enjoyed Green.

guitarspy

14y

I heard this on the radio in 1987 or something and was always familiar with the Stevie Wonder classic. I've been trying a get acopy since fantastic!

mondoging

15y

I've been trying to get hold of this song for ages. Never seen the video before though - veerrryy cool!!

telboyofpeckham

14y

BEF...pure class.

Angela Bell

7y↑3

Still got that gorgeous voice - this song makes me very happy :)

Tre404

14y

@MisAnnThorpe ... When I say "R&B," I refer not only to that classic hybrid our parents knew, but to the true artists today who are carrying on the tradition by staying true to the original elements of both rhythm and blues. And there are so many; so many truly talented purveyors of this sound that never get the recognition they deserve. Here in Atlanta, GA, we are blessed to be exposed to it—more so than many others.

chubbylegend

14y↑1

I don't know why this works but it does work...excellent SW cover. But jeez! How far under the radar was this?

Kay Zed

10y↑1

Just gorgeous, thank you.

Mr d

love it ....

Failed Muso

13y

@TheNouveauxdecadence I saw Green perform this live on Saturday with the B.E.F. It was amazing. He also did a version of "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)", the old Delfonics number. That was equally awesome ;-)

pooboy19

11y↑2

Im back again.5 years after.,,, in the week my dear mum passed away.. and this song eases the pain....,thank you green,you will always be my hero, X I hope to meet you one day and give you a HUGE hug. :-)

pooboy19

8y↑1

always quality green. you are the man. that is all.....hope i can get to see you at the roundhouse on 5/2/16 .....happy xmas!!!

ScrittiSparkle

15y↑3

hes just wonderful,and so handsome,a lovely song.

Bum Farto

13y↑1

First heard it on the B.E.F album but check out the Stevie Wonder version.

Tre404

14y

@MisAnnThorpe ... Yes, silk and honey. Very apt homology. And I will, at your recommendation, check out the artists you cited. As regards Ms. Carey.... I agree on her technique; have always admired that. It's her motivation that I question, and therefore, her artistry. Billie and Bessie each drew from wrenching, unfathomable emotional pain in their deliveries...

ScrittiSparkle

15y↑3

green at his best.wish it was me in the car,he was waiting for,i wouldnt be asleep!!!!l lol

Ed Reid

Bestest song...

Mark Shortridge

10y

Intricate and interesting noises on this. Rather lush, frankly. As much as I detest cover versions, Master Wonder's tunes have been re-produced with brilliance, as this (and Inconito's "Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing") proved in the early 90's.
Listen loud.

Johnny Gee

5y↑2

Glenn Gregory & Martyn Ware rule!!

MisAnnThorpe

14y

@pleasureplace You have hit the nail on the head! Green does have a weak voice. Anyone who doubts it should hear him live! Sometimes a weak voice is acceptable, but when that voice is totally unnatural in the 1st place, as in Greens case, it's hard to accept. I can only assume that like almost every modern day singer, he came to that "voice" through a lack of confidence in his own voice. It's a struggle to name a singer who sounds natural. Maybe Dave Gahan when he's not bleating like a sheep!

Graham Burns

9y↑1

Genius

MisAnnThorpe

14y

@beowulven As much as I love some of his music, it has to be said that Green has one of the most ridiculous voices ever! I mean, yeah, you get used to it but you shouldn't have to to! How does a 6' 5" man end up sounding like that? Also, it's got progressively more ridiculous. Compare his voice now with on Skank B B. He took part in a Nick Drake tribute concert, recently, where various artists covered Drakes songs. To see Green producing that sound! It was just plain silly. Btw I love WBBB.

ScrittiSparkle

15y

you know guyag1 ,so many people cover songs its worldwide,i dont know if youll agree,but stevies song is more direct as greens version feels more old fashioned in a romantic way.more softer,not taking anything away from stevie,hes a wonderful singer,this is just different,hope you get me.

isolator42

13y↑3

There's a sample of Kraftwerk's 'The Robots' in there :)

Failed Muso

15y↑1

Green is happily married to Alice.

MisAnnThorpe

14y

@Tre404 And yes Luther. Not really to my taste (I prefer Marvin and Terry Callier) but voice like a mixture of silk and honey. Have a look at Billy MacKenzie singing Kites on Youtube, btw another artist who worked with B.E.F. You may not like his voice, he tends to polarise opinion, but he really feels the music. That's what I'm talking about. Okay, technically M. Carey is better than Billie Holiday or Bessie Smith but come on!

MisAnnThorpe

14y

@Tre404 Apologies 4 even suspecting u of being a Whitney/Mariah fan! I've not read Animal farm since I was at school but you've just reminded me that I want to again. Thanks! What do you think of Bjork? Sometimes I find her vocals so irritatingly affected that I'd like to slap her (hard) & other times she brings me to tears. Probably the most talented modern "pop" songwriter around tho. R u familiar with Liz Frazer of Cocteau Twins non fame? She's also worked with Massive Attack on Mezzanine Lp

Victor Saville

I will be there on 5 Feb 2016!

pooboy19

15y

GOOD ON UON U JOAN quality song green wud be sooooooooo proud ;)) xxx

Elaine Rosefelder

This hurts to listen to, i cant imagine someone doing this...

PaoloVeneziano1958

11y

Me too! The highlights of (a terribly undersubscribed) evening imho.

Tre404

14y

@MisAnnThorpe ....your musical awareness is indeed limited if you actually believe what you said. There's a whole wide world of "real" and talented singers out there to be discovered, from Luther Vandross to Heather Headley to Dwelé.

Shashi Tiwari

42w

Good

Terence Burgess

Wonder where the video was filmed.

Sylvain T

13y↑5

Kraftwerk "The Robots " sampling at 2:00 ; )

MsSynyster12

12y

yummy!! that is all :D

Tinu S.

27w

Does Ralf Hütter know about this? 😃

Tre404

14y

@MisAnnThorpe .... Did you ever read "Animal Farm" by Orwell? Mariah reminds me of the foolish mare Mollie in every way. Narcissistic and pulled in whatever direction will bring her the most attention... and sugar cubes.

BFC

11y

who is the model?

Tre404

14y

@MisAnnThorpe .... "almost EVERY modern-day singer?" Seriously?? Do you listen to ANY R&B at all? I can cite literally hundreds of modern-day singers who sing with the God-given talent they were born with, who didn't have to "come by" their voices, and CERTAINLY not through a "lack of confidence!!" LOL.... .what universe are you living in??

nas ahmed

13y

Green trying to look like a bad ass....never mind Green maybe next time! but if its any consollation your one bad ass singer!!! come back and make some more songs man!!!

Tre404

14y

@MisAnnThorpe ... Mariah? Sure, growing up with an absentee father isn't easy, and being whisked into a whirlwind career and sham marriage by a lustful record-company mogul breeds efforts like "Butterfly..." ....okay, I'm shutting up now... Long story short: Mariah is a pop star with a golden voice that is wasted, very often, because she is quite foolish anyway. But whatcha gonna do...

MisAnnThorpe

14y

@Tre404 I suspect you are impressed by lots of unnecessary screaming and wailing and probably thinks Whitney & Mariah are great singers (technique over feeling). When you say R&B do you mean rhythm n blues or that horribly plastic produce,unworthy of the name? I've heard very few mainstream artists during the last 30 odd years, that impressesd me vocally. Most of them sound very similar and lack any real character. Of course there are exceptions Anita Baker & Alexander O'Neal 4 a start.

Aydee58

15y

Hi the last posting re the piano onGreens track was me. I wasn't logged in under my account.

Tre404

14y

@MisAnnThorpe ...Well, that's what you get for 'suspecting.' ;-) I really destest 'most everything Whitney has done since 1986. That first album was very honest and raw. Sometime during that period, she began believing her own hype. Sad indeed. Nearly everything that came after was PURE crap. Her career arc is Shakespearian tragedy.... laid low by her own devices. Voice ruined, career in shambles.

ScrittiSparkle

beieing askinny and pretty,im not

Miami Wax

wretched. my ears fell off!

La Tasha

16y

I've heard many covers of this song- J5, Brand New Heavies, Rolling Stones, Art Garfunkel, and even John Mellencamp. I like them all. Unfortunately, I have to say that this is by far the worst one. I loved Scritti Politti, but this songs suck big time.

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