I Didn't Know
Chester Burnett Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No I didn't know, baby you was out last night
Well I do know, you don't treat me right
I didn't know, you was ridin' him in my car last night
No I didn't know, you was ridin' him in my car last night
Well I do know darling, you don't treat me right
I didn't know, you was down in New Orleans last night
No I didn't know, you was in New Orleans last night
I didn't know, you was lovin' somebody else
No I didn't know, babe you was lovin' somebody else
I didn't know, but I know now
The lyrics to Chester Burnett's song, "I Didn't Know," express the singer's feelings of betrayal and hurt upon discovering that his partner has been unfaithful. The repetition of the phrase "I didn't know" emphasizes his shock and disbelief at the various ways in which she has violated his trust. The lines "Well I do know, you don't treat me right" and "Well I do know sweetheart, you don't treat me nice" reveal the singer's deep sense of disappointment and sadness at the realization that his partner has been cheating on him.
The inclusion of specific details, such as "you was ridin' him in my car last night" and "you was down in New Orleans last night," add a sense of realness and specificity to the song, which makes the singer's pain feel that much more raw and relatable. By the end of the song, when the singer says "I didn't know, but I know now," we can feel the weight of his newfound knowledge and the sense that nothing will ever be the same.
Overall, "I Didn't Know" is a powerful expression of the pain and hurt that often come with infidelity, rendered all the more potent by Burnett's gruff, expressive vocal style.
Line by Line Meaning
I didn't know, you was out last night baby
I was unaware that you were out last night, my dear
No I didn't know, baby you was out last night
No, I was unaware that you were out last night, my dear
Well I do know, you don't treat me right
However, I am now aware that you don't treat me right
I didn't know, you was ridin' him in my car last night
I had no idea that you were riding with him in my car last night
No I didn't know, you was ridin' him in my car last night
No, I was completely unaware that you were riding with him in my car
Well I do know darling, you don't treat me right
But now I am certain, my dear, that you don't treat me right
I didn't know, you was down in New Orleans last night
I had no knowledge that you were in New Orleans last night
No I didn't know, you was in New Orleans last night
No, it wasn't made known to me that you were in New Orleans last night
Well I do know sweetheart, you don't treat me nice
However, I now understand, my dear, that you don't treat me kindly
I didn't know, you was lovin' somebody else
I was clueless to the fact that you were in love with someone else
No I didn't know, babe you was lovin' somebody else
No, it wasn't revealed to me that you were loving someone else, my dear
I didn't know, but I know now
I didn't have any understanding then, but I do now
Contributed by Stella C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.