Born in Queens, New York to Swiss German-American Fred Lauper and Sicilian Italian-American Catrine Dominique, she began her career in a cover band, but soon began performing her own songs (though she almost quit singing altogether due to strained vocal chords in 1977). By 1980 she'd released a rockabilly album on Polydor with the band Blue Angel. Despite much critical acclaim, the album "went lead," as Lauper says, and the band split as Lauper filed for bankruptcy.
In 1983 she started dating her manager David Wolff with whom she released She's So Unusual, a worldwide hit album which made Lauper a household name. A mixture of teen-friendly pop-rock and edgier, almost punky sounds, the album's biggest hit, Girls Just Want to Have Fun, quickly established itself as a female anthem. Lauper won a Grammy Award for Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards of 1984 for her work on the album. Lauper was the first female artist to have four consecutive Hot 100 Top 5 hits from one album.
Subsequent albums (such as True Colors, A Night to Remember, Hat Full of Stars) did not sell as well, but Lauper remains active to the present day and still retains a very strong fan base.
Lauper's latest album Memphis Blues was released in June 2011, premiering at #1 on the Billboard Blues Album Chart where it remained for 14 consecutive weeks. The album also reached #26 on the Billboard Top 200, and was later named the Billboard Blues Album of the year, also earning Lauper a Grammy nomination. This brought her total Grammy nominations to 13 with one win.
You Don't Know
Cyndi Lauper Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You should be more careful
As you follow blindly along...
You just need to belong somehow.
Relying on rhetoric...
Not well versed on topics...
Any idea what you're talking about?
Fair well in some company
But don't shove that bullshit down my throat
You don't know where you belong...
You should be more careful
As you follow blindly along...
To find something to swear to...
Till you don't know what's right from wrong
You just need to belong somehow.
Left suppresses right
Right suppresses left
So what's the left, and what's right?
You're told what to wear,
You're told what to like
I'd be nice if you'd think for yourself sometime,
But you don't.
Now you don't know where you belong...
You should be more careful
As you follow blindly along...
Mix sheer hypocrisy with mediocrity
You'll play it safe every time
So life turns up empty
And you're so dissatisfied
Who are you blaming this time?
Don't you know?
In Cyndi Lauper's song "You Don't Know", the lyrics speak to the idea of blindly following without thinking or questioning, and the consequences of that behavior. The first verse addresses the idea of needing to belong somewhere, but not knowing where that is, which can lead to blindly following others without careful consideration. The second verse touches on the dangers of relying on rhetoric and spouting off opinions without actually understanding the topic. Lauper also calls out those who revise history to fit their own narrative and then try to force their beliefs on others.
The chorus repeats the idea that blindly following to find something to swear to can lead to confusion about what is right and wrong. The bridge then delves into the idea of political suppression and how we are told how we should think or behave, rather than thinking for ourselves. The final verse combines sheer hypocrisy and mediocrity, stating that playing it safe and not thinking for oneself can lead to a life empty and dissatisfied. Lauper ends the song by asking who we should blame for our own lack of critical thinking.
Overall, "You Don't Know" is a call to action for listeners to think more critically about their beliefs and actions, and to avoid blindly following without questioning.
Line by Line Meaning
You don't know where you belong
You don't have a sense of direction in life.
You should be more careful
You need to take caution in your actions and behavior.
As you follow blindly along...
You don't have a clear understanding of what you're doing and you're just going with the flow.
You just need to belong somehow.
You have an inherent need to fit in and be a part of a group.
Relying on rhetoric...
You're putting too much trust in a statement or belief without any supporting evidence.
Not well versed on topics...
You lack knowledge and familiarity in certain subjects.
Any idea what you're talking about?
You're speaking without substance and it's evident that you don't know what you're saying.
Revisions of history
The rewriting of past events to serve one's own agenda or point of view.
Fair well in some company
The distortion of historical facts is accepted by some to justify their beliefs.
But don't shove that bullshit down my throat
Don't force your unsubstantiated opinions onto others.
To find something to swear to...
You need to have strong beliefs in something to feel secure.
Till you don't know what's right from wrong
You might be so desperate to belong that you lose sight of what's morally right and wrong.
Left suppresses right
The political left is suppressing the political right's views.
Right suppresses left
The political right is suppressing the political left's views.
So what's the left, and what's right?
The distinction between the political left and right is being questioned.
You're told what to wear,
Society pressures you to conform to certain fashion trends.
You're told what to like
The media and advertising dictate what you should like or want.
I'd be nice if you'd think for yourself sometime,
It would be beneficial if you formed your own independent opinions.
But you don't.
Unfortunately, you're unwilling to think for yourself and need others to tell you what to do.
Mix sheer hypocrisy with mediocrity
The combination of insincerity and lack of skill results in a half-hearted effort.
You'll play it safe every time
You opt for the safe and predictable option to avoid taking risks.
So life turns up empty
Living a life devoid of taking chances and exploring new avenues can lead to dissatisfaction.
And you're so dissatisfied
You're unhappy with the way things turned out.
Who are you blaming this time?
You're deflecting responsibility for your unhappiness onto someone or something else.
Don't you know?
It's time to acknowledge the source of the problem and take action to improve your life.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: LAUPER, PULSFORD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@geriboy2003
Am I alone in thinking this is her best song? I love everything about it, the vocals, the build up, the meaning, the look, the video… Cyndi has a stellar catalogue but this is the pinnacle for me 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌
@Dixon193
I agree Sir!
@juic404
I drove all night is the best))) And she is great!!
@InstantEuphory
No you)re not alone :) she is amazing. Greetings from Czech republic
@aleadholm76
You are not alone.
@kerrussell
100% Agree. Its a proper anthem.
@aleadholm76
One of her most underrated songs. The duality within these lyrics is nothing short of brilliant.
@jankyme
so very true
@cyndilauper
"You Don't Know" anniversary is today. More relevant than ever!!
@johanvajse8410
one of your greats!