You Don't Know Me
Jennifer Warnes Lyrics


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You give your hand to me
And then you say hello
And I can hardly speak
My heart is beating so
And anyone can tell
You think you know me well
But you don't know me
No you don't know the one
Who dreams you at night
And longs to kiss your lips
And longs to hold you tight
To you I'm just a friend
That's all I've ever been
Well you don't know me

For I never knew
The art of making love
Though my heart aches with love for you
Afraid and shy
I let my chance that you might love me too

You give your hand to me
And then you say goodbye
I watch you watch you walk away
Beside the lucky guy
You'll never, never know




The one who loves you so
Well, you don't know me

Overall Meaning

The song You Don't Know Me by Jennifer Warnes is a heartbreakingly beautiful ballad where the artist expresses the pain of unrequited love. The first verse talks about how she is elated to be greeted by her crush and how her heart beats so fast that she can hardly speak in his presence but the reality is that he doesn't know her. The second verse is even more poignant than the first where she talks about how he is in her dreams every night and how much she yearns for him. But all she is to him is just a friend and he has no idea about her true feelings for him. She is so afraid to confess her love that she lets her chance slip away.


The last verse talks about how she watches him walk away with someone else and how he never knew that it was her who truly loved him. It is a heart-wrenching moment where she accepts the truth and shows that sometimes in life, we have to let go of the person we love, even if it means living with a broken heart. The lyrics beautifully convey the feeling of an unrequited love where one is trapped in their own feelings, unable to express their emotions.


Overall, the song is a powerful representation of unrequited love, where the lyrics and melody blend together to create a beautiful, sad ballad. The emotion throughout the song is palpable, and it is a must-listen for anyone who has ever experienced heartbreak or unrequited love.


Line by Line Meaning

You give your hand to me
You show me a friendly gesture


And then you say hello
In a very cordial manner, you greet me


And I can hardly speak
I'm lost for words


My heart is beating so
My heartbeat is racing


And anyone can tell
It is quite evident


You think you know me well
You believe that you understand me thoroughly


But you don't know me
You do not really know my innermost thoughts and feelings


No you don't know the one
You're unfamiliar with someone special to me


Who dreams you at night
I often dream about you


And longs to kiss your lips
I have a strong desire to kiss you


And longs to hold you tight
I yearn to embrace you


To you I'm just a friend
You only see me as a platonic companion


That's all I've ever been
Our relationship has never progressed beyond friendship


Well you don't know me
You don't realize my true romantic feelings towards you.


For I never knew
I have never learned


The art of making love
I lack the skills to be intimate with someone


Though my heart aches with love for you
Despite the great love I feel for you


Afraid and shy
I am too fearful and timid


I let my chance that you might love me too
I missed my opportunity to win your love


You give your hand to me
Once more, you make a friendly gesture


And then you say goodbye
Another encounter has ended


I watch you watch you walk away
I observe you as you depart


Beside the lucky guy
Next to the fortunate man you have chosen


You'll never, never know
You will never realize


The one who loves you so
The person who loves you unconditionally


Well, you don't know me
You are unaware of what is truly in my heart




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Cindy Walker, Eddy Arnold

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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