Her credits include being an original cast member of the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (1968), the female lead (Sheila) in the Los Angeles company of Hair (1968), a number 1 single "The Right Time of the Night" (1977) and 3 Oscars for Best Song - "It Goes Like it Goes," from Norma Rae (1980), "Up Where We Belong," (with Joe Cocker) from "An Officer and a Gentleman" (1982), & "I've Had the Time of My Life," (with Bill Medley) from "Dirty Dancing" (1987). (Her duets with Cocker & Medley were also #1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100.)
She toured with Leonard Cohen in 1972 & 1979. In 1987, she recorded "Famous Blue Raincoat" - an album of Cohen's compositions.
You Don't Know Me
Jennifer Warnes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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
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
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