Joni James was born Giovanna Joan Carmella Babbo on Sept. 22, 1930 in Chica… Read Full Bio ↴Joni James was born Giovanna Joan Carmella Babbo on Sept. 22, 1930 in Chicago, IL. In her early years, she studied drama & ballet. After high school she toured Canada with a dance group. After taking a job as a chorus girl, she decided to pursue a singing career. MGM executives saw her in a TV commercial and she was signed by MGM in 1952.

She was the first American singer to record at Abbey Road Studios in England. Her fan base even included Asia and the Philippines. She had 7 top hits, including "Why Don't You Believe in Me?", "Your Cheating Heart," "Almost Always," and "Have You Heard?"

She married composer Tony Acquaviva in 1956. In 1964, she dropped out of the public eye to take care of him and did so until 1986, when Mr. Acquaviva passed away. She began to tour again in the 1990's. She was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

You Don't Know Me
Joni James Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Why don't you believe me?
It's you I adore
Forever and ever, can I promise more?
I've told you so often the way that I care
Why don't you believe me?
It just isn't fair

Here is a heart that is lonely

Here is a heart you can take
Here is a heart for you only
That you can keep or break

How else can I tell you, what more can I do?
Why don't you believe me?, I love only you

Here is a heart that is lonely
Here is a heart you can take
Here is a heart for you only
That you can keep or break

How else can I tell you, what more can I do?
Why don't you believe me?, I love only you

Overall Meaning

Joni James's song Why Don't You Believe Me is a plea for love and affection that seems to fall on deaf ears. The song is a melancholic song sung in a hauntingly beautiful voice that speaks to the depth of emotions that the singer is feeling. She begins by asking why her love interest does not believe her, even as she has expressed her love for him many times and promises to love him forever. The second verse talks about her lonely heart that her love interest can take, keep, or break. The singer expresses her vulnerability towards her love interest by giving her heart entirely to him.

In the chorus, the singer reiterates her love for her love interest and asks what more she could do to make him believe her. She makes it clear that she loves only him and that she is not playing games with him. The song speaks to the human emotion of vulnerability that many of us experience when we love someone deeply, but our affections are not reciprocated.

Line by Line Meaning

Why don't you believe me?
I have been telling you everything about my love for you, but you still doubt me

It's you I adore
My love is only for you, and I cherish you so much

Forever and ever, can I promise more?
I promise to love you forever and ever, and there is nothing more I can promise

I've told you so often the way that I care
I have expressed my love for you repeatedly, and you know how much I care for you

It just isn't fair
It is not fair that you doubt my love despite my repeated expressions

Here is a heart that is lonely
My heart is lonely without your love

Here is a heart you can take
You have the power to take my heart and make it complete

Here is a heart for you only
My heart belongs to you alone

That you can keep or break
You have the choice to either keep my heart safe or break it into pieces

How else can I tell you, what more can I do?
I am running out of ways to express my love for you, and I do not know what more I can do

I love only you
My love is only for you, and you hold a special place in my heart

Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, Kanjian Music, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Lew Douglas, Luther King Laney, Roy Rodde

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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