Picking up fame as a part of the popular 'new wave' movement, her second album, 'Select', was released in May 1982. It contained the hits "Cambodia" and "View From a Bridge". Her third album (and last album with RAK), was 'Catch as Catch Can', which came out in November 1983. Sadly, it wasn't much of a success, though tracks "Love Blonde" and "Dancing In the Dark" from the album became minor hits.
When Kim signed with MCA records in 1984, many doubting critics believed that her run of hits were over. Simply put, they were wrong. Kim's first album with MCA, 'Teases & Dares', came out in November 1984. Though not a huge commercial success as an album, it earned praising critical reviews and much fan support while also including three hit singles. Popular tune "Rage To Love" became Wilde's first top 20 hit in two years.
In October 1986, Kim released a cover of The Supremes song You Keep Me Hangin' on - it was a huge hit, number 2 in the UK and in the singles chart for 14 weeks, even better the song got to number 1 in the USA. Kim was now a superstar around the globe. Another Step (her 5th studio album) was released in Nov 1986 and spent 5 weeks in the UK charts. The title track Another Step (Closer to You), (a duet with Junior) and Say You Really Want Me were also singles.
In June 1988, Kim released her most successful studio album to date Close which spent 38 weeks in the UK album charts. Close contained 3 top ten hits You Came, Never Trust A Stranger and Four Letter Word. Around this time Kim was the support act on Michael Jackson's huge Bad tour.
Her 7th and 8th albums, 1990's Love Moves and 1992's Love Is did not match the success of Close, however Love Is boasted another top 20 hit single with the Rick Nowels penned Love Is Holy.
In September 1993, MCA released the first 'official' greatest hits album called The Singles Collection 1981-1993 (which contained all her biggest hits from the RAK years as well as the more recent MCA hits and two brand new singles If I Can't Have You, a top twenty hit in July 1993 (a cover version of the Yvonne Elliman classic) and the Kim penned In My Life.
In 1995, Kim released her 9th studio album Now and Forever, it was not a hit album in the UK but suffered no promotion. It contained two top 50 hits Breakin' Away and This I Swear.
In 1996, Kim released Shame, a cover of the disco song made famous by Evelyn "Champagne" King. Unfortunately the song failed to dent the UK top 100.
In 2001, to celebrate the release of another greatest Hits album, Kim released a new song Loved, co-written by Ronald & Masterton who are famous for their work with Dannii Minogue. Sadly Loved failed to enter the UK singles chart.
Kim is still making music and is also equally famous for her gardening skills. She continues to have success in Europe and had a huge hit in 2003 with Anyplace Anywhere Anytime, a duet with Nena.
In 2006 Kim released a studio album, "Never Say Never." The album includes new tracks and some remixes and remakes of classic Kim songs such as You Came, Cambodia and Kids In America. Also for the new album called Never Say Never Kim has re-recorded You Keep Me Hangin' On as a duet with Nena.
In 2018 she released "Here Come The Aliens," which is in a pop-rock style. Reviewing the album for MusicPlayers.com, Scott Kahn states "There’s not a weak song to be found in this collection of pop rock songs. We love that Here Comes The Aliens has the vibe of a real rock record, with strong musical performances throughout."
They Don't Know
Kim Wilde Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh maybe I could leave you but I don't know how
And why should I be lonely every night
When I can be with you
Oh yes you make it right
And I don't listen to the guys who say
That you're bad for me and I should turn you away
'Cos they don't know about us
I get a feeling when I look at you
Wherever you go now I wanna be there too
They say we're crazy but I just don't care
And if they keep on talking still they get nowhere
So I don't mind if they don't understand
When I look at you and you hold my hand
'Cos they don't know about us
And they've never heard of love
Why should it matter to us if they don't approve
We should just take our chances while we've got nothing to lose
Baby
There's no need for living in the past
Now I've found good loving gonna make it last
I tell the others don't bother me
'Cos when they look at you they don't see what I see
No I don't listen to their wasted lines
Got my eyes wide open and I see the signs
But they don't know about us
And they've never heard of love
No I don't listen to their wasted lines
Got my eyes wide open and I see the signs
But they don't know about us
And they've never heard of love
Kim Wilde's song "They Don't Know" is a song about a love that is being judged by others. In the first verse, the singer expresses her dilemma of being with someone for a long time but not knowing how to leave them. Despite being told by others that the person is bad for her, she finds solace and happiness in the relationship. She doesn't listen to the naysayers because they haven't experienced love the way she has.
In the second verse, she states that she gets a feeling whenever she looks at the person, and she just wants to be with them wherever they go. They're called crazy by others, but it doesn't matter to either of them, and they couldn't care less about anyone's thoughts on their relationship. They will take their chances with the love they have and see where it goes.
In the chorus, she sings about how others don't know them or understand the love they share. She then follows up with the statement that if they don't approve of her relationship, she and her partner will just take the chances while they still have nothing to lose.
Overall, the song speaks to the fearless nature of love and the willingness to take risks in the name of passion, no matter what anyone else thinks.
Line by Line Meaning
You've been around for such a long time now
I have been with you for a very long time
Oh maybe I could leave you but I don't know how
I don't know how to leave you even if I want to
And why should I be lonely every night
I don't want to be lonely every night
When I can be with you
Being with you makes me happy
Oh yes you make it right
You make everything alright for me
And I don't listen to the guys who say
I don't take the guys' advice who say
That you're bad for me and I should turn you away
That you are not good for me, and I should avoid you
'Cos they don't know about us
They don't know about our relationship
And they've never heard of love
They don't know what love is
I get a feeling when I look at you
I get a good feeling when I look at you
Wherever you go now I wanna be there too
I always want to be with you wherever you go
They say we're crazy but I just don't care
They think we're foolish, but I don't care what they say
And if they keep on talking still they get nowhere
Their talking won't change anything
So I don't mind if they don't understand
It's okay if they don't understand us
When I look at you and you hold my hand
When I look at you, holding my hand makes me feel good
'Cos they don't know about us
They don't know about our relationship
And they've never heard of love
They don't know what love is
Why should it matter to us if they don't approve
Their disapproval shouldn't matter to us
We should just take our chances while we've got nothing to lose
We should take a risk while we have nothing to lose
Baby
My love
There's no need for living in the past
We should not dwell on the past
Now I've found good loving gonna make it last
Now that I have found good love, I will make it last
I tell the others don't bother me
I don't need someone else's opinions
'Cos when they look at you they don't see what I see
They don't see what I see in you
No I don't listen to their wasted lines
I don't listen to their useless words
Got my eyes wide open and I see the signs
My eyes are open and I know what to do
But they don't know about us
They don't know about our relationship
And they've never heard of love
They don't know what love is
No I don't listen to their wasted lines
I don't listen to their useless words
But they don't know about us
They don't know about our relationship
And they've never heard of love
They don't know what love is
Contributed by Lily W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Tegan Bigone
One of the greatest songs ever. In fact, some time ago I rewrote this song for LGBT couples. I give my consent to anyone who wants to record it - without editing or omitting any of the text. I'm not a singer or I'd do it myself. Here's the lyrics:
Hey Baby, got a hold on me
Our love will last from now until eternity
Hey baby don’t you leave me now
It’s you and me alone but we’ll make it some how
No they won’t listen to a word we say
And their arms don’t open and they keep us at bay
They don’t wanna know about us
cuz they’ve never heard of love
Hey Baby, gonna make it thru
I couldn’t live this lifetime if it wasn’t for you
But baby they just want us to go
They keep us in a blindspot so they don’t have to know
About us or listen to a word I say
And their arms won’t open till I send you away
No they don’t wanna know about us
cuz they don’t know a thing about love
Hey Baby, you just listen to me
We’re not the ones in trouble now, just wait and see
Cuz, Baby, you know what they’ve done?
They’ve turned the world against us, but with God & His Son
On our side, we’ll never be alone again
Cuz I know that the Good Book doesn't call us a sin
But they don’t wanna hear about us
They don’t know the Golden Rule is Love
Hey Baby, gonna make it last
We’ll focus on the future and we’ll throw out the past
Hey Baby, now you’re in my heart
We’ve got it like a marriage and with all the good parts
So I won’t listen to a thing they say
Till their arms are wide open and they say we’re okay
If they don’t wanna know about us,
it’s cuz they’ve never heard of love
No I won’t listen to their tired lines
Cuz they’ve closed their hearts as they’ve closed their minds
And they will never hear about us,
cuz they don’t care a thing about love
david rowell
One core truth – this song is so good that it is virtually ‘bombproof’ and will continue to be so in the hands of any half-decent singer. Its simplicity, message, hook, chorus and melody offer up great raw material for a variety of artists, so the tone, tempo and instrumentation applied to each version leads to a ‘new freshness’ being discovered each time it’s recorded. I honestly don’t dislike any version that I’ve heard, because regardless of my varied musical tastes, I still find any take on it to be interesting, listenable & insightful. Without wishing to over-analyse this tune, to me it carries a rare empathy within it which can’t fail to come through in the delivery, regardless of whose point-of-view is being emphasized…..to paraphrase a Velvet Underground song title, “I’ll be your mirror”. In other words, you find in this song whatever YOU are looking for, and that’s why it’s so special. It is damn well lyrically perfect, but more than that, it creates and sustains believable emotions, empathy & even tenderness. When you hear this in any 3 minute pop song , you feel something real and authentic, which is why this song is so good. Kirsty MacColl wrote many great songs, but to me, if this was all she ever wrote, then her legacy is assured. It deserves to be. And the lyric…..” ‘Cos they don’t know about us, and they’ve never heard of love”.....these are the absolute clincher lines in this song, which elevate it to the level of sublime pop, in my opinion. Why? Because this couplet simply & ingeniously makes the listener instantly recall the feeling they had when there really was a ‘me & you’ only and for a time at least, nobody else existed. To write about the essence of love is difficult for even the best poets (maybe it’s well nigh impossible), but these two lines eloquently remind us that each perspective we have is unique, it's ours only, so it can’t truly be understood by outsiders, particularly in matters of the heart. Sheer genius, Kirsty. RIP.
Jerry Simon
I agree completely, great review of a great song! Are you the David Rowell I worked with for a while in Newburn , in about 1978?
Greg Thornton
breathing is critical due to long verses...
Debbie Beggs
Beautifully said!
Lucy Sweeney
David Rowell... beautifully put.Kirsty forever!
Ruiner10000000001
The messure of the lady. She is so moved by the audiences warmth she cant sing the song to its conclusion. Amazing stuff!
Rick Nowels
Kim is a national treasure.
Kim Wilde Fan
Best crafted studio version is Tracy’s version. But the best vocal performance is this one right here! So much heart & soul. Angelic vocals. Sung very passionately. Kim made this song her own.
Kirsty MacColl wrote such a beautiful song. It’s been covered very greatly by at least two artists. All three versions are great. I don’t want to say one is better than the other though. All have their own beautiful uniqueness to it. That said, I do think Kim sings it the best!
Nick Wilson
This is fine but the Kirsty MacColl live version is miles better.
Purple Haze
So you’re saying she’s better than the other 2.