They Don't Know
Kirsty MacColl Lyrics
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You've been around for such a long time now
Or 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
And they've never heard of love
I get a feeling when I look at you
Wherever you go now I want to be there too
They say we're crazy but I just don't care
And if they keep on talkin' still they get nowhere
So I don't mind if they don't understand
When I look at you and you hold my hand
Cause 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 found good loving gonna make it last
I tell the others don't bother me
Cause 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
Kirsty MacColl's "They Don't Know" is a song about the power of love and the inability of others to understand it. The song opens with the singer acknowledging that her significant other has been around for a long time, and that she can't quite bring herself to leave despite any misgivings she may have. The chorus serves as a defiant response to those who try to caution her against the relationship, stating that they simply don't understand the depth of her feelings. The second verse is similarly confident, with the singer expressing her desire to be with her partner and dismissing all criticisms as "wasted lines."
The song's central theme, then, is that love is a force that transcends the opinions of others. The singer is unafraid to stand up to those who would doubt her romance, insisting that they simply don't know what they're talking about. Instead, she focuses on the way that her partner makes her feel, and the joy that their relationship brings her. By the end of the song, she is even able to encourage others to follow her example and pursue love without fear of judgment.
The lyrics of "They Don't Know" are powerful because they speak to a universal experience: the feeling that no one else understands our feelings. The song is a reminder that true love is worth fighting for, even in the face of opposition. It is a message of hope and perseverance that has resonated with audiences for decades.
Line by Line Meaning
You've been around for such a long time now
You have been a part of my life for a significant amount of time
Or maybe I could leave you but I don't know how
Although I may have doubts about our relationship, I do not know how to let go
And why should I be lonely every night
I do not want to be alone every night
When I can be with you, oh yes you make it right
Being with you makes me feel complete
And I don't listen to the guys who say
I choose to ignore those who tell me negative things about us
That you're bad for me and I should turn you away
They believe you are not good for me and I should end things with you
Cause they don't know about us
They do not have enough knowledge about our relationship
And they've never heard of love
They do not have a true understanding of what love is
I get a feeling when I look at you
When I see you, I feel a certain emotion
Wherever you go now I want to be there too
I want to be with you wherever you go
They say we're crazy but I just don't care
Others may think we are crazy, but I do not let their opinions bother me
And if they keep on talkin' still they get nowhere
Even if they continue to talk about us, it does not change anything
So I don't mind if they don't understand
I am okay with them not comprehending our relationship
When I look at you and you hold my hand
When I see you and feel your touch, I know that we belong together
Why should it matter to us if they don't approve
We should not care about their approval of our relationship
We should just take our chances while we've got nothing to lose
We should take risks while we still can because we have nothing to lose
Baby
Term of endearment for their partner
There's no need for living in the past
We should not dwell on the past
Now I found good loving gonna make it last
Now that I have found a good relationship, I want to make it last forever
I tell the others don't bother me
I tell others not to bother me with their opinions about us
Cause when they look at you they don't see what I see
When they observe you, they do not see your true qualities that I see
No I don't listen to their wasted lines
I do not pay attention to their meaningless comments
Got my eyes wide open and I see the signs
I am aware of what is going on around us
But they don't know about us
They lack the knowledge about our relationship
And they've never heard of love
They do not have an authentic understanding of love
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Royalty Network, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave
Written by: Kirsty Mac Coll
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
homerunhitters
Gazzara5 KIRSTY MACCOLL 1979 RECORDING REMAINS THE BEST VERSION EVER.
THE COVER VERSION YOU REFER TO IS A PITIFUL DUB PLAYED 6 TIMES FASTER IN A DIFFERENT KEY TO HIDE THE FACT THAT THE MIMIC CANNOT SING.
THE ORIGINAL ARTIST KIRSTY MACCOLL SANG THE HARMONIES THAT WERE PLAYED OVER THE ENTIRE COVER TO CREATE A WALL OF SOUND THAT DROWNED OUT THE MIMIC'S INFERIOR VOICE.
BUT ENJOY YOUR CHEAP IMITATION.
AS KIRSTY MACCOLL WOULD SAY:
"THEY DON'T KNOW."
Susanna Emily
You've been around for such a long time now
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
And they've never heard of love
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 lov
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
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.
Glyn Havard
Astute observations, David, all of them valid; but what always makes me smile when I hear this song are the various instances of good fortune that became contributory factors to the finished version. I wonder how many classics owe their success partially to a sequence of chance events?
Frank Mccormick
That's easy for you to say david
Davnar Ragnar
Still get a tear every time I hear her voice. I can't help but feel the world would be a better place if she was still among us.
shmuli9
+lebarosky So would I. This song, by the way, wasn't a hit anywhere by her. But "Walking Down Madison" was a pretty big hit in the US and the UK both.
Ralph Jackson
+lebarosky +shmuli9 This was the first song I heard from her in early summer 1979 and it wasn't a hit unfortunately but Tracey Ullman sang a cover version of it some four and a half years later and got to number 2 in the UK with it. Kirsty's first UK hit was There's a Guy Down the Chip Shop Swears He's Elvis in the summer of 1981,after which she went to number 7 with A New England (in early 1985),to number 2 (kept off the top by the Pet Shop Boys doing Always On My Mind!) with the Pogues on Fairytale of New York at Christmas 1987 and had further hits with a cover of Days by the Kinks in summer 1989 and then Walking Down Madison (very thought provoking song) in summer 1991.
shmuli9
+Ralph Jackson My first was "Terry"...
Ralph Jackson
shmuli9 Great. Did that come out before or after They Don't Know?
Chris Montignani
Kirsty wrote this song when she was only sixteen years old what a talent and what a great loss to this world.
homerunhitters
+Chris Montignani YOU SAID IT.