They Don't Know
maccoll kirsty 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
“They Don’t Know” is a song performed by Kirsty MacColl and released in 1979. The lyrics focus on an intimate relationship between two people and the judgments that come from outsiders. MacColl sings, “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.” The lyrics are about a relationship that has stood the test of time and has been deemed unhealthy by outsiders, but still the couple remains in love.
The song continues to say, “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.” MacColl steadfastly loves her partner in the face of criticism and questioning by those around them. The song ends with “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.” This line is a testament to the couple’s love despite the condemnation from those around them.
Many have interpreted the song to be a message about LGBTQ relationships and the struggles of societal approbation. However, Kirsty MacColl herself said the song wasn't about being queer, but rather was inspired by her own relationship with her then-boyfriend, producer Steve Lillywhite, who some critics felt wasn't a good romantic match for her. The song is still regarded as a queer classic and was covered by Tracey Ullman in the 1980s, which scored her a UK Top 10 hit. It has since become one of MacColl's most celebrated tracks.
Line by Line Meaning
You've been around for such a long time now
We’ve been together for a significant period of time
Or maybe I could leave you but I don't know how
I am uncertain about how to end our relationship
And why should I be lonely every night
I don’t want to be lonely every night
When I can be with you, oh yes you make it right
I can always be with you and you make me happy
And I don't listen to the guys who say
I don't pay attention to the people who tell me
That you're bad for me and I should turn you away
That you’re not good for me and I should break up with you
Cause they don't know about us
They don’t know how we feel about each other
And they've never heard of love
They don’t understand love as we do
I get a feeling when I look at you
I have an intense emotion when I see you
Wherever you go now I want to be there too
I want to be wherever you are
They say we're crazy but I just don't care
They say we are irrational but I am not bothered
And if they keep on talkin' still they get nowhere
Their remarks won't change how I feel about you
So I don't mind if they don't understand
I am not concerned if they don't comprehend our relationship
When I look at you and you hold my hand
I feel happy when you’re holding my hand
Cause they don't know about us
They don’t know the details of our love
And they've never heard of love
They have never experienced a love like ours
Why should it matter to us if they don't approve
Their approval is not critical to us
We should just take our chances while we've got nothing to lose
Let’s take risks while we have nothing significant to lose
Baby
There's no need for living in the past
Darling, we shouldn’t dwell on the past
Now I found good loving gonna make it last
I found true love and it will last
I tell the others don't bother me
I am not interested in other people’s opinions
Cause when they look at you they don't see what I see
They don’t see you the way I see you
No I don't listen to their wasted lines
I don't listen to their meaningless statements
Got my eyes wide open and I see the signs
I am aware of what’s going on
But they don't know about us
They have no idea about us
And they've never heard of love
They have no understanding of real love
No I don't listen to their wasted lines
I don't listen to their meaningless statements
Got my eyes wide open and I see the signs
I am aware of what’s going on
But they don't know about us
They have no idea about us
And they've never heard of love
They have no understanding of real love
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: KIRSTY MACCOLL
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.