You Don’t Know What Love Is, Lyrics
You don’t know what love is
‘Til you’ve learned the meaning of the blues
Until you’ve loved a love you’ve had to lose,
You don’t know what love is.
You don’t know how lips hurt
Until you’ve kissed and had to pay the cost,
Until you’ve flipped your heart and you have lost,
You don’t know what love is.
Do you know how a lost heart fears
At the thought of reminiscing,
And how lips that taste of tears
Lose their taste for kissing?
You don’t know how hearts burn
For love that can, not live yet never dies.
Until you’ve faced each dawn with sleepless eyes,
You don’t know what love is.
You don’t know how hearts burn
For love that can, not live yet never dies.
Until you’ve faced each dawn with sleepless eyes,
You don’t know what love is
What love is…
The story behind the song
‘You Don’t Know What Love Is’ is a jazz standard included in the famous ‘Great American Songbook’, a canon that includes the most representative American songs of the 20th century.
These compositions have not only stood the test of time but have highly influenced the upcoming generations. Written by Don Raye & Gene DePaul for the picture Keep ‘Em Flying (1941), “You Don’t Know What Love Is” was initially sung by Carol Bruce.
Unfortunately, the song was removed before the movie was released. However, Carol Bruce will get to sing the song in Behind the Eight Ball (1942). In 1954, when Miles Davis recorded an instrumental version, You Don’t Know What Love Is became a jazz standard.
One year later, Dinah Washington would release the ultimate vocal version of the song. Accompanied by Wynton Kelly (piano), Clark Terry (trumpet), Cecil Payne (baritone saxophone), Keter Betts (bass), Jimmy Cleveland (trombone), Jimmy Cobb (drums), and Barry Galbraith (guitar), Dinah would record the song on March 15th, 1955, in Capitol Studios, New York. You can enjoy Dinah’s version here.
By Associated Booking Corporation/photo by James Kriegsmann
Other notable versions
Billie Holiday
First released in June 1958 and recorded at Columbia 30th Street Studio (NY) for the Lady in Satin album, Billie Holiday’s version is widely considered the best cover of the song. You can enjoy it here.
Even if, for many, Billie was the one to make this song popular, there are other outstanding versions worth highlighting and listening to:
- Ella Fitzgerald (1941)
- Chet Baker (1955)
- Sonny Rollins (1956)
- Marvin Gaye (1961)
- Nina Simone (2008, various live performances)
- Cassandra Wilson (1993)
- Leon Parker (1994)
- Chucho Valdés (2003)
- Chrissie Hynde (member of the famous band The Pretenders – 2019)
In 1999, ‘You Don’t Know What Love Is’ was included on the soundtrack of the famous The Talented Mr. Ripley movie and was sung by John Martyn and the Guy Barker International Quintet.
We hope you enjoyed the story about ‘You Don’t Know What Love Is’ and its lyrics. Stay tuned for more stories and love songs and in the meantime, check out related articles on Love Catalouge.
