You Don't Know What Love Is

Ray Ellis Orchestra, Billie Holiday

About You Don't Know What Love Is

"You Don't Know What Love Is" is a popular song of the Great American Songbook, written by Don Raye (lyrics) and Gene de Paul (music) for the Abbott and Costello picture Keep 'Em Flying (1941), in which it was sung by Carol Bruce. The number was deleted from the film prior to release. The song was later included in Behind the Eight Ball (1942), starring the Ritz Brothers. "You Don't Know What Love Is" was again sung by Carol Bruce; it was her third and final film until the 1980s. After Miles Davis recorded an instrumental version of the song in 1954, it became a jazz standard, with Dinah Washington releasing the definitive vocal version a year later. Other noteworthy recordings were made by Billie Holiday and Sonny Rollins. 


Year:
1958
3:48
417 
#1

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You don't know what love is
Until 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 lost heart feels
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 cannot 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 cannot live yet never dies
Until you've faced each dawn with sleepless eyes
You don't know what love is

What love is

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Billie Holiday

Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Harris April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959) was an American jazz singer and songwriter. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and musical partner Lester Young, Holiday had a seminal influence on jazz and pop singing. Her vocal style, strongly inspired by jazz instrumentalists, pioneered a new way of manipulating phrasing and tempo. more »

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Written by: DON RAYE, GENE DE PAUL

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

Song Details
"You Don't Know What Love Is" is a popular song of the early 20th century. It was written by Gene De Paul and Don Raye, initially for a 1941 film called "Keep 'Em Flying."
Billie Holiday's Version
Known for her highly emotive and personal interpretations of songs, Billie Holiday covered "You Don't Know What Love Is" with her unique jazz-influenced vocal style, leaving a profound impact on its music career trajectory.
Dinah Washington's Version
Dinah Washington, another of America's greatest singers, also interpreted "You Don't Know What Love Is" magnificently, adding the distinct element of rhythm and blues to the song.
Miles Davis' Version
Renowned jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and composer Miles Davis also presented his unique jazz rendition of "You Don't Know What Love Is." - His version, featured in the album "Blue Haze," was released in the 1950s.
Sonny Rollins' Version
"You Don't Know What Love Is" saw yet another interpretation by Sonny Rollins, a leading jazz tenor saxophonist. - The song is a part of his iconic 1957 album titled ‘A Night at the Village Vanguard'.
Popularity and Critical Acclaim
The song is noted for its dramatic lyrics and intricate melody. Over time, it developed into a popular jazz standard, taken up by a variety of artists both in and outside of the jazz genre.
The Ambiance
The intensity and depth of its lyrics, combined with the distinctive melodic form, contributes to the song's particular melancholic mood.
Honors
In recognition of its historical significance and the wide range of influential artists who have interpreted it, "You Don't Know What Love Is" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2001.
Notable Recordings
Other distinguished artists, including Ella Fitzgerald, Chet Baker, John Coltrane, and Ray Charles, have also left their marks on "You Don't Know What Love Is" with their very distinguished and notable recordings.
Legacy
The song's lasting legacy lies in its versatility and the ability to appeal to different artists across the decades within contrasting genres and styles.

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