If I Never Knew You

About If I Never Knew You

"If I Never Knew You" is a song by American recording artists Jon Secada and Shanice, from Disney's 1995 animated feature film, Pocahontas. The song was written by composer Alan Menken and lyricist Stephen Schwartz, and originally recorded by American singer Judy Kuhn in her film role as the singing voice of Pocahontas, and American actor Mel Gibson in his role as Captain John Smith. Shanice and Secada's version is heard during film's end credits, and was released on September 12, 1995 as the second single from the film's soundtrack, after Vanessa Williams' pop and R&B rendition of the Academy Award-winning "Colors of the Wind". The song was originally developed for the prison scene where Pocahontas visits Captain John Smith before he is sentenced to death for the alleged murder of Kocoum, Chief Powhatan's warrior whom Pocahontas was supposed to marry. The musical number, which was about 90% animated, was supposed to be a duet performed by the pair as they acknowledge their love for each other. During test screenings with child audiences their attention "seemed to wander from the film." Therefore, Alan Menken, the composer of the songs for Disney's Pocahontas, decided it had to be cut because he felt that it slowed the pace of the movie. Additionally, another song, "Savages", occurred not more than five minutes after. Although it was cut from the movie itself, If I Never Knew You was still performed by Jon Secada and Shanice at the end credits and released as a single. It had a few different lyrics than the film's original lyrics. more »

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If I never knew you
If I never felt this love
I would have no inkling of
How precious life can be

And if I never knew you
I would never have a clue
How at last I'd find in you
The missing part of me

In this world so full of fear
Full of rage and lies
I can see the truth so clear
In your eyes
So dry your eyes

And I'm so grateful to you
I'd have lived my whole life through
Lost forever
If I never knew you

If I never knew you
I'd be safe but half as real
Never knowing I could feel
A love so strong and true

I'm so grateful to you
I'd have lived my whole life through
Lost forever
If I never knew you

I thought our love would be so beautiful

Somehow we made the whole world bright

I never knew that fear and hate could be so strong
All they'd leave us were these whispers in the night
But still my heart is singing
We were right

If I never knew you
There's no moment I regret
If I never knew this love
I would have no inkling of
If our time has gone too fast I've lived at last
How precious life can be

I thought our love would be so beautiful
Somehow we'd make the whole world bright

I thought our love would be so beautiful
We'd turn the darkness into light

And still my heart is singing
We were right

We were right
And if I never knew you
I'd have lived my whole life through

Empty as the sky

Never knowing why
Lost forever

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Shanice

Shanice Lorraine Wilson-Knox (born May 14, 1973), better known as Shanice, is a Grammy-nominated American R&B/soul singer-songwriter. She scored two Top 5 Billboard hit singles: "I Love Your Smile" in 1991 and "Saving Forever for You" in 1993. In 1999, Shanice scored another hit song, "When I Close My Eyes," which peaked at number #11 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart. Shanice is widely recognized for her coloratura soprano and ability to access the whistle register. more »

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