If You Don't Know Me by Now

Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes

About If You Don't Know Me by Now

"If You Don't Know Me by Now" is a song written by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, and recorded by the Philly soul musical group Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes. It became their first hit after being released as a single in September 1972, topping the US R&B chart and peaking at number 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100."If You Don't Know Me by Now" was originally written for Labelle (a trio led by Patti LaBelle) but they never recorded it. Much like the issue with "I Miss You" and The Dells passing on it, the song's composers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff gave it to Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, which featured Teddy Pendergrass as lead vocalist. In addition to the single release, the track was included on their debut album I Miss You. Patti LaBelle later made the song as part of her concert repertoire in 1982; a live version appears on her 1985 album, Patti. "If You Don't Know Me by Now" has since been covered by a number of other artists, most notably the English pop/soul band Simply Red, who took their version to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1989. 


Year:
2001
3:29
72 

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[Chorus]
If you don't know me by now 
You'll never, never, never know me 
All the things that we've been through 
You should understand me 
Like I understand you 

Now baby I know the difference 
Between right and wrong 
I ain't gonna do nothin' 
To upset our happy home 

Oh, don't get so excited 
When I comee home a little late at night 
Cause we only act like children 
When we argue, fuss and fight 

[Chorus] 

We all got our own funny moods 
I've got mine 
Woman, you got yours too 
Just trust in me 

Like I trust in you 
As long as we've been together 
That should be so easy to do 
Just get yourself together 

Or we might as well say good-bye 
What good is a love affair 
When we can't see eye-to-eye 

[Chorus]

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Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes

Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes were an American singing group, one of the most popular Philadelphia soul groups of the 1970s. The group's repertoire included soul, R&B, doo-wop, and disco. more »

2 fans

Written by: Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


13 facts about this song

Original Creators
"If You Don't Know Me by Now" was originally written by Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, and first performed by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes in 1972. It was the lead single from their album "I Miss You".
Frontman Change
Teddy Pendergrass was originally a drummer for Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, but later became the lead singer. The song "If You Don't Know Me by Now" was one of his biggest hits with the group.
Chart Performance - Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes
The song reached No.3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No.1 on the Billboard R&B chart in the mid-1970s.
Joining Ranks
The song "If you don't know me by now" was one of four Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes’ hits to get into the R&B’s top spot.
Grammy Nomination - Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes
"If You Don't Know Me by Now" received a Grammy nomination for R&B performance by a duo, group, or chorus in 1973.
Cover - Simply Red
British band Simply Red covered the song in 1989 for their album "A New Flame." It became one of their biggest hits.
Chart Performance - Simply Red
The Simply Red version of the song hit No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and won the 1992 Grammy for Best R&B song.
Distinction
With their cover of "If You Don't Know Me by Now," Simply Red became one of the few UK artists to reach No.1 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
Music Video
The music video for Simply Red's version, directed by Andy Morahan, received a nomination for Best British Video at the 1990 Brit Awards.
Late Teddy Pendergrass' version
Even after leaving Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, Teddy Pendergrass continued to perform "If You Don't Know Me by Now" as a solo act.
Recognition - Teddy Pendergrass
"If You Don't Know Me by Now", along with Pendergrass's other classic hits, helped him secure his place in the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame in 2010.
Film and TV Use
The song has been widely used in film and television, including in an episode of "The Office" where the character Michael Scott famously serenades his staff with a karaoke version.
Cultural Impact
Over decades, "If You Don't Know Me by Now" has become a much-covered standard in the soul genre, demonstrating its enduring popularity.

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