You Don't Know Me?
by Cindy Walker and Eddy Arnold
"It was the end
of the Nashville Music Week celebration. I was leaving
for home in Texas and had gone up to the RCA Victor
sweet to tell some friends goodbye. Eddy Arnold came in
the door as I was leaving and said, 'I've got a
wonderful idea for a song called "You Don't Know Me."
It's about a guy who's been in love with a girl a long
time but too shy to let her know. See what you can come
up with.' At the time I didn't think it was much of a
title, but a few months later out of the blue a song
began singing in my mind: 'You give her your hand to me
and then you say hello.' It seemed to write itself
except for that last line. I couldn't seem to find an
ending. Then, a few days later, the words came singing
again, so simple, so right: 'You give her your hand to
me and then you say goodbye.' The rest was easy. I knew
I had the song that Eddy Arnold was talking about and
called him and sang it over the phone. He had forgotten
about giving me the title, but said, 'I love the song
and I'll record it!' And he did a week later in New
York." —Cindy Walker
You Don't Know Me
You give me your hand to me
And then you say hello
And i can hardly speak
My heart is beating so
And anyone could tell
You think you know me well
But you don't know me.
No, you don't know the one
Who dreams of you at night
And longs to kiss your lips
And longs to hold you tight
To you I'm just a friend
That's all I've ever been
But you don't know me.
For I never knew the art of making love
Though my heart ached with love for you
Afraid and shy I let my chance go by
The chance you might have loved me too.
You give your hand to me
And then you say goodbye
I watch you walk away
Beside the lucky guy
To never know
The one who loves you so
No, you don't know me.
