"Don't Know Much" is a classic song written by Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil and Tom Snow and made famous when performed as a duet by Linda Ronstadt and Aaron Neville on Ronstadt's Triple Platinum 1989 album Cry Like a Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind. The title is a phrase from its refrain, I don't know much, but I know I love you, and that may be all I need to know.
History
The song had a rich history prior to its success in 1989. It first appeared on Mann's self titled 1980 album, released on Casablanca records. Bill Medley and Bette Midler (under the title "All I Need to Know") then had minor chart success with it in 1981 and 1983, respectively.
In 1985, Audrey Landers recorded the song as "All I Need to Know" for her second album for the German market, Paradise Generation, by Glenn Jones on his 1987 self-titled album for Jive Records, and gospel singer Cynthia Clawson also has a version under this title on her 1990 album Words Will Never Do.
It was introduced to Ronstadt and Neville by Steve Tyrell. Co-produced by Tyrell and Peter Asher, it was released as a single in the U.S. in 1989, peaking at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in December, 1989[1] (behind Phil Collins' Another Day in Paradise) and #1 (where it held for 5 consecutive weeks) on both the adult contemporary chart and pop sales charts. The single was certified Gold and eventually sold over 900,000 copies in the US alone. In the UK, the song peaked at #2 on the British pop chart. The song also hit #1 in Canada, Ireland, Australia, and several other countries.
"Don't Know Much" won Linda & Aaron the 1990 Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and was nominated for Song of the Year.
Music video
In the video, Neville and Ronstadt portray a middle-aged couple that are remembering their past and all the difficulties they seem to have faced together. The song is a symbolic representation of growing old together and being unsure of the future, only knowing that it has been the love which is so clear between them.
Charts
Personnel
References
External links
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