"If You Don't Know Me by Now" is a song written by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, and recorded by the Philadelphia 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.[2]
"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 and soul band Simply Red, who took their version to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1989.
The song was chosen as one of the "Songs of the Century" by the RIAA.[citation needed]
Chart history
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
Chart (1973) |
Rank |
US Cash Box [9] |
86 |
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Simply Red version
Simply Red's version of "If You Don't Know Me by Now" was a major commercial success on the charts in 1989, giving the band their second US number one (also topping the Adult Contemporary chart), and peaking at number 38 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[10] This version also won the Grammy Award for the Best R&B Song of 1989.[11]
The track was also a number one hit in Australia and New Zealand; in the latter, it was the best-selling single of 1989. It peaked at number 2 in the UK; the band's second Top 10 hit after the re-issue of "Holding Back the Years" in 1986, which also reached number 2.
According to the producer Stewart Levine, he didn't want too much orchestration on the record, and went with a two-part harmony instead of a three-part harmony. Mick Hucknall admitted he loved Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes' version, and stated he danced to their music when he was 13.[12]
This version can be heard in the film American Psycho (2000), and appears in the game Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol. It is also available to download for the Xbox 360 game Lips, which contains the music video.[citation needed]
Track listings
- 7" single
- "If You Don't Know Me by Now" – 3:23
- "Move on Out" (recorded Live Manchester on February 22, 1989) – 5:18
- 12" single
- "If You Don't Know Me by Now" – 3:23
- "Move on Out" (recorded live Manchester on February 22, 1989) – 5:18
- "Shine" (recorded live Manchester on February 22, 1989) – 3:30
- 3" CD single
- "If You Don't Know Me by Now" – 3:23
- "Move on Out" (recorded live Manchester on February 22, 1989) – 5:18
- "Shine" (recorded live Manchester on February 22, 1989) – 3:30
- "Sugar Daddy" – 3:30
Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Certifications
Other cover versions
References
- ↑ http://www.45cat.com/record/zs73520
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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- ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – If You Don't Know Me by Now". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
- ↑ Cash Box Top 100 Singles, December 2, 1972
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 29, 1973
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- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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- ↑ "Australian-charts.com – Simply Red – If You Don't Know Me by Now". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
- ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Simply Red – If You Don't Know Me by Now" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
- ↑ "Ultratop.be – Simply Red – If You Don't Know Me by Now" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
- ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6403." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
- ↑ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 6438." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
- ↑ "Lescharts.com – Simply Red – If You Don't Know Me by Now" (in French). Les classement single.
- ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – If You Don't Know Me by Now". Irish Singles Chart.
- ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 23, 1989" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40
- ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Simply Red – If You Don't Know Me by Now" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
- ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Simply Red – If You Don't Know Me by Now". Top 40 Singles.
- ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Simply Red – If You Don't Know Me by Now". VG-lista.
- ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Simply Red – If You Don't Know Me by Now". Singles Top 60.
- ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Simply Red – If You Don't Know Me by Now". Swiss Singles Chart.
- ↑ "Simply Red: Artist Chart History" Official Charts Company.
- ↑ "Simply Red – Chart history" Billboard Hot 100 for Simply Red.
- ↑ "Simply Red – Chart history" Billboard Adult Contemporary for Simply Red.
- ↑ "Simply Red – Chart history" Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs for Simply Red.
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- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Enter If You Don't Know Me by Now in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Select Silver in the field By Award. Click Search
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Chart Beat, Billboard.com, April 15, 2009.
See also
External links
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Studio albums |
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Compilation albums |
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Singles |
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Related articles |
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Studio albums |
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Christmas albums |
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Live albums |
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Singles |
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Filmography |
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