Shoulda Been a Hit: You Don't Know by Cyndi Lauper

Have you ever heard a song that was so good, you couldn't believe it wasn't a hit? For me, one of those songs is You Don't Know by Cyndi Lauper. I happened to catch Cyndi singing it live at Las Vegas' Gay Pride event many years ago. Cyndi was pregnant at the time (though she claimed her belly was from drinking a lot of beer, in her New York accent). I thought it was a fantastic song at the time, and I still do.

You Don't Know was originally a slower song, with a serious message. But the dance version really drives the message home. As you listen, read along with the lyrics, and think of the typical FOX "News" viewer. Or that oddball relative at Thanksgiving last week. This song should've been a hit.


"You Don't Know" by Cyndi Lauper

You don't know where you belong
You should be more careful
As you follow blindly along ...
You just need to belong somehow.


Relying on rhetoric ...
Not well versed on topics ...
Any idea what you're talking about ?
Revisions of history
Fair well in some company
But don't shove that bullshit down my throat


You don't know where you belong ...
You should be more careful
As you follow blindly along ...
To find something to swear to ...
Till you don't know what's right from wrong
You just need to belong somehow.


Left suppresses right
Right suppresses left
So what's the left, and what's right?
You're told what to wear,
You're told what to like
It'd be nice if you'd think for yourself sometime,
But you don't.
Now you don't know where you belong ...
You should be more careful
As you follow blindly along ...


Mix sheer hypocrisy with mediocrity
You'll play it safe every time -
So life turns up empty
And you're so dissatisfied
Who are you blaming this time?

Why don't you know?

First, the album version (more somber)

And now, the dance version (my fave).