If Only You Knew

Patti LaBelle

About If Only You Knew

"If Only You Knew" was a single written and produced primarily by Dexter Wansel and Cynthia Biggs for American singer Patti LaBelle's sixth solo album, I'm in Love Again. It was released as the album's official first single in 1983, spending four weeks at #1 on the U. S. R&B chart during January and February 1984; it reached #46 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking her first crossover pop hit.


Year:
1992
4:28
1,537 
#6

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I must have rehearsed my lines
A thousand times
Until I had them memorized
But when I get up the nerve

To tell you the words
Just never seem to
Come out right
Hmmm

If only you knew
How much I do
Do love you
Oh, if only you knew 

How much I do
Do love you
I dream of moments we share
But you're not there

I'm living in a fantasy
'Cause you don't even suspect
Could probably care less
About the changes I've been

Going through
Oh, if only you knew
How much I do
Do love you

Oh, if only you knew
How much I do
Do need you
'Cause you don't even suspect

Could probably care less
About the changes I've been
Going through
If only you knew

How much I do
Do love you
Oh, if only you knew
How much I do

Do need you
Oh, oh if only you knew
How much I do
Do love you

Oh if only you knew
How much I do
I do need you
Oh, if

If
If I love you, yes
You don't know
I said you don't know how much I need you, suga

Oh, I said you don't know
That I love you
And I will show I love you

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Patti LaBelle

Patricia Louise Holte-Edwards (born May 24, 1944), better known under the stage name Patti LaBelle, is a Grammy Award winning American singer, author and actress who has spent over 50 years in the music industry. LaBelle spent 16 years as lead singer of Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles, who changed their name to Labelle in the early 1970s and released the iconic disco song, "Lady Marmalade". more »

7 fans

Written by: Kenny Gamble, Cynthia De Mari Biggs, Dexter Wansel

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


11 facts about this song

Song's Background
"If Only You Knew" is a song by American recording artist Patti LaBelle. It was released in 1983 and has since become one of her signature songs.
Chart Success
The song was a huge success, peaking at number one on the Billboard R&B chart and number 46 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It remained #1 on the R&B chart for four consecutive weeks in 1984.
Recording Studio and Album
"If Only You Knew" was recorded at the famous Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia. It's a part of the acclaimed album "I'm in Love Again", released in November 1983.
Credits
The song was written by Dexter Wansel, Cynthia Biggs, and Kenny Gamble. Wansel and Gamble also produced the song.
Song Theme
The song is about unrequited love, with LaBelle singing about how much she loves a man, but she cannot find the courage to confess her feelings to him.
Iconic Performance
Patti's performance of "If Only You Knew" on the 1985 "Motown Returns to the Apollo" television special is considered as one of her most iconic live performances.
Cover Versions
The song has been covered by several other artists including Ruben Studdard, KeKe Wyatt, and Aretha Franklin.
Song Duration
The runtime of the original song is approximately 4 minutes and 43 seconds.
Video
The music video for "If Only You Knew" shows Patti LaBelle performing the song onstage.
Accolades
Despite the song's success, it was not nominated for any Grammy Awards. However, it continues to be one of Patti LaBelle's most popular songs.
Legacy
The song is often cited as one of the best R&B vocal performances and ballads of the 1980s. Over the years, its popularity has remained intact, often reintroduced to younger generations through sampling in hip-hop and R&B songs.

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    "If Only You Knew Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 19 Apr. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/1060521/Patti+LaBelle/If+Only+You+Knew>.

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    If Only You Knew

    42.6M
    343.9K     14,225

    Top Hot 100 Songs 1984

    Billboard #46


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