Don't Know Much

"Don't Know Much" is a song written by Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil and Tom Snow. The original version of this song was recorded by Barry Mann in 1980 and was made famous when it was covered as a duet by Linda Ronstadt and Aaron Neville in 1989. Their version was a worldwide success, topping the Irish Singles Chart and reaching the top 10 in several territories.

"Don't Know Much"
Single by Linda Ronstadt featuring Aaron Neville
from the album Cry Like a Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind
ReleasedSeptember 12, 1989
RecordedMarch–August 1989
StudioSkywalker Ranch, Marin County
GenrePop[1]
Length3:35
LabelElektra
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Linda Ronstadt singles chronology
"When I Fall in Love"
(1985)		 "Don't Know Much"
(1989)		 "All My Life"
(1989)
Music video
"Don't Know Much" on YouTube

History

The song first appeared on Barry 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. Glenn Jones also included a version of the song on his best-selling 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.

In 2000, Barry Mann re-recorded the song with Brenda Russell on his album Soul and Inspiration released on Atlantic records.

Linda Ronstadt and Aaron Neville version

The song was covered on Linda Ronstadt's triple-Platinum 1989 album Cry Like a Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind. 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 United States in 1989, peaking at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 in December 1989, behind Phil Collins' "Another Day in Paradise",[2] and number one on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart. The single was Ronstadt's tenth top 10 hit and was certified Gold, eventually selling over 900,000 copies in the United States alone. In the United Kingdom, the song peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart. The song also hit number one in Ireland, number two in Australia, and the top five in Austria, Belgium, Canada, the Netherlands, and New Zealand.

"Don't Know Much" won Ronstadt and Neville the 1990 Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and was nominated for Song of the Year.

Critical reception

The song received favorable reviews from music critics. Expressen called it "heavenly". They commented, "What a lovesong."[3] Cary Darling from Orange County Register labeled it as a "soaring, wide-screen ballad".[4] Jan DeKnock from Orlando Sentinel described the song as "a killer ballad".[5] People Magazine wrote that "their voices fuse like sunlight beaming through a stained-glass window."[6] James Hunter of Rolling Stones said that it is "brilliant".[7] Santa Cruz Sentinel called it a "tender love ballad duet".[8]

Music video

In the music video, both Neville and Ronstadt portray a middle-aged couple that are remembering their past and all the difficulties that they seem to have faced together.

Track listing
7" single, Europe (1989)
No.TitleLength
1."Don't Know Much"3:33
2."Hurt So Bad"3:17
12" single, UK (1989)
No.TitleLength
1."Don't Know Much"3:33
2."Hurt So Bad"3:17
3."I Can't Let Go"2:44

Personnel

Charts
gollark: I can't really hear many people's thoughts myself. Is this common?
gollark: And yet bees approach from the north.
gollark: Are you using one of the uncool continuity-based identity definitions then?
gollark: Obtain superior rooms.
gollark: There are probably fancy mathy definitions of complexity.

References
  1. Chilton, Martin (April 11, 2014). "Linda Ronstadt deserves Rock and Roll Hall of Fame honour". The Daily Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
  2. "Linda Ronstadt Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  3. Expressen. November 6, 1989.
  4. "Ronstadt heads back to mainstream pop". Orange County Register. October 27, 1989. p. 18. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  5. "PAULA ABDUL FINALLY TOPS THE POPS". Orlando Sentinel. DeKnock, Jan. October 6, 1989. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  6. "Picks and Pans Review: Cry Like a Rainstorm—howl Like the Wind". People. October 23, 1989. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
  7. Hunter, James (January 11, 1990). "Cry Like A Rainstorm, Howl Like The Wind". Rolling Stones. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  8. "Grammys/A big night for Bonnie". Santa Cruz Sentinel. February 22, 1990. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
  9. "Australian-charts.com – Linda Ronstadt feat. Aaron Neville – Don't Know Much". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  10. "Austriancharts.at – Linda Ronstadt feat. Aaron Neville – Don't Know Much" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  11. "Ultratop.be – Linda Ronstadt feat. Aaron Neville – Don't Know Much" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  12. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6658." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
  13. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 6590." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  14. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 6 no. 50. December 16, 1989. p. 10 (of PDF). Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  15. "Offiziellecharts.de – Linda Ronstadt feat. Aaron Neville – Don't Know Much". GfK Entertainment Charts.
  16. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Don't Know Much". Irish Singles Chart.
  17. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 2, 1990" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40
  18. "Dutchcharts.nl – Linda Ronstadt feat. Aaron Neville – Don't Know Much" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  19. "Charts.nz – Linda Ronstadt feat. Aaron Neville – Don't Know Much". Top 40 Singles.
  20. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  21. "Linda Ronstadt Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
  22. "Year-End Charts '89 – Top 100 Singles". Music Week. London, England: Spotlight Publications. March 3, 1990. p. 16.
  23. "ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 50 Singles 1990". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved December 23, 2017.
  24. "Jaaroverzichten 1990" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved June 3, 2018.
  25. "Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1990". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved June 3, 2018.
  26. "Top 100 Adult Contemporary Tracks of 1990". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  27. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1990". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
  28. Nielsen Business Media, Inc (December 22, 1990). "1990 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 102 no. 51. p. YE-14.
  29. "Billboard Hot 100 60th Anniversary Interactive Chart". Billboard. Retrieved February 14, 2020.
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