Don't You Know? Explained

Don't You Know?
Cover:Don't_You_Know?_-_Della_Reese.png
Type:single
Artist:Della Reese
Album:The Classic Della
B-Side:Soldier, Won't You Marry Me?
Genre:R&B, classic pop
Length:2:28
Label:RCA Victor
Prev Title:Sermonette
Prev Year:1959
Next Title:And Now
Next Year:1960

"Don't You Know?" is a 1959 popular song written by Bobby Worth, and hit record for singer Della Reese.

The song was adapted from an aria ("Musetta's Waltz") from Puccini's La bohème. It was Reese's first single on her new label RCA Victor and helped her get a nomination for a Grammy Award for Best Female Vocalist.

Previously entitled "You," the song had also been a hit for Sammy Kaye in 1952, reaching number 28.

Chart performance

It became Reese's biggest hit, reaching number 1 on the U.S. R&B chart.[1] "Don't You Know?" went to number 2 on the U.S. Pop chart, where "Mack the Knife" by Bobby Darin kept it from number 1.[2] It was a follow-up to her previous big hit, "And That Reminds Me"."Don't You Know?" charted in South Africa in 1975, where it peaked at number 2 on Springbok Radio Top 20 in May 1975. The song charted for 14 weeks.[3]

Notes and References

  1. Joel Whitburn Presents Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004, 2004 (Record Research) p. 488
  2. Web site: The Hot 100 Chart. Billboard.com. May 1, 2021.
  3. Web site: South African Rock Lists Website - SA Charts 1969 - 1989 Acts (R) .