If You Don’t Know Me by Now

If You Don’t Know Me by Now

“If You Don’t Know Me by Now”
One of side-A labels of the US single
Single by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes
from the album I Miss You
B-side	“Let Me Into Your World”
Released	September 11, 1972[1]
Recorded	1972
Genre	R&B, soul
Length	3:27
Label	Philadelphia International Records
Songwriter(s)	Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff
Producer(s)	Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff
Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes singles chronology

“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. The song’s composers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff gave it to Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, which featured Teddy Pendergrass as lead vocalist, and the actual background vocals done by producers Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff, Carl Helm, and Bunny Sigler. In addition to the single release, the track was included on their debut album I Miss You.

Patti LaBelle later made the song 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 recorded 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 “If You Don’t Know Me By Now” was chosen as one of the “Songs of the Century” by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[3]

Charts[edit]

Simply Red version[edit]

“If You Don’t Know Me by Now”
Single by Simply Red
from the album A New Flame
B-side	“Move on Out”
Released	March 27, 1989
Recorded	1988
Genre
Length	3:24
Label	Elektra
Songwriter(s)	Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff
Producer(s)	Stewart Levine
Simply Red singles chronology
Music video
“If You Don’t Know Me by Now” on YouTube

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.[12] This version also won the Grammy Award for the Best R&B Song of 1989.[13] The track was also a number-one hit in Australia and New Zealand; in the latter country, it was the best-selling single of 1989. It reached number 2 in the UK, becoming 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 did not 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.[14]

This version can be heard in the films American Psycho (2000) and Class Action (1991) 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]

Critical reception[edit]

Jerry Smith from Music Week wrote, “Top-notch purveyors of smooth soul, Simply Red deliver this excellent version of the old Harold Melvin & the Bluenotes classic, lifted from their already platinum-selling A New Flame LP. As a follow up to their “It’s Only Love” hit, it’s a sure fire winner. Expect mass exposure.”[15]

Track listings[edit]

1. “If You Don’t Know Me by Now” – 3:23
2. “Move on Out” (recorded Live Manchester on February 22, 1989) – 5:18

• 12-inch single

1. “If You Don’t Know Me by Now” – 3:23
2. “Move on Out” (recorded live Manchester on February 22, 1989) – 5:18
3. “Shine” (recorded live Manchester on February 22, 1989) – 3:30

• 3-inch CD single

1. “If You Don’t Know Me by Now” – 3:23
2. “Move on Out” (recorded live Manchester on February 22, 1989) – 5:18
3. “Shine” (recorded live Manchester on February 22, 1989) – 3:30
4. “Sugar Daddy” – 3:30

Charts[edit]

Certifications[edit]

Other versions[edit]

• In 1976, Jamaican reggae band Zap Pow released a version in the UK on Trojan Records.[52]
• The musician Seal recorded the song for his 2008 album Soul. In April 2009, it became his first Top 10 Adult Contemporary hit since “Love’s Divine” in 2004.[53] He was also subsequently nominated for the Best Male Pop Vocal Performance Grammy.[citation needed]
• The Voice of Holland contestant Ben Saunders performed the song for the 2010-11 competition. His recorded version went straight to number one in the Netherlands.[citation needed]
• A comedic cover version by Ricky Gervais, in character as David Brent, appeared in the 2003 Christmas special of the British comedy series The Office.
• Martina McBride recorded for her 2014 album Everlasting.

See also[edit]

• List of Best Selling Soul Singles number ones of 1972
• List of Hot Adult Contemporary number ones of 1989

References[edit]

1. ^ “Harold Melvin And The Bluenotes – If You Don’t Know Me By Now”. 45cat.com. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
2. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 393.
3. ^ “Songs of the Century”. CNN. March 7, 2001. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
4. ^ “Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada”. Collectionscanada.gc.ca. December 23, 1972. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
5. ^ “The Irish Charts – Search Results – If You Don’t Know Me by Now”. Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
6. ^ “Official Charts Company”. Officialcharts.com. January 13, 1973. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
7. ^ Joel Whitburn’s Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 – ISBN 0-89820-089-X
8. ^ “Cash Box Top 100 12/02/72”. Cashboxmagazine.com. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
9. ^ Whitburn, Joel (1999). Pop Annual. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. ISBN 0-89820-142-X.
10. ^ “Cash Box YE Pop Singles – 1973”. Tropicalglen.com. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
11. ^ Smith, Troy L. (May 13, 2021). “Every No. 1 song of the 1980s ranked from worst to best”. Cleveland.com. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
12. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 528.
13. ^ “Winners – 32nd Annual GRAMMY Awards (1989)”. Recording Academy. November 28, 2017. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
14. ^ Bronson, Fred (1992). The Billboard Book of Number One Hits. p. 736. ISBN 0-8230-8298-9.
15. ^ Smith, Jerry (April 8, 1989). “Singles” (PDF). Music Week. p. 21. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
16. ^ “Simply Red – If You Don’t Know Me by Now”. ARIA Top 50 Singles.
17. ^ “Simply Red – If You Don’t Know Me by Now” (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
18. ^ “Simply Red – If You Don’t Know Me by Now” (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
19. ^ “Top RPM Singles: Issue 6417.” RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
20. ^ “Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 6438.” RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
21. ^ “Eurochart Hot 100 Singles” (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 6, no. 17. April 29, 1989. p. 30. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
22. ^ “Simply Red – If You Don’t Know Me by Now” (in French). Les classement single.
23. ^ “The Irish Charts – Search Results – If You Don’t Know Me by Now”. Irish Singles Chart.
24. ^ “Nederlandse Top 40 – week 23, 1989” (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
25. ^ “Simply Red – If You Don’t Know Me by Now” (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
26. ^ “Simply Red – If You Don’t Know Me by Now”. Top 40 Singles.
27. ^ “Simply Red – If You Don’t Know Me by Now”. VG-lista.
28. ^ “Simply Red – If You Don’t Know Me by Now”. Singles Top 100.
29. ^ “Simply Red – If You Don’t Know Me by Now”. Swiss Singles Chart.
30. ^ “Simply Red: Artist Chart History”. Official Charts Company.
31. ^ “Simply Red Chart History (Hot 100)”. Billboard.
32. ^ “Simply Red Chart History (Adult Contemporary)”. Billboard.
33. ^ “Simply Red Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)”. Billboard.
34. ^ “Cash Box Top 100 Singles: July 15, 1989”. Cash Box. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
35. ^ “Offiziellecharts.de – Simply Red – If You Don’t Know Me by Now”. GfK Entertainment charts.
36. ^ a b “1989 ARIA Singles Chart”. ARIA. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
37. ^ “Jahreshitparade Singles 1989” (in German). Retrieved November 6, 2020.
38. ^ “Jaaroverzichten 1989” (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
39. ^ “Top 100 Singles of ’89”. RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
40. ^ “Eurochart Hot 100 1989” (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 6, no. 51. December 23, 1989. p. 6. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved January 17, 2020 – via World Radio History.
41. ^ “Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 1989”. Dutch Top 40. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
42. ^ “Jaaroverzichten – Single 1989” (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
43. ^ “End of Year Charts 1989”. Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
44. ^ “Year-End Charts ’89 – Top 100 Singles”. Music Week. London, England: Spotlight Publications. March 3, 1990. p. 16.
45. ^ “Billboard Top 100 – 1989”. Billboardtop100of.com. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
46. ^ “Adult Contemporary Songs – Year-End 1989”. Billboard. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
47. ^ “Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 1989” (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
48. ^ “New Zealand single certifications – Simply Red – If You Don’t Know Me by Now”. Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
49. ^ “Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998” (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-17. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
50. ^ “British single certifications – Simply Red – If You Don’t Know Me by Now”. British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
51. ^ “American single certifications – Simply Red – If You Don’t Know Me by Now”. Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
52. ^ “Zap Pow – Wild Honey / If You Don’t Know Me By Now”. Discogs. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
53. ^ Chart Beat, Billboard.com, April 15, 2009.

External links[edit]

• 1970s ballads
• 1972 singles
• 1972 songs
• 1989 singles
• 1989 songs
• Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles
• Black-and-white music videos
• Elektra Records singles
• Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes songs
• Number-one singles in Australia
• Number-one singles in New Zealand
• Patti LaBelle songs
• Philadelphia International Records singles
• Rhythm and blues ballads
• Simply Red songs
• Songs written by Kenny Gamble
• Songs written by Leon Huff
• Soul ballads