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You Don't Know What You've Got
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Wikipedia article
"'You Don't Know What You've Got (Until You Lose It)'" is a 1961 single by Ral Donner. It was his biggest hit, peaking at number four on the 'Billboard' Hot 100.[ Allmusic] and at #25 on the UK charts. The song also appears on Donner's 1961 album 'Takin' Care of Business'.
The song was written by Paul Hampton and George Burton and released by Gone Records.[https://books.google.com/books?id=GxYiAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA421#v=onepage&q&f=false Rock Song Index: The 7500 Most Important Songs for the Rock and Roll Era], p. 421 (2d ed. 2005) It debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the week of July 16, 1961, at spot 83. It continued to rise on the chart for the next eight weeks, peaking at number 4 for the week of September 10, 1961 (during the reign of 'Michael' by The Highwaymen at number 1).[https://books.google.com/books?id=2CAEAAAAMBAJ&pg= Billboard Hot 100], Billboard (September 4, 1961) It dropped off the chart after a 12-week run.Poore, Billy. [https://books.google.com/books?id=fdvoZRLEs7EC&pg=PA132&lpg=PA13#v=onepage&q&f=false Rockabilly: A Forty-year Journey], p. 132 (1998)
Donner's Elvis Presley-like vocals caused many to think the song was by Elvis.Osborne, Jerry (9 January 1990). [https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1499&dat=19900109&id=5GgaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_ysEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2270,359797 Elvis had imitators even then], 'Milwaukee Journal'Popson, Tom (26 May 1989). [http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1989-05-26/entertainment/8902040306_1_wirtz-elvis-presley-top-jimmy Indie Lps: Remembering Ral Donner, Exploring The World Of Rev. Wirtz], 'Chicago Tribune' ("if you didn`t know who was singing, you might swear it was Elvis.") According to a 1979 interview with Donner, the song was recorded in Florida and was intended for recording by a girl group, but Ral and his colleagues liked the demo they heard of the song and decided to record it.Lay, Rip (November 1979). [http://www.oocities.org/raldonner@rogers.com/goldmine.htm A Conversation With Ral Donner], 'Goldmine'
Chart performance
References
Category:1961 singles
Category:1961 songs
Category:Songs written by Paul Hampton
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