Music Review: Expose "What You Don't Know"
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What You Don’t Know
Album: What You Don’t Know
Year: 1989
Gioia Bruno doubts her boyfriend’s affection for her in the protective “What You Don’t Know.”
Firm keyboards open the single, setting a resistant tone. In the first verse, she thinks of a conversation she and her boyfriend had. He said, “No, I don’t cheat.” It’s a word she doesn’t take at face value. Neither is love. It’s something he has to show. She wonders if he would sacrifice an organ or his life for her, as he claims. She can’t let herself fall in love with him unless she knows he’s trustworthy. She thinks people don’t reveal much of themselves anyhow. Whether its three months into the relationships or three years, he will still act the same way.
In the chorus, if she told him she didn’t believe a word he said, it would break him. He’s better off not knowing her feelings about love.
In the second verse, she thinks he’s risky with his emotions. Eventually, someone is going to take advantage of his naivete. People don’t take love seriously anymore. They often don’t feel the conquences of their mind games until they find someone they really like and it happens to them. People don’t stay in love forever. However, she would like to be in a committed relationship with him. However, they are going to have to get know each other a lot more before they reach that step.
Album: What You Don’t Know
Year: 1989
Gioia Bruno doubts her boyfriend’s affection for her in the protective “What You Don’t Know.”
Firm keyboards open the single, setting a resistant tone. In the first verse, she thinks of a conversation she and her boyfriend had. He said, “No, I don’t cheat.” It’s a word she doesn’t take at face value. Neither is love. It’s something he has to show. She wonders if he would sacrifice an organ or his life for her, as he claims. She can’t let herself fall in love with him unless she knows he’s trustworthy. She thinks people don’t reveal much of themselves anyhow. Whether its three months into the relationships or three years, he will still act the same way.
“No is not an answer/One that I might try to understand you see/Love is only letters/Until you prove your love is here inside for me/Can you feel it/Or can't you see/I'll never love someone as much I know/What you see/It's what you'll get/Until I know it's real it won't change how I feel.”
In the chorus, if she told him she didn’t believe a word he said, it would break him. He’s better off not knowing her feelings about love.
“What you don't know/Might hurt you/What you don't know/If you don't know/It won't hurt you/What you don't know.”
In the second verse, she thinks he’s risky with his emotions. Eventually, someone is going to take advantage of his naivete. People don’t take love seriously anymore. They often don’t feel the conquences of their mind games until they find someone they really like and it happens to them. People don’t stay in love forever. However, she would like to be in a committed relationship with him. However, they are going to have to get know each other a lot more before they reach that step.
“You, you play with fire/I know one day you're gonna be the one to burn/Love is like a game/What goes around comes around you wait your turn/
It's a feeling/You change with time/We'll always be together wait and see/If you know me/That's what you'll get/Until I know it's real it won't change how I feel
The chorus is sung again.
A defiant electric guitar solo follows.
In the bridge, she vows to keep her feelings private.“What you don't know, no never know (won’t ever let go)/What you don't know, no never know (not here, not now, not anywhere)/What you don't know, no never know (no, never going to go)/What you don't know, no never know (if you don’t know you might never let go).”
The chorus is sung once.
In the second bridge, she says she prefers to keep in the dark. She thinks he will become a clingy boyfriend, determined to stay with her.“I don’t want to hurt you/I don’t want to hurt you/I don’t want to hurt you/If you know you might not let go.”
The group “na na’s” to close the single.
Bruno can’t open her heart to anyone. She equates vulnerability with weakness and thinks intimacy will only lead to pain. If intimacy does exist, she will feel trapped. However, she doesn’t really love him. She admits as much. In her first relationships, she did let her boyfriend in, only to have him screw around on her. Since then, she’s been guarded and has resolved not to be humiliated again.
Her scrupulous, adamant vocals are defensive and justifying. She thinks it’s for his benefit. However, it’s for hers. By pushing him away, she can continue to avoid feeling.
The strong-willed arrangement pressures and charges at the submissive boyfriend, refusing to budge for even a millimeter.
The saucy “What You Don’t Know” is an above average pop song.