I bet each and every one of my readers remember the time they heard a favorite song for the very first time. You feel this instant connection, your heart fills up with so much energy, so much passion; emotions are flying everywhere; you cannot explain it – you can only feel it. I remember when I heard Cinderella’s “Don’t Know What You Got (Till It’s Gone)” for the first time. Gladly, I was old enough to actually appreciate and understand the true brilliancy of the song. Yes, I do believe that in some cases when it comes to music or songs, age and experience are very important. It quickly became an absolute favorite 80s song and in my top 10 greatest power-ballads of all time (and believe me, that’s a very huge accomplishment given in mind the fact that power-ballads are MY thing and I’m very critical).
Cinderella are actually one of the few truly talented glam rockers of the 80s. Among the endless river of hairspray, leather and leopard prints, Cinderella managed to stood out and prove that image isn’t everything when it comes to being in the industry. With time, their popularity declined and the band quickly faded away but they didn’t disappear without leaving a few prints and a trace of timeless rockers still remembered and played till today. “Don’t Know What You Got (Till It’s Gone)” is one of those classics which I believe will always find a place among our playlists; a song that deserves so much more recognition than it got! Let’s appreciate it together!
– “Don’t Know What You Got (Till It’s Gone)” was written by singer-songwriter and co-founder of Cinderella, Tom Keifer. The track was released as a single from their second album “Long Cold Winter” (1988). Up to date, it’s their highest charting single and most successful track! It was also pretty popular on MTV as it received heavy rotation in the late 80s.
– Back in the day, the companies would invest huge budgets for music videos, so naturally, Mercury shelled out the big bucks and the results were in. The video of “Don’t Know What You Got (Till It’s Gone)” was filmed at Mono Lake’s Bodie National Park in California. Tom Keifer playing on a grand piano on the beach was a very difficult scene to shoot but it also became one of the most iconic and beautiful images of the era.
-“Don’t Know What You Got (Till It’s Gone)” impresses with its intensity and variety of emotions it offers to its listeners. Compared to other glam rock bands of the era, Cinderella were actually pretty good songwriters and knew how to craft something meaningful and lasting. The vocal delivery is superb and this is coming from a person who doesn’t really like such scratchy, high-pitched male voices. Tom, however, he completely blew me away! He’s the only exception.
– In terms of lyrics, once again as I said, “Don’t Know What You Got (Till It’s Gone)” is such a fine example of how powerful a song can be and how easily it could play on your emotional strings. So sincere, so relatable, so genuine – a perfect ballad. We have all been there, each one of us. This song can easily become a soundtrack to the end of a love story – a painful reminder of how we have to cherish and appreciate what we have because one day, it might be long gone. Sometimes in life, we do or say things we don’t realize that may hurt the other. One day, we wake up and the world is not the same. We don’t know what went wrong and we don’t know what to do or who’s to blame…All we know is that we lost something that meant a lot to us and all we have is…”just this song”.
Check out this live performance of “Don’t Know What You Got (Till It’s Gone)”
“Don’t Know What You Got (Till It’s Gone)” Lyrics
I can’t make you feel what you felt
So long ago, I’ll let it show
I can’t give you back what’s been hurt
Heartaches come and go and all that’s
left are the words I can’t let go
If we take some time to think it over baby
Take some time let me know
If you really wanna go Don’t know what you got till it’s gone
Don’t know what it is I did so wrong
Now I know what I got
It’s just this song
And it ain’t easy to get back
Takes so long
I can’t feel the things that cause you pain
I can’t clear my heart of your love
It falls like rain, ain’t the same
I hear you calling far away
Tearing through my soul I just can’t
Take another day, Who’s to blame
If we take some time to think it over baby
Take some time let me know
If you really wanna go
Don’t know what you got till it’s gone
Don’t know what it is I did so wrong
Now I know what I got
It’s just this song
And it ain’t easy to get back
Takes so long
Do you wanna see me beggin’ baby
Can’t you give me just one more day
Can’t you see my heart’s been draggin’ lately
I’ve been lookin’ for the words to say
Don’t know what you got till it’s gone
Don’t know what it is I did so wrong
Now I know what I got
It’s just this song
And it ain’t easy to get back
Takes so long
MY ROCK MIXTAPES 
I remember when this song came out in 1988… I was in college my first year of college, while the love of my life was in high school still. 1988 was a horrible year for me, as she cheated on me that march. I forgave her, and we worked things out, as we discovered that she was pregnant with our child while she cheated.. We lost that baby to a miscarriage the end of may, and we were working through it. This song didn’t seem to really get much air play until early winter of that year, and although i’d heard it, and liked it, I didn’t give it much notice. in January of 1989, I had to break up with, and leave the love of my life in Syracuse as she was cheating on me, and at that moment, the lyrics of this song cut through me like nothing i’d ever experienced.. I’ve been a huge fan of this band, and Tom’s ever since, and although this song kills me hearing it, I still love watching him perform it live to this day.
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I was only 14 years of age in 1988 but I was young enough to understand the lyrics. Of course I didn’t really feel the impact of Cinderella’s song until later in life when I lost someone I loved. Now the song has personal impact and the lyrics speak deeply to me. It is a timeless song and almost 30 years later, the song still sounds great and the lyrics and relevant and speak to a new generation of people. Life is hard and people will betray you and hurt you. Life also goes by quickly. Sometimes you don’t know what you got until it is gone. Life lesson. Thanks Tom for putting it to song.
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So True cinderella was my favorite band. Of that genre still listen to long cold winter all the time especially coming home . Great to see Tom still making great music.
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