“You Don’t Know Me“ is a song written by Cindy Walker….which was based on a title and story line given to her by Eddy Arnold in 1955…..and was first recorded by Arnold that year and released as a single on April 21, 1956 on RCA Victor. The first version of the song to make the Billboard charts was by Jerry Vale in 1956, peaking at # 14 on the pop chart. Arnold’s version charted two months later, released as an RCA Victor single….which reached # 10 on the Billboard country chart.
The best-selling version of the song is by Ray Charles….who took it to # 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1962….after releasing the song on his # 1 album Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music. It was kept from the # 1 spot by “Sheila” by Tommy Roe. This version also topped the “Easy listening” chart for three weeks in 1962….and was used in the 1993 comedy film Groundhog Day. The song was the 12th # 1 country hit for Mickey Gilley in 1981. The song has been performed or recorded by hundreds of artists, including Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, and Willie Nelson. Ray Charles re-recorded the song with Diana Krall on his # 1 album of duets, Genius Loves Company, the only song common to both of Charles’ two # 1 albums.
