Cinderella’s power ballad Don’t Know What You Got (Till It’s Gone) was written by frontman Tom Keifer in 1985 during the recording of their debut album, Night Songs. Keifer composed the song while driving to the studio, inspired by the fear that his band’s sudden success with Mercury Records was fleeting. Although initially rejected by producer Andy Johns for their first album, Keifer eventually persuaded him by performing an emotional piano demo that moved Johns to tears.
The track was finally recorded for their second album, Long Cold Winter (1988), at Bearsville Studios in Woodstock, New York. Notably, session drummer Cozy Powell played on the record instead of band member Fred Coury, who was deemed inexperienced for the ballad’s style; the drum track was also slowed down via Varispeed to enhance its “huge” sound. The song was released as the second single in August 1988 and became the band’s biggest hit, peaking at number 12 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
The iconic music video was directed by Nick Morris and filmed in the freezing conditions of Mono Lake and Bodie State Historic Park in California. The production involved a significant budget, including a helicopter that required a jump-start from a truck, and heavy MTV rotation that cemented the song as a quintessential 1980s rock anthem. Its enduring legacy includes features in media such as the 2008 film The Wrestler.
[Verse 1]
I can’t tell you, baby, what went wrong
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
[Pre-Chorus]
If we take some time, think it over, baby
Take some time, let me know
If you really wanna go
[Chorus]
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’ve got, it’s just this song
And it ain’t easy to get back, takes so long
[Verse 2]
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?
[Pre-Chorus]
If we take some time, think it over, baby
Take some time, let me know
If you really wanna go
[Chorus]
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’ve got, it’s just this song
And it ain’t easy to get back, takes so long
[Bridge]
Do you wanna see me begging, baby?
Can’t you give me just one more day?
Can’t you see my heart’s been dragging lately?
I’ve been looking for the words to say
[Guitar Solo]
[Chorus]
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’ve got, it’s just this song
And it ain’t easy to get back, takes so long
Don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone, no
Don’t know what it is I did so wrong
Now I know what I’ve got, it’s just this song
And it ain’t easy to get back, takes so long
