☝️ Key Points
- The song addresses themes such as understanding, trust, and communication in a relationship.
- The singer feels misunderstood by his partner and expresses his frustration about it.
- He values the acceptance of individual moods and mistakes in a relationship.
- According to the singer, trust and mutual understanding are necessary in a relationship.
- When there is a lack of understanding and knowledge of the other, the singer sees little hope for the relationship.
Interpretation
'If You Don't Know Me by Now' is a song that addresses the themes of understanding, trust, and communication in a relationship. The singer expresses his frustration that his partner, after all the time and experience shared, still doesn't fully understand him.
The verse 'All the things That we've been through You should understand me Like I understand you' suggests that he feels he understands his partner better than she understands him. He emphasizes the importance of understanding and accepting each other's differences in a relationship, including the moods and mistakes that we all have ('We've all got our Own funny moods I've got mine, Woman you've got yours too').
The singer seeks trust from his partner ('Just trust in me like I trust in you') and emphasizes that this is essential for the survival of their relationship. Without mutual understanding and trust, he argues that their love and relationship don't make sense ('What good is a love affair When you can't see eye to eye').
In the chorus 'If you don't know me by now You will never never never know me', the singer expresses his disappointment and resignation that if, after all the shared time, she still doesn't truly know him, she probably never will.