In his book
Eddy Arnold: Pioneer of the Nashville Sound, author Michael Streissguth describes how Arnold and Walker composed the song:
Cindy Walker, who had supplied Eddy with "Take Me in Your Arms and Hold Me" (a number-one country record in 1949 and Eddy's first Cindy Walker release), recalled discussing the idea for "You Don't Know Me" with Eddy as she was leaving one of
Nashville's annual disc-jockey conventions. "I went up to the Victor suite to tell
Steve Sholes good-bye," she explained, "and just as I was leaving, Eddy came in the door." Arnold approached Walker, saying: "I got a song title for you... 'You Don't Know Me.'" Walker, in jest, replied "But I know
you !" Arnold retorted that he was serious and proceeded to outline the story he had in mind. Walker promised to take Arnold's story and think about how to turn it into workable lyrics and melody, which eventually came naturally. "The song just started singing. It sort of wrote itself..." "You Don't Know Me", in a basic
thirty-two-bar form, is the narrative of a man who has "never (known) the art of making love" and his friendly encounter with someone he knows but secretly loves. Fearing rejection, the narrator never expresses his feelings toward the object of his affections and lets her walk away with another "lucky guy" (this lyric is
gender-neutralized when sung by a woman), never knowing if she loves him back. ==Notable recorded versions==