About The Song
Toby Keith followed his No. 1 debut single “Should’ve Been a Cowboy” with the top five “He Ain’t Worth Missing” and the top ten “A Little Less Talk (and a Lot More Action).” The fourth and final single from Toby Keith returned him to the top.
I remember this getting a negative review in Billboard when it was released. It didn’t make sense to me then and it still doesn’t make sense to me now. I think this song is borderline genius.
It captures the moment of realization that you’ve been being lied to all along, but takes the emotional reaction in a different direction than expected. This guy wishes to go back to blissful ignorance, even though he’s “sure found out too much to stay.”
Keith is so damn good at rugged vulnerability, and this is one of his best demonstrations of that dichotomy. Staying with the woman who humiliated him isn’t an option, but he’s still going to deeply miss the illusion he was living under.
“Please don’t say you’re sorry,” he asks. “I just might stay another day.”
Toby Keith’s lead single from his sophomore album will follow this to No. 1, and it’s a winner, too.
“Wish I Didn’t Know Now” gets an A.
Video
Lyrics
I’ve never ask you where you’re goin’
I’ve never ask you where you’ve been
I’ve never called and checked your story
You stayed out with all your friends
I’ve never tried to catch you lyin’, I didn’t wanna know the truth
I’d rather go on lovin’ blind girl than go on lovin’ without you
I wish I didn’t know now what I didn’t know then
I wish I could start this whole thing over again
I’m not sayin’ that you could never be true
I just don’t wanna know how it ends
You’d still have my heart in the palm of your hands
I’d still look like a fool in front of your friends
Yeah, I wish somehow I didn’t know now what I didn’t know then
I’ve always said what I don’t know couldn’t hurt as bad as leavin’ you
Turns out I knew what I was thinkin’
It ain’t an easy thing to do
Well, I guess I should be goin’
I sure found out too much to stay
Please don’t say you’re sorry, I might wait another day
I wish I didn’t know now what I didn’t know then
I wish I could start this whole thing over again
I’m not sayin’ that you could never be true
I just don’t wanna know how it ends
You’d still have my heart in the palm of your hands
I’d still look like a fool in front of your friends
Yeah, I wish somehow I didn’t know now what I didn’t know then
You’d still have my heart in the palm of your hand
I’d still look like a fool in front of your friends
Yeah, I wish somehow I didn’t know now what I didn’t know then
Yeah, I wish somehow I didn’t know now what I didn’t know then
yenhu