"You Don't Know What You've Got (Until You Lose It)" is a 1961 single by

Ral Donner Ralph Stuart Emanuel Donner (February 10, 1943 – April 6, 1984) was an American rock and roll singer. He scored several pop hits in the United States, US in the early 1960s, and had a human voice, voice similar to Elvis Presley. His best known ...

. It was his biggest hit, peaking at number four on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100.

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

/ref> and at #25 on the UK charts. The song also appears on Donner's 1961 album ''Takin' Care of Business''. The song was written by Paul Hampton and George Burton and released by Gone Records.Rock Song Index: The 7500 Most Important Songs for the Rock and Roll Era
p. 421 (2d ed. 2005) It debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the week of July 16, 1961, at spot 83. It continued to rise on the chart for the next eight weeks, peaking at number 4 for the week of September 10, 1961 (during the reign of ''Michael'' by The Highwaymen at number 1).Billboard Hot 100
Billboard (September 4, 1961) It dropped off the chart after a 12-week run.Poore, Billy
Rockabilly: A Forty-year Journey
p. 132 (1998) Donner's

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...

-like vocals caused many to think the song was by Elvis.Osborne, Jerry (9 January 1990)
Elvis had imitators even then
'' Milwaukee Journal''Popson, Tom (26 May 1989)
Indie Lps: Remembering Ral Donner, Exploring The World Of Rev. Wirtz
''

Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...

'' ("if you didn`t know who was singing, you might swear it was Elvis.") According to a 1979 interview with Donner, the song was recorded in Florida and was intended for recording by a

girl group A girl group is a music act featuring several female singers who generally harmonize together. The term "girl group" is also used in a narrower sense in the United States to denote the wave of American female pop music singing groups, many of who ...

, but Ral and his colleagues liked the demo they heard of the song and decided to record it.Lay, Rip (November 1979)
A Conversation With Ral Donner
'' Goldmine''

Chart performance

References

1961 singles 1961 songs Songs written by Paul Hampton {{1960s-single-stub