Don't Know What You Got (Till It's Gone)

"Don't Know What You Got (Till It's Gone)"
Single by Cinderella
from the album Long Cold Winter
B-side	"Fire and Ice"
Released	August 1988 (US) February 1989 (UK)[1]
Genre	Glam metal[2][3]
Length	5:55
Label	Mercury
Songwriter(s)	Tom Keifer
Producer(s)	Andy Johns, Cinderella
Cinderella singles chronology
"Gypsy Road" (1988) "Don't Know What You Got (Till It's Gone)" (1988) "Coming Home" (1989)

"Don't Know What You Got (Till It's Gone)" is a power ballad^[3][4] by American rock band Cinderella from their second album, Long Cold Winter. Written by frontman Tom Keifer, it was released in August 1988 and was their most successful single, peaking at number 12 on US Billboard Hot 100 in November 1988.

The music video for the song was filmed at Mono Lake^[3] in California and nearby Bodie State Historic Park. Among the buildings in Bodie seen in the video are the Methodist Church, the Hydroelectric Building, and the Standard Mill.

Critical reception

Melody Maker and New Musical Express, British musical periodicals, reviewed the song ironically. The Stud Brothers (Melody Maker) first supposed that the band penned a Coca-Cola anthem. Simon Williams of NME, on the other hand, suggested that Kiefer's husky voice came from touring too much, implying the band needed a break.^[5][6]

Chart performance

Chart (1988–1989)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)[7]	145
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[8]	68
UK Singles (OCC)[9]	54
US Billboard Hot 100[10]	12
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[11]	10
US Cash Box[12]	17

References

1. Strong, Martin Charles (1995). Great Rock discography. Canongate Press. p. 145. ISBN 978-0-86241-541-9.
2. Bowar, Chad. "Best Hair Metal Ballads". About.com. Archived from the original on May 13, 2013. Retrieved October 5, 2013.
3. Sweeney, Mike (July 19, 2011). "Don't Know What You Got ('Till It's Gone)". The Huffington Post. Retrieved January 12, 2014.
4. Tigges, Jesse (June 6, 2013). "Q&A with Tim Minneci, author of book on power ballads". Columbus Alive. Retrieved August 1, 2013.
5. The Stud Brothers (4 March 1989). "Review: Cinderella – "Don't Know What You Got"". Melody Maker. London: IPC Limited. p. 31. ISSN 0025-9012.
6. Williams, Simon (11 March 1989). "Review: Cinderella – "Don't Know What You Got (Till It's Gone)" (Vertigo)". New Musical Express. London: IPC Limited. p. 29. ISSN 0028-6362.
7. "Cinderella ARIA chart history, received from ARIA on March 3, 2020". Retrieved December 25, 2021 – via Imgur.
8. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 8683." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved August 1, 2013.
9. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 15, 2016.
10. "Cinderella Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 25, 2021.
11. "Cinderella Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved December 25, 2021.
12. "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending NOVEMBER 26, 1988". Cash Box. Archived from the original on October 7, 2012.