You Don't Know What You've Got

"You Don't Know What You've Got (Until You Lose It)" is a 1961 single by Ral Donner. It was his biggest hit, peaking at number four on the Billboard Hot 100.[ Allmusic] 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-like vocals caused many to think the song was by Elvis.Osborne, Jerry (9 January 1990). Elvis had imitators even then, Milwaukee JournalPopson, Tom (26 May 1989). Indie Lps: Remembering Ral Donner, Exploring The World Of Rev. Wirtz, Chicago Tribune ("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, 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 Chart (1961)PeakpositionCanada CHUM Chart10New Zealand Lever hit parade https://web.archive.org/web/20210208152309/http://www.flavourofnz.co.nz/index.php?qpageID=Lever%20hit%20parades&qyear=1961&qmonth=Oct&qweek=12-Oct-1961#n_view_location7U.S. Billboard Hot 1004U.S. Cash Box Top 100 Singles10

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