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"If I Never Knew You" is a song by American recording artists Jon Secada and Shanice, from Disney's 1995 animated feature film, Pocahontas. The song was written by composer Alan Menken and lyricist Stephen Schwartz, and originally recorded by American singer Judy Kuhn in her film role as the singing voice of Pocahontas, and American actor Mel Gibson in his role as Captain John Smith. Shanice and Secada's version is heard during film's end credits, and was released on September 12, 1995 as the second most popular song from the film's soundtrack, after Vanessa Williams' pop rendition of the Academy Award-winning "Colors of the Wind".

The romantic love song was originally developed for the prison scene where Pocahontas visits John Smith before he is to be put to death for the supposed alleged murder of Kocoum, a trusted Powhatan warrior who asked to marry Pocahontas. The musical number, which was about 90% animated, was to be a duet performed by the pair as they acknowledge their strong romantic love for each other. During test screenings with child audiences, their attention "seemed to wander from the film". Alan Menken, the composer of the songs for Disney's Pocahontas, suggested it be cut because he also felt that it slowed the pace of the movie, with another song, Savages, about five minutes after. He later confessed that he was hoping that he would be talked out of it, but no one did. Though cut from the movie itself, If I Never Knew You was still performed by Jon Secada and Shanice at the end credits and released as a single. Jon Secada and Shanice also sang the song in Spanish, and Jon Secada also sang it in Brazilian Portuguese, but not with Shanice. Instead, he sang that version with Daniela Mercury.

In 2005, Disney released the 10th anniversary edition of Pocahontas, which had the song fully animated and integrated into it's original place in the film but was an optional feature that you could refuse and watch the original theatrical version instead, due to seamless branching. The viewer could choose to have the version with the song or see the original theatrical release simply by going to the set-up on the main menu. It was performed by Mel Gibson (John Smith) and Judy Kuhn (Pocahontas) within the film's narrative. It was recorded for the original film in 1995. It later appeared as a stand-alone bonus feature on the 2012 2-Movie Collection Blu-ray release.

This song shows the meaning of if both Pocahontas and John Smith didn't meet, they would've never fallen in love with each other and they would've never known each other without the hate and disgust from both sides; the Native Americans and the English settlers. John also makes it clear through the song that, because they met, he became a better person. From then on, no matter what happened from that time forward, he would die knowing he became a better person. It's evidenced by his line before the song, "I'd rather die tomorrow than live a hundred years without knowing you."

In the original theatrical release, traces of the song's tune can still be heard, including the scene where John Smith and Pocahontas share their last kiss before John is taken to the ship to England for healing.

Lyrics[]

Jon:
If I never knew you
If I never felt this love
I would have no inkling of
How precious life can be
And if I never held you
I would never have a clue
How at last I'd find in you
The missing part of me.

In this world so full of fear
Full of rage and lies
I can see the truth so clear
In your eyes
So dry your eyes
And I'm so grateful to you
I'd have lived my whole life through
Lost forever
If I never knew you

Shanice:
If I never knew you
I'd be safe but half as real
Never knowing I could feel
A love so strong and true
I'm so grateful to you
I'd have lived my whole life through
Lost forever
If I never knew you

Jon:
I thought our love would be so beautiful

Shanice:
Somehow we'd make the whole world bright

Jon & Shanice:
I never knew that fear and hate could be so strong
All they'd leave us were these whispers in the night
But still my heart is saying we were right

Shanice:
Oh if I never knew you

Jon:
There's no moment I regret

Shanice:
If I never felt this love

Jon:
Since the moment that we met

Shanice:
I would have no inkling of

Jon:
If our time has gone too fast

Shanice:
How precious life can be...

Jon:
I've lived at last...

Jon & Shanice:
I thought our love would be so beautiful
Somehow we'd make the whole world bright

Shanice:
I thought our love would be so beautiful
We'd turn the darkness into light

Jon & Shanice:
And still my heart is saying we were right

Jon:
We were right
And if I never knew you

Shanice:
If I never knew you

Jon:
I'd have lived my whole life through

Shanice:
Empty as the sky

Jon & Shanice:
Never knowing why
Lost forever
If I never knew you

John Smith:
If I never knew you
If I never felt this love
I would have no inkling of
How precious life can be

If I never held you
I would never have a clue
How at last I'd find in you
The missing part of me
In this world so full of fear
Full of rage and lies
I can see the truth so clear
In your eyes
So dry your eyes

And I'm so grateful to you
I'd have lived my whole life through
Lost forever
If I never knew you

Pocahontas:
I thought our love would be so beautiful
Somehow we'd make the whole world bright
I never knew that fear and hate could be so strong
All they'd leave us were these whispers in the night
But still my heart is saying we were right
For if I never knew you

John Smith:
There's no moment I regret

Pocahontas:
If I never knew this love

John Smith:
Since the moment that we met

Pocahontas:
I would have no inkling of

John Smith:
If our time has gone too fast

Pocahontas:
How precious life can be...

John Smith:
I've lived at last...

(Instrumental)

John Smith:
And I'm so grateful to you
I'd have lived my whole life through
Empty as the sky

Pocahontas:
Never knowing why

John Smith and Pocahontas:
Lost forever
If I never knew you

Joey:
If I never knew you
If I never felt this love
I would have no inkling of
How precious life can be

And if I never held you
I would never have a clue
How at last I'd find in you
The missing part of me

In this world so full of fear
Full of rage and lies
I can see the truth so clear
In your eyes
So dry your eyes

And I'm so grateful to you
I'd have lived my whole life through
Lost forever
If I never knew you

Valerie:
If I never knew you
I'd be safe but half as real
Never knowing I could feel
A love so strong and true

And I'm so grateful to you
I'd have lived my whole live through
Lost forever
If I never knew you

Joey:
I thought our love would be so beautiful

Valerie:
Somehow we'd make the whole world bright

Joey & Valerie:
I never knew that fear and hate could be so strong
All they'd leave us were these whispers in the night
But still my heart is saying we were right...

Valerie:
Oh, if I never knew you

Joey:
There's no moment I regret

Valerie:
If I never knew this love

Joey:
Since the moment that we met

Valerie:
I would have no inkling of

Joey:
If our time has gone too fast

Valerie:
How precious life can be...

Joey:
I've lived at last...

Joey & Valerie:
I thought our love would be so beautiful
Somehow we'd make the whole world bright

Valerie:
I thought our love would be so beautiful
We'd turn the darkness into light

Joey & Valerie:
And still my heart is saying we were right...

Joey:
We were right...
And if I never knew you

Valerie:
If I never knew you

Joey:
I'd have lived my whole life through...

Valerie:
Empty as the sky

Joey & Valerie:
Never knowing why
Lost forever
If I never knew you

If I never knew you

Track listing[]

US single
  1. English Version
  2. Spanish Version
  3. French Version
  4. German Version
  5. Hungarian Version
  6. Italian Version
  7. Japanese Version
  8. Kabardian Version
  9. Brazilian Portuguese Version
  10. Polish Version
  11. Croatian Version
UK single
  1. English Version
  2. Mine Mine Mine - David Ogden Stiers, Mel Gibson and Chorus
  3. Pocahontas Instrumental
  4. The Story of Pocahontas

Videos[]

Chart positions[]

Chart Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles 8
U.S. Billboard Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Songs 24
UK Singles Chart 51

Cover versions[]

In 2001, it was covered by Michael Crawford and Sherie Rene Scott for The Disney Album. That same year, Angela Decicco and Bill Whitefield covered the song on the 2001 Christian/Gospel compilation album Our Heart Sings. In 2006, it was covered by The Cheetah Girls as part of DisneyMania 4 and released as a single. Hal Ketchum and Shelby Lynne recorded a version as part of The Best of Country Sing the Best of Disney. The song was also released as a Spanish single ("Si No Te Conociera," also performed by Jon Secada and Shanice). A Portuguese version was sung by Jon Secada and Daniela Mercury. The song was recently covered by Boys Like Girls as part of DisneyMania 5 And the song was recently covered by Klara Natasztila recorded a version as part of Disney Chinder Vol 2. In Japan, a music box version was released on the 2008 album Disney in Orgel.

The Cheetah Girls version[]

"If I Never Knew You" was covered by The Cheetah Girls for the album, DisneyMania 4. It was released as a single and premiered on Radio Disney on April 2006.

Music video[]

The music video was released on the Disney Channel in 2006. It features the girls pulling up at a club in a limo wearing white, sparkly dresses and then entering the club to sing into microphones on stage surrounded by a crowd. Scenes of the girls out on the dance floor dancing with some gentlemen are inter-cut throughout the video.

Wikipedia
This page uses content from the English Wikipedia page If I Never Knew You. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. Text from Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply.


v - e - d
Pocahontas logo
Media
Films: Pocahontas (soundtrack/video) • Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World (soundtrack/video)

Video Games: PocahontasDisney Emoji Blitz
Music: The Legacy Collection
Books: Pocahontas: Six New AdventuresMarvel ComicsDisney Princess Beginnings

Disney Parks
Castle of Magical DreamsDisney Animation BuildingIt's a Small WorldPocahontas Indian VillageSorcerers of the Magic Kingdom

Entertainment: Disney's BelieveFantasmic!Feel the MagicFestival of Family & FriendsFollow Your DreamsHakuna Matata Time Dance PartyMickey and the Magical MapPocahontas and her Forest FriendsPocahontas SpectacularRivers of Light: We Are OneThe Forest of Enchantment: A Disney Musical AdventureThe Golden MickeysThe Spirit of Pocahontas
Parades: Disney's Magical Moment s ParadeDisney Adventure Friends CavalcadeDisney Harmony in Color! ParadeJubilation!Main Street Electrical ParadeMickey & Friends Street Celebration
Fireworks: Disney EnchantmentCelebrate! Tokyo DisneylandIlluminate! A Nighttime CelebrationMomentousTree of Life AwakensWorld of ColorWondrous Journeys
Summer: Stitch and Friends Summer Surprise
Halloween: Are You Brave Enough?Frightfully Fun ParadeThe Disney Villains Halloween Showtime
Christmas: A Christmas Fantasy Parade

Characters
Original: PocahontasJohn SmithGovernor RatcliffeThomasMeekoFlitPercyWigginsGrandmother WillowChief PowhatanNakomaKocoumKekataBen and LonRatcliffe's SettlersPowhatan's Tribe

Sequel: John RolfeKing JamesQueen AnneMrs. JenkinsUttamatomakkinJesters
Deleted: Redfeather
Miscellaneous: Sprig

Songs
Original: The Virginia CompanySteady as the Beating DrumJust Around the RiverbendListen With Your HeartMine, Mine, MineColors of the WindSavagesIf I Never Knew You

Sequel: Where Do I Go from Here?What a Day in LondonWait 'Till He Sees YouThings Are Not What They AppearBetween Two Worlds
Deleted: Different DrummerFirst To DanceIn the Middle of the RiverDancing to the Wedding Drum

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