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"If You Only Knew"
Single by Shinedown
from the album The Sound of Madness
Released	August 31, 2009
Recorded	2007
Length	3:46
Label	Atlantic
Songwriter(s)	Brent Smith Dave Bassett
Producer(s)	Rob Cavallo
Shinedown singles chronology
"Sound of Madness" (2009) "If You Only Knew" (2009) "The Crow & the Butterfly" (2010)
Music video
"If You Only Knew" on YouTube

"If You Only Knew" is the fourth single by American rock band Shinedown from their 2008 album, The Sound of Madness. The music video premiered on October 6, 2009.

The song was written about Brent Smith's ex-girlfriend when she was pregnant with their child. Smith has described the song as "their first ballad".

The song was used in a promo for ABC's daytime drama One Life to Live.

"If You Only Knew" was certified platinum by the RIAA for selling over 1,000,000 copies.

Background

After Shinedown recorded their second studio album Us and Them, Smith decided to take time off before starting on the next studio album. In an interview with The Oklahoman, Smith said he would "never do a love song, ever" but changed his mind after falling in love with an old friend he reunited with. Smith explained "If You Only Knew" was "about the person that you love and that you miss and that you still believe in, and that's the only thing that you have to hold onto sometimes."

Charts

On the week ending November 14, 2009, "If You Only Knew" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 92. Five weeks later, it peaked at number 42. On the week ending February 6, 2010, it matched its peak. "If You Only Knew" peaked at number 64 on the Canadian Hot 100.

Music video

This video takes place on the steel skeleton of a skyscraper in New York City that has yet to be completed. While the video's primary focus is the band playing, there are also shots of couples standing around the building's rafters.

Certifications

References

1. Triplett, Gene (1 August 2008). "Inspiring woman leads Shinedown to love song". The Oklahoman. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
2. "Shinedown Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
3. "Shinedown Chart History (Canada CHR/Top 40)". Billboard. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
4. "Shinedown Chart History (Canada Hot AC)". Billboard. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
5. "Shinedown Chart History (Canada Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
6. "Shinedown Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
7. "Shinedown Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
8. "Shinedown Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
9. "Shinedown Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
10. "Adult Pop Songs – Year-End 2010". Billboard. Retrieved September 28, 2019.
11. "Rock Songs – Year-End 2010". Billboard. Retrieved September 28, 2019.
12. "Canadian single certifications – Shinedown – If You Only Knew". Music Canada. Retrieved November 6, 2023.
13. "American single certifications – Shinedown – If You Only Knew". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved May 16, 2019.

• Shinedown songs
• 2008 songs
• 2009 singles
• Songs written by Brent Smith
• Rock ballads
• Song recordings produced by Rob Cavallo
• Songs written by Dave Bassett (songwriter)
• Atlantic Records singles