“You Know Me Better Than That”
George Strait
Written by Anna Lisa Graham and Tony Haselden
Billboard
#1 (3 weeks)
August 17 – August 31, 1991
Radio & Records
#1 (1 week)
August 9, 1991
One of George Strait’s wittiest hits.
The Road to No. 1
“You Know Me Better Than That” is the second of three chart-toppers from Strait’s platinum-selling album, If I Know Me.
The No. 1
For my money, it’s one of Strait’s all-time great singles, thanks to its witty lyric and playful performance.
The conceit of the record is remarkably creative. The protagonist is in the idyllic stage of a new relationship, but he’s having a conversation with the woman who stuck with him before finally giving up as he revealed his true self over time.
This new relationship is destined for the same doomed fate, and the two ex-lovers having a laugh over that would come off as cynical in the hands of a lesser vocalist. But with Strait, it’s more like, “I’m trying, but you just know I’m gonna mess this up…”
The Road From No. 1
Strait’s third and final No. 1 single from Chill of an Early Fall is up next, and it’s written by one of the most important songwriters of the nineties.
“You Know Me Better Than That” gets an A.
Every No. 1 Single of the Nineties
Previous: Alabama, “Here We Are” | Next: Hal Ketchum, “Small Town Saturday Night”
I think this is one of my favourites from King George. Just the narrative and how he knows himself. Also just so funny/witty in parts.
My favorite George song! Love the production and this is George at his wittiest.
It does stand apart as Strait having more fun with a lyric than in any of his other hits. “The Fireman” comes to mind, but there is a different energy and and drive to that song.
“You Know Me Better Than That” is a patient song. A resigned maturity is at play as Strait’s character know the inevitability of what is to come. Know thyself!
The song is the country equivalent of a Far Side cartoon where the punchline arrives a second after what we are seeing in the panel.
One of my all time favourite Strait songs.
Yup! This is among my favorite Strait songs! I’m glad I’m not the only one. But I don’t like his stance on the cat!
This is also one of my all time favorite Strait songs! It’s so fun, and I love the witty and honest lyrics, lol. Like “I’ve Come To Expect It From You,” this is one of his few songs that truly stands out in his catalogue because it’s so different in lyrical content. I especially always loved the second verse about feeling like you’re “wearing a shoe that’s too small” which I could relate to at times. Always really liked Johnny Gimble’s fiddle playing in this one, too.
Strangely though, I don’t remember hearing it all that much during its original chart run, though I do remember it well from when my step dad brought home the Chill Of An Early Fall album in the late Fall of that year. For some reason, it was also a very popular recurrent for us around the mid 90’s. It’s just one of those songs I never get tired of hearing no matter how many times!
Oh, and Leeann, I’m totally with you on the cat! As a cat lover, it’s the only thing I don’t like about Strait’s character in this song, lol.
Agreed – this is one of my very favorite George Strait songs – I liked everything about this song