Songfacts®:

• Introducing this song at a concert in Manchester, England, in 2012, Alicia Keys explained the meaning: "It's about that feeling you have when you see somebody that you really, really like, or at least you think you do. And you're trying to figure out, 'how am I supposed to say anything to this person? How am I supposed to introduce myself and get the story started?' It's not an easy thing to do. So maybe you could say something like this."
• This was produced and co-written by Kanye West, who had previously worked on several hits for Jay-Z, including "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)" and "'03 Bonnie And Clyde."
• "You Don't Know My Name" was the first single released from Keys' second album, The Diary Of Alicia Keys. Her first album, Songs In A Minor, was a huge hit and helped her win the Grammy for Best New Artist. >>

  Suggestion credit:
  Miki - Columbia, MD
• This samples several portions of "Let Me Prove My Love To You," a 1975 track from The Main Ingredient, including the vocal background, the piano, and part of what sounds like Alicia's lead going into the verses, "Doing more than I've ever done for anyone's attention..." and "'Cause did I mention... you 'bout to miss a good thing." >>

  Suggestion credit:
  Faundell - Brooklyn, NJ
• Speaking during a VH1 Storytellers episode, Keys explained how she and Kanye West crafted this song. "It was the first time that I ever worked with at the time a kind of relatively unknown guy named Kanye West," she recalled. "He was this really excited guy. He had this song out called 'Through The Wire.' He's always been a super passionate guy."
• One of the background singers on "You Don't Know My Name" is John Legend, who was working closely with Kanye West at the time. Both West and Legend released their debut albums the following year (2004).
• It was Kanye West who had the idea that Keys deliver the song's freestyle spoken word sections, taking inspiration from '70s soul greats like Isaac Hayes.