Don't Tell Me You Love Me

"Don't Tell Me You Love Me" is a song by Night Ranger written by Jack Blades from their 1982 album, Dawn Patrol. It was released as a single in December 1982.^[2]

"Don't Tell Me You Love Me"
Single by Night Ranger
from the album Dawn Patrol
B-side	"Night Ranger"
Released	December 1982
Genre	Hard rock^[1]
Length	4:19 (album version) 3:37 (radio edit)
Label	Boardwalk, MCA
Songwriter(s)	Jack Blades
Producer(s)	Pat Glasser
Night Ranger singles chronology
"Don't Tell Me You Love Me" (1982) "Sing Me Away" (1983)
Music video
"Don't Tell Me You Love Me (audio)" on YouTube

The song was re-recorded for the music video game Rock Band and was released as downloadable content.

Background

Singer Jack Blades was thinking about a hypothetical relationship that is "fun and happy" until one person confesses they love the other, at which point tension begins. He wrote the chorus first, followed by a few verses. He didn't think he had written enough lyrics, but his producer convinced him he had conveyed the message of the song sufficiently in those few words.^[3]

Music video

The song's music video, which shows the band performing the song on rail tracks in front of an oncoming train, was directed by Daniel Halperin.^[4] and produced by Paul Flattery. A live video for the song was released in 2016 to promote the live album 35 Years and a Night in Chicago.^[5]

Track listing

7" single

Side A

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Don't Tell Me You Love Me"	4:20

Side B

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Night Ranger"	4:31

Radio edit single

Side A

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Don't Tell Me You Love Me" (radio edit)	3:37

Side B

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Night Ranger"	4:22

Charts

Chart (1983)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100^[6]	40
U.S. Billboard Top Rock Tracks^[7]	4

References

1. Prown, Pete; Newquist, Harvey P. (1997). Legends of Rock Guitar: The Essential Reference of Rock's Greatest Guitarists. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 207. ISBN 978-0-7935-4042-6.
2. . Archived from the original on February 12, 2009. Retrieved February 5, 2009.
3. Ortega, Shawna (March 15, 2010). "Jack Blades of Night Ranger and Damn Yankees : Songwriter Interviews". Songfacts. Retrieved August 6, 2021.
4. "Night Ranger: Don't Tell Me You Love Me (Video 1983)". IMDb. Retrieved July 15, 2018.
5. "Night Ranger: 'Don't Tell Me You Love Me' Performance Clip From '35 Years And A Night In Chicago'". Blabbermouth.net. November 15, 2016. Retrieved July 15, 2018.
6. "Night Ranger Chart History (Billboard Hot 100)". Billboard. Eldridge Industries. Retrieved July 15, 2018.
7. "Night Ranger Chart History (Mainstream Rock Airplay)". Billboard. Eldridge Industries. Retrieved July 15, 2018.