Nobody Knows (Tony Rich song)

"Nobody Knows" is a song by R&B singer Tony Rich (then known as the Tony Rich Project) from his 1996 debut album, Words. Released as his debut single on November 7, 1995, the song peaked at number two on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks charts.^[2] It also became a hit in several other countries, topping the Irish Singles Chart and reaching number two in Australia and Canada, number four in the United Kingdom, and the top 20 in the Netherlands, New Zealand, and Sweden. Rich received a nomination for the 1997 Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.^[3][4]

"Nobody Knows"
Single by the Tony Rich Project
from the album Words
Released	November 7, 1995 (1995-11-07)
Studio	LaCoCo (Atlanta, Georgia)
Genre	Soul[1]
Length	5:06
Label	LaFace Arista
Songwriter(s)	Joe Rich Don DuBose
Producer(s)	Tony Rich
The Tony Rich Project singles chronology
"Nobody Knows" (1995) "Like a Woman" (1996)

Critical reception

James Hamilton from Music Week's RM Dance Update described the song as a "mushily harmonised US smash crossover smoocher melodically reminiscent of Chairmen Of The Board's 'Patches'."^[5]

Track listings

US CD single[6] "Nobody Knows" (album version) – 5:06 "Nobody Knows" (Eddie F.'s Untouchable remix) – 6:17 "Nobody Knows" (Rich remix) – 5:32 "Nobody Knows" (album instrumental) – 5:06 US cassette single[7] "Nobody Knows" (radio edit) "Nobody Knows" (album instrumental) European CD single[8] "Nobody Knows" (album version) – 5:20 "Nobody Knows" (album instrumental) – 5:20

UK and Australian CD single[9] "Nobody Knows" (radio edit) – 4:22 "Nobody Knows" (Rich single edit) – 4:22 "Nobody Knows" (Untouchable Flava edit) – 4:21 "Nobody Knows" (album version) – 5:06 UK cassette single[10] "Nobody Knows" (radio edit) "Nobody Knows" (Rich single edit)

Credits and personnel

Credits are taken from the US CD single liner notes.^[6]

Studios

• Recorded at Studio LaCoCo (Atlanta, Georgia, US)
• Mixed and mastered at The Hit Factory (New York City)

Personnel

• Joe Rich – writing
• Don DuBose – writing
• Tony Rich – vocals, all instruments except acoustic guitar, production, arrangement
• Peter Moore – acoustic guitar
• Neal H Pogue – recording
• John Frye – recording assistance
• Jon Gass – mixing
• Danny Berniny – mixing assistance
• Herb Powers – mastering
• Antonio M. Reid – executive production
• Davett Singletary – creative direction
• Angela Skouras – art direction
• Daniel Soder – photography
• Derick Procope – stylist
• Barry White – hair stylist and make-up

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1996) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[11] 2 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[12] 2 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[13] 2 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[14] 15 Germany (GfK)[15] 86 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[16] 35 Ireland (IRMA)[17] 1 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[18] 11 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[19] 13 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[20] 19 Scotland (OCC)[21] 4 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[22] 15 UK Singles (OCC)[23] 4 UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[24] 1 US Billboard Hot 100[25] 2 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[26] 2 US Adult Pop Airplay (Billboard)[27] 7 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[28] 11 US Pop Airplay (Billboard)[29] 2 US Rhythmic (Billboard)[30] 1

Year-end charts Chart (1996) Position Australia (ARIA)[31] 33 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[32] 22 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[33] 15 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[34] 50 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[35] 80 Sweden (Topplistan)[36] 85 UK Singles (OCC)[37] 29 US Billboard Hot 100[38] 4 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[39] 6 US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[40] 12 US Hot R&B Singles (Billboard)[41] 30 US Top 40/Mainstream (Billboard)[42] 8 US Top 40/Rhythm-Crossover (Billboard)[43] 7 Decade-end charts Chart (1990–1999) Position US Billboard Hot 100[44] 61 All-time charts Chart (2018) Position US Billboard Hot 100[45] 136

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[31]	Gold	35,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[46]	Silver	200,000^
United States (RIAA)[47]	Platinum	1,300,000[48]
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United States	November 7, 1995	CD cassette	LaFace Arista	[49]
	December 5, 1995	Rhythmic contemporary contemporary hit radio		[50]
United Kingdom	April 22, 1996	CD cassette		[51]

Kevin Sharp version

"Nobody Knows"
Single by Kevin Sharp
from the album Measure of a Man
Released	September 23, 1996
Genre	Country
Length	3:26
Label	Asylum
Songwriter(s)	Joe Rich Don DuBose
Producer(s)	Chris Farren
Kevin Sharp singles chronology
"Nobody Knows" (1996) "She's Sure Taking It Well" (1997)

American country music artist Kevin Sharp recorded a cover version of the song on his 1996 debut album, Measure of a Man. It was released in September 1996 as his debut single. It became his only number-one single on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart, spending four weeks on the chart.

Critical reception

Deborah Evans Price of Billboard magazine reviewed the song favorably, saying that his "smooth, melodic voice and sensitive interpretation of the lyric signal show promise for this talented new artist."^[52]

Music video

The music video was directed by Jeffrey Phillips and premiered in late 1996.

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1996–1997)	Peak position
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[53]	1
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[54]	1

Year-end charts

Chart (1997)	Position
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[55]	22
US Country Songs (Billboard)[56]	51

Other versions

In 1997, saxophonist Richard Elliot covered the song from his album Jumpin' Off.^[57][58] Eli Mattson delivered a piano/vocal cover on the third season of America's Got Talent in 2008. British boyband JLS also recorded a cover of the song; it was leaked onto the internet in June 2010 and has now appeared as the B-Side to their single She Makes Me Wanna. British pop singer Shayne Ward included a cover on his third album, Obsession. The song is featured on the Boyzone album, BZ20, released in November 2013.