Do You Know (What It Takes) – Robyn | Top 40 Chart Performance, Story and Song Meaning

Chart Performance: Pop (#7) & R&B (#33); 1997

Story Behind The Song By Ed Osborne

For those who follow chart trivia, Stockholm’s pop diva Robyn’s only two Top 10 hits both hit #7 in 1997. Her road to those double sevens started when she traveled throughout Europe with her parents and their theater group for the first (surprise!) seven years of her life.

At 11 her parents divorced, and Robyn wrote her first song about it (In My Heart), then continued writing songs as a way of dealing with life’s challenges.

After signing with Swedish label Richochet, Robyn was teamed with producer Max Martin, who’s hit resume included Ace Of Base and the Backstreet Boys. Robyn and Max penned Do You Know (What It Takes), which was included on her album Robyn Is Here.

It topped the Swedish charts and spread Robyn’s popularity across the Continent before reaching the U.S. a year and a half after its release.

This content and all Song Meaning articles were created and written by Top 40 Contributing Editor Ed Osborne. © 2024 Ed Osborne. All Rights Reserved. In addition to these song meaning articles, Ed has written our “Year in Music 1960s-1990s” articles.

Produced by:

• Denniz Pop
• Max Martin

Lyrics Written by:

• Robyn
• Herbie Crichlow
• Denniz Pop
• Max Martin