What If (Reba McEntire song) explained

What If
Cover:Reba McEntire - What If.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Reba McEntire
Released:November 25, 1997
Genre:Country
Length:4:01
Label:MCA Nashville
Prev Title:What If It's You
Prev Year:1997
Next Title:If You See Him/If You See Her
Next Year:1998

"What If" is a song written by Diane Warren and recorded by American singer Brenda K. Starr for her 1991 album By Heart. The song was later covered by Belgian jazz band Vaya Con Dios on their 1995 album Roots and Wings and by American country singer Reba McEntire in 1997.

Reba McEntire version

In November 1997, American country singer Reba McEntire released a cover of the song as a benefit single for The Salvation Army.[1] All proceeds from sales of the commercial single and artist, label, and writer royalties were donated to the organization.[1] McEntire premiered the song during halftime at a Dallas Cowboys and Tennessee Oilers game in Dallas, Texas on November 20, 1997.[2] The song reached number 23 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and number 50 on the Billboard Hot 100.[3]

In May 2020, McEntire re-released the single to digital and streaming retailers amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.[4] A new music video was released featuring clips of healthcare workers, caregivers, and others interwoven with footage from the original 1997 video.[4]

Chart positions

Notes and References

  1. Single Reviews. Billboard. December 13, 1997.
  2. Reba To The Rescue. Billboard. December 27, 1997.
  3. Book: Whitburn, Joel. Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. 2008. 271. 978-0-89820-177-2.
  4. Web site: Reba McEntire Updates "What If" With New Video. https://web.archive.org/web/20200511200852/http://www.cmt.com/news/1820979/reba-mcentire-updates-what-if-with-new-video/. dead. May 11, 2020. CMT. May 8, 2020.
  5. Web site: Reba McEntire ARIA Chart history (complete) (1988 to 2024). ARIA. Imgur.com. July 28, 2024. N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column represents the release's peak on the national chart.