What Would Happen Explained

What Would Happen
Cover:	Meredith Brooks - What Would Happen.jpg
Alt:	A portrait of Meredith Brooks sitting in front of a dark red and black backdrop, wearing a black sleeveless top and green plaid jeans. On the top-left of the portrait, Brooks's name and the song's title are depicted in white and tan text, respectively.
Border:	yes
Type:	single
Artist:	Meredith Brooks
Album:	Blurring the Edges
Studio:	The Salt Mines (Hollywood) Alpha (Burbank)
Genre:	Rock
Length:	(album version) (single version)
Label:	Capitol
Producer:	David Ricketts
Prev Title:	I Need
Prev Year:	1997
Next Title:	Stop
Next Year:	1998

"What Would Happen" is a song by American singer-songwriter Meredith Brooks from her second studio album, Blurring the Edges (1997). The song was released to radio as the third single from the album on October 7, 1997, by Capitol Records. Brooks is credited as the sole writer of the song, while production was helmed by David Ricketts.

Critical reception

Larry Flick of Billboard noted the contrast between "What Would Happen" and its parent album, in which he described the song as a "far-more-subtle rocker." He further praised the song's memorability and claimed it would lessen comparisons between Brooks and Alanis Morissette.^[1] A reviewer from Music Week gave the song four out of five, adding, "A mellow offering from the Brits nominee. This is a soulful melodic tune that reinforces the songwriting skills first heard with 'Bitch'."^[2]

Music video

David Hogan directed the music video for "What Would Happen". Chuck Taylor of Billboard gave the video a B grade; he referred to it as "[a] satisfying steam bath of seduction and fantasy with an overture of rich colors."^[3]

Track listings and formats

• Australian CD single^[4]

1. "What Would Happen" (edit) – 4:30
2. "What Would Happen" (album version) – 5:16
3. "Bitch" (E-Team/M2000 Crazy Bitch mix) – 6:58
4. "Every Time She Walks Away"  – 3:40

• European CD 1^[5]

1. "What Would Happen" (edit) – 4:04
2. "Come Undone"  – 4:27
3. "What Would Happen" (album version) – 5:17
4. "Stop"  – 5:00

• European CD 2^[6]

1. "What Would Happen" (edit) – 4:04
2. "Come Undone"  – 4:27

• United Kingdom CD and cassette single^{[7] [8]}

1. "What Would Happen" (edit) – 4:04
2. "Come Undone"  – 4:26
3. "Stop"  – 5:01
4. "Bitch" (edit) – 3:58

• United States 7" vinyl^[9]

1. "What Would Happen"  – 5:16
2. "My Little Town"  – 3:59

• United States cassette single^[10]

1. "What Would Happen"  – 5:19
2. "Every Time She Walks Away"  – 3:44

• United States CD single^[11]

1. "What Would Happen"  – 5:19
2. "Every Time She Walks Away"  – 3:44
3. "Bitch" (live acoustic) – 3:22
4. "What Would Happen" (Universal mix) – 5:33

Credits and personnel

Credits and personnel are adapted from the Blurring the Edges album liner notes.^[12]

• Meredith Brooks – vocals, writer, guitars, background vocals
• David Ricketts – producer, keyboards, drum/loop programming
• Jim Ebert – mixing, engineering, drum/loop programming
• Charles Nasser – assistant engineer
• Mauricio Iragorri – assistant engineer
• Husky Hoskulds – assistant engineer
• Cappy Japngie – assistant engineer
• Bob Ludwig – mastering
• Josh Freese – drums
• Paul Bushnell – bass
• Victoria Levy – additional background vocals

Charts

! Chart (1997–1998)! Peak
position

Notes and References

1. Flick. Larry. Larry Flick. Reviews & Previews: Singles. Billboard. 109. 43. 79. October 25, 1997.
2. Reviews: Singles. Music Week. February 14, 1998. 16. September 7, 2023.
3. Taylor. Chuck. Chuck Taylor (music journalist). The Video Challenge: Some Songs Are Meant to be Seen and Not Heard-and Vice Versa. Billboard. February 14, 1998. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.. 110. 7. 94. 0001-8996. July 4, 2023.
4. What Would Happen. Meredith Brooks. 1997. Australian CD single liner notes. Capitol Records. 7243 8 84730 2 6.
5. What Would Happen. Meredith Brooks. 1997. European CD single-one liner notes. Capitol Records. 7243 8 85134 2 5.
6. What Would Happen. Meredith Brooks. 1997. European CD single-two liner notes. Capitol Records. 7243 8 85133 2 6.
7. What Would Happen. Meredith Brooks. 1997. United Kingdom CD single liner notes. Capitol Records. 7243 8 85290 2 0.
8. What Would Happen. Meredith Brooks. 1997. United Kingdom cassette single liner notes. Capitol Records. 7 24388 52904 4.
9. What Would Happen. Meredith Brooks. 1997. United States 7-inch vinyl liner notes. Capitol Records. S7-724381972274.
10. What Would Happen. Meredith Brooks. 1997. United States cassette single liner notes. Capitol Records. 4KM-72438 58681 4 6.
11. What Would Happen. Meredith Brooks. 1997. United States CD single liner notes. Capitol Records. C2 7243 8 58681 2 2.
12. Meredith Brooks. Blurring the Edges. 1997. CD liner notes. Capitol Records. CDP 7243 8 36919 2 0.
13. New Releases. Radio & Records. 1217. 86. October 3, 1997.