Gretchen Wilson: If I Could Do It Again
““If I Could Do It All Again,” the new single from her forthcoming fourth album, is not a bad song by any means, just uninspired and misread–not to mention a bit predictable in its rock-ballad arrangement. It touches on the usual sentiments: She wouldn’t blame others for her own problems, she’d pray more, sing in the shower more, that sort of thing. The lyrics contain very few details specific to Wilson’s life, but instead of sounding universal, the song comes across as slightly anonymous, as if any other country singer could be performing it.
But the kicker comes right before the bridge, when Wilson sings that she would, “Concentrate on who I am/Not who I might have been/If I could do it all again.” It’s unclear whether the songwriters intended those lines to be ironic commentary on this type of navelgazing, but the important thing is that Wilson either doesn’t grasp that game-changing contradiction or can’t convey that she does. Which is too bad: Wilson isn’t the most subtle or nuanced singer, but her voice has real grit and power. She’s better than this song.” Stephen M. Deusner, the 9513
