‘Change My Mind’ by Riley Green - Lyrics & Meaning

Arriving as a surprise extra single ahead of Riley Green's 2024 studio album, Don't Mind If I Do, ‘Change My Mind’ finds the Alabama crooner stepping back into the shoes of the torn protagonist from the record's title-track. It's another will-they, won't-they classic, ensuring the anticipation remains sky-high ahead of the full project later in October.

‘Change My Mind’ is notably more light-hearted than ‘Don't Mind If I Do’, though, with Riley Green delivering each hook with a twinkle in his eye, as he dares his ex to try and convince him to return to her arms. Penned by Riley Green alongside two of the ‘I Wish Grandpas Never Died’ hitmaker's go-to co-writers, Erik Dylan and Randy Montana, ‘Change My Mind’ brings a sense of levity to the Don't Mind If I Do narrative, following the introspection of ‘That's a Mistake’. It sets the tone perfectly for the hilariously tongue-in-cheek ‘Reel Problems’ with Luke Bryan.

‘Change My Mind’ revolves around a bright, summery electric guitar, with a faint cry of steel shimmering in the background. Riley Green's charismatic vocals enter the fray alongside a deliberate drum pattern, with the ‘There Was This Girl’ crooner upping the ante for the chorus and injecting an extra dose of energy into the mix. The sashaying rhythm and playful ambience of the hook deviates from the weighty, brooding themes of tracks such as ‘Jesus Saves’ and ‘Too Early To Drink’.

“If you showed up, I wouldn’t let you in

We've been down that road before and I ain’t goin’ down that road again

So don’t bother callin’ me tonight

Yeah, girl, I’m really done this time”

The protagonist begins by categorically underlining to his old flame, in no uncertain terms, that he wouldn't accept any advances from her. He stresses that they've tried it time and time again, and the relationship has always ended up in tatters.

“So change my mind

Show up in a midnight sun-dress

Burn me up with a whiskey kiss

Look at me with them pretty brown eyes and tell me lies

Just to change my mind

You know I’m giving in, so go ahead

Wreck my plans like you wreck my bed

Do it baby like you done a thousand times

And change my mind

Change my mind”

In the hook, though, we get to the true meaning of the track, as it becomes clear that the opening lines were just a flimsy disguise for how the narrator really feels. He explains throughout the chorus that, despite still believing with his head that a relationship would be a bad idea, his heart yearns to be rekindled with his ex. Therefore, he teasingly tasks her with finding any reason that might ‘convince’ him that they should get back together, implying that he would be easily persuaded.

“And 'bout the time you let your long hair fall, is about the time I rethink it all

Girl the second that you losе that dress, that’s the second that I sеcond guess

To tell the truth I kinda like when you wreck everything”

It's a very light-hearted song, but at the same time, the protagonist displays a great sense of self-awareness throughout. It seems he genuinely feels the smartest move would be for the two lovers to steer clear of one another, but he knows that, when they're together, he can't resist her. Deep down, he loves the feeling of chaos she brings.

Here, we get a fun play on words, as Riley sings that the ‘second’ she lets her dress fall is when he starts to ‘second’ guess his original declarations about the pitfalls of the relationship.

“Girl, I’m feelin’ pretty damn sure tonight

Thinkin’ this will be a damn good time

To change my mind”

The narrator concludes by confessing he's confident that tonight will be the night they fall for each other again. He hints this will be the perfect time for his ex to try and ‘change my mind’.

During a conversation with Holler in the lead-up to the song's release, Riley Green explained why ‘Change My Mind’ felt like a no-brainer for Don't Mind If I Do, “I thought ‘Change My Mind’ has a really cool vibe musically. Lyrically, there's the idea of ‘I'm completely done, I'm putting my foot down...unless you change my mind’. I thought that was a really cool song idea, and I thought it turned out great”.

“If you showed up, I wouldn’t let you in

We've been down that road before and I ain’t goin’ down that road again

So don’t bother callin’ me tonight

Yeah, girl, I’m really done this time

-

So change my mind

Show up in a midnight sun-dress

Burn me up with a whiskey kiss

Look at me with them pretty brown eyes and tell me lies

Just to change my mind

You know I’m giving in, so go ahead

Wreck my plans like you wreck my bed

Do it baby like you done a thousand times

And change my mind

Change my mind

-

And 'bout the time you let your long hair fall, is about the time I rethink it all

Girl the second that you losе that dress, that’s the second that I sеcond guess

To tell the truth I kinda like when you wreck everything

-

And change my mind

Show up in a midnight sun-dress

Burn me up with a whiskey kiss

Look at me with them pretty brown eyes and tell me lies

Just to change my mind

You know I’m giving in so go ahead

Wreck my plans while you wreck my bed

Do it baby like you done a thousand times

Change my mind

I wanna change my mind

-

Girl, I’m feelin’ pretty damn sure tonight

Thinkin’ this will be a damn good time

-

To change my mind

Show up in a midnight sun-dress

Burn me up with a whiskey kiss

Look at me with them pretty brown eyes and tell me lies

Just to change my mind

You know I’m giving in so go ahead

Wreck my plans while you wreck my bed

Do it baby like you done a thousand times

Change my mind

Come on and change my mind”

For more on Riley Green, see below: