'Would If I Could' by ERNEST & Lainey Wilson – Lyrics & Meaning

Country superstar Ernest dropped his third studio album, Nashville, Tennessee, on all music streaming services on April 12, serving as the highly-anticipated follow up to Flower Shops: The Album.

With 26 tracks – as well as collaborations with some of the biggest names in country music, from Morgan Wallen to Jelly Roll to HARDY and beyond – it is clear that the album will produce some fan favorites as well, and chances are 'Would If I Could' featuring Lainey Wilson will be one of them.

Originally released by Wilson for Apple Music’s Lost & Found project, it looks like Ernest picked up the tune and made it a part of his third studio album, and the collaboration is arguably even better than the rendition that the 'Watermelon Moonshine' singer released beforehand.

With country music lovers all across the world discussing whether Wilson is the future of country music, fans of the genre could not imagine a better duo to give this track – which was written by Dean Dillon and Skip Ewing almost 30 years ago – a brand new life.

Beginning with some beautiful acoustic guitar, Ernest opens the song by showing much a softer side than we typically see, with the backing track transitioning into an ethereal, magical melody in its chorus.

Wilson then enters with some awe-striking harmonies, prior to delving into a verse of her own that features her signature yodel and cry, jam-packing the track with emotion.

After taking on their individual verses, as well as a relatively tame chorus together, Ernest and Wilson’s voices make musical magic in the song's final burst, singing powerfully alongside one another while neither overpowers the other.

Straying away from Ernest's usual sound – leaning more retro and reminiscent of 1980’s George Strait – 'Would If I Could' is a bit of a curveball for the country crooner.

"You say that you would like to try again
You’d open up your heart and let us back in
Well part of me wants to so bad I can’t stand it
Part of me wants to be perfectly candid"

The song seemingly discusses a relationship between two ex-lovers, with one party wanting to give things another go, while the other party knows that it would be a bad idea.

With the other half of the duo admitting that she “would like to try again,” Ernest sings that while as much as he wants to, he knows that this decision would be wrong.

"I would if I could
But I can’t so I won’t but I want to
I’d love to say yes but it’s best if I don’t
Though I’d like to
I love you enough that I’m letting you go
I love you so much that I’m telling you no
I would if I could
But I can’t so I won’t but I want to"

Kicking off the chorus, the narrator reiterates that as much as he would like to rekindle an old flame, it is best if they do not, detailing why later down the line.

“I love you enough that I’m letting you go / I love you so much that I’m telling you no / I would if I could / But I can’t so I won’t but I want to,” the pair sing, sharing their own iteration of the common words of wisdom, “If you love something, set it free. If it comes back, it's yours. If not, it was never meant to be.”

"You're telling me things would be different this time
I wish your change of heart would change my mind
I want to believe you
I’d try us again
If I really believed there was some future in it"

In the second verse, sang by Wilson, the narrator shares that though her ex-lover promises to do things differently this time around, she doesn't believe him.

With Wilson singing that she would give things another go if she saw a future with this former significant other, she simply cannot comply.

While neither artist has spoken out about the track specifically, Wilson recorded her own rendition of 'Would If I Could' for Apple Music’s Lost & Found project in December, a program that showcases some of the best country tracks written by Nashville songwriters that never reached the surface, making them available for the very first time for listeners all across the globe.

Initially written by Dean Dillon and Skip Ewing, the CMA award-winner shared in a video via Facebook what it was like recording this never-been-heard-before tune almost 30 years later, as well as how she gave it her signature Lainey Wilson spin.

“I wanted to make sure that the recording of this song sounded a lot different than the demo that Dean and Skip had done back in 1996. I wanted to put my own little spin on it,” she shared, admitting that her band leader helped her bring another life to 'Would If I Could' that “takes you to another place and it just makes you feel something.”

While it is unclear where Ernest entered the picture – given the fact that Wilson’s solo version of 'Would If I Could' is already available – the singer-songwriter performed the tune onstage during an intimate performance at Nashville’s The Listening Room Cafe on February 25, implying that he was a big fan of 'Would If I Could', nonetheless.

You say that you would like to try again
You’d open up your heart and let us back in
Well part of me wants to so bad I can’t stand it
Part of me wants to be perfectly candid

I would if I could
But I can’t so I won’t but I want to
I’d love to say yes but it’s best if I don’t
Though I’d like to
I love you enough that I’m letting you go
I love you so much that I’m telling you no
I would if I could
But I can’t so I won’t but I want to

You're telling me things would be different this time
I wish your change of heart would change my mind
I want to believe you
I’d try us again
If I really believed there was some future in it

I would if I could
But I can’t so I won’t but I want to
I’d love to say yes but it’s best if I don’t
Though I’d like to
I love you enough that I’m letting you go
I love you so much that I’m telling you no
I would if I could
But I can’t so I won’t
I would if I could
I do and I don’t

I would if I could
But I can’t so I won’t
But I want to

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