If I Wanted To

Melissa Etheridge

Oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh

If I wanted to, I could do anything right
I could dance with the devil on a Saturday night
If I wanted to, I could turn matches to gold
smoke, drink, swear, and I would never grow old
I wouldn't have to be in love with you
If I only wanted to
If I only wanted to

If I wanted to, I could run fast as a train
Be as sharp as a needle that's twisting your brain
If I wanted to, I could turn mountains to sand
Have political leaders in the palm of my hand
I wouldn't have to be in love with you
If I only wanted to
Hey, if I only wanted to

I could leave tonight, and I would be all right
Stop holding on if I wanted to, if I only wanted to

Oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh, oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh

If I wanted to, I could be as patient as death
Fix this hole in my heart leaking into my flesh
If I wanted to, I could turn sparks into ice
There'd never be another woman
Who could make you think twice
I wouldn't have to be in love with you
If I only wanted to, if I only wanted to

Hey, if I only wanted to
Hey, if I only wanted to

Oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh, oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh

oh oh oh oh
oh oh oh oh
oh oh oh

Ah, hey if I wanted to
hey hey hey hey
if I wanted to
hey hey hey hey
if I wanted to
if I wanted to

oh oh oh oh
oh oh oh oh
oh oh oh oh, oh


Lyrics submitted by Ice

If I Wanted To Lyrics as written by Melissa Etheridge

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management

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If I Wanted To song meanings
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4 Comments

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  • +3
    General Comment
    I think this song is about being in love with someone (like bluestruck mentioned) and realizing you have no control over it, and not liking that fact at all. You tell yourself that you *could* stop being in love with them if you wanted to, but you really couldn't. The reason I get this impression is that the narrator also says they could do all sorts of impossible things "if I only wanted to," adding the occasional "I wouldn't have to be in love with you" to the list. You don't want to face the fact that you have no control over the situation, so you tell yourself that you do even though you don't. Beautiful song. I've just discovered Melissa Etheridge and I think she's absolutely amazing. The beginning makes me think of David Bowie's "Stay."
    Sandwich-Mastaon September 08, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    I think this song is about truly loving someone, thinking about them all the time, obsessing and so on, but at the same time you wish you just get them out of your head, and be free, just being able to do whatever you want and not having to worry about anything.
    bluestruckon October 15, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    I think this song is about truly loving someone, thinking about them all the time, obsessing and so on, but at the same time you wish you just get them out of your head, and be free, just being able to do whatever you want and not having to worry about anything.
    bluestruckon October 15, 2008   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning
    I think melissa is great song writer. I think here she's saying that if she wanted to she could do anything she wanted dance with the devil,have political leaders in the palm of her hand..etc but on the other hand there are some things that you cannot deny and one of them is being obsessively in love with someone and to her she feels that she wouldn't have to be in love with this person and trying to deny the fact that she is she would leave but even though she know's that she has no control over the situation she is almost telling herself that she does even though she doesn't.
    ICUP32on November 19, 2013   Link

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