What if every guy I saw
(What if) was sittin' down at the bar
(What if) I told him to give me a call?
What if (what if), what if, what if
What if every guy in the place
(What if) was all up in my face?
(What if) what would you say?
What if, what if, what if

I hate a jealous man, one who doesn't understand
That I'm attractive so of course men want to take my hand
And lead me off around the corner or maybe to their place
But when they speak, you get mad jumping all up in they face
But on the other hand when women come and speak to you
You kiss and hug 'em like it's something that you let me do
You're only jealous 'cause you know that ish you put me through
I might turn right around and do that ish to you

What if every guy I saw
(What if) was sittin' down at the bar
(What if) I told him to give me a call?
What if (what if), what if, what if
What if every guy in the place
(What if) was all up in my face?
(What if) what would you say?
What if, what if, what if

I hate a lying dude, one who doesn't know the rules
If you goin' cheat, burn the receipt from the hotel room
But instead you're up in my face saying you were at friends
But they all call, asking me where the hell you been

Why they keep treatin' us this way?
hot grits is a new game we play
We'll burn (oh)
We'll cut you (oh)
We'll kill you (oh)
We don't have to take it no more

What if every guy I saw
(What if) was sittin' down at the bar
(What if) I told him to give me a call?
What if (what if), what if, what if
What if every guy in the place
(What if) was all up in my face?
(What if) what would you say?
What if, what if, what if

What if every guy I saw
(What if) was sittin' down at the bar
(What if) I told him to give me a call?
What if (what if), what if, what if
What if every guy in the place (what would you do?)
(What if) was all up in my face? (what would you say, baby?)
(What if) what would you say?
What if, what if, what if

Why they keep treatin' us this way?
hot grits is a new game we play
We'll burn (oh)
We'll cut you (oh)
We'll kill you (oh)
We don't have to take it no more

What if every guy I saw
(What if) was sittin' down at the bar
(What if) I told him to give me a call?
What if (what if), what if, what if
What if every guy in the place
(What if) was all up in my face?
(What if) what would you say?
What if, what if, what if

What if every guy I saw
(What if) was sittin' down at the bar
(What if) I told him to give me a call?
What if (what if), what if, what if
What if every guy in the place
(What if) was all up in my face?
(What if) what would you say?
What if, what if, what if

What if every guy I saw
(What if) was sittin' down at the bar
(What if) I told him to give me a call?
What if (what if), what if, what if
What if every guy in the place
(What if) was all up in my face?
(What if) what would you say?
What if, what if, what if

What if every guy I saw
(What if) was sittin' down at the bar
(What if) I told him to give me a call?
What if (what if), what if, what if
What if every guy in the place
(What if) was all up in my face?
(What if) what would you say?
What if, what if, what if


Lyrics submitted by Mopnugget

What If Lyrics as written by Durrell Babbs Jeffery Walker

Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

What If song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

3 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +1
    General Comment

    This is about a woman who is in a relationship with a man. the woman is fed up with him cuz he is being unfair. the man gets all jealous when guyz even talk to her but when he talks to woman, he is all over them. and he cheats on her and doesnt even bother gettin rid of the evidence. and aaliyah is speaking for all the woman who r going through the same stuff she is. and during the chorus, she is asking her man all these what ifs. like what would he do if this happened.

    Tribabe2007on May 23, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i agree with tribabe but that is only half of the story. there is another story on an allegorical level, a technique that has its roots way back to negroe spirituals and soul music. she uses the guise of a bad relationship to tell about the bigger relationship between black people and the racism that still exists although many people dont see it. she most explicitly makes reference to this in the lyrics:

    Why they keep treatin us this way I guess it's a little game we play We'll burn you (oh), we'll cut you (oh) We'll kill you (oh) We don't have to take it no more

    many r & B and souls artists tend to sing about love but if you know the history you can hear what they are really talking about.

    skeedypeedyon February 23, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    It's actually "Hot grits is a new game we play". PERFECTION.

    Iantuitionon August 10, 2009   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
In regards to the meaning of this song: Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.” That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Album art
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
Album art
Holiday
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday". I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
Album art
No Surprises
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Album art
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.