Back in 1998, one of country’s biggest queens, Reba McEntire, and the popular country duo Brooks & Dunn collaborated for a single titled “If You See Him/If You See Her.” The track served as the titular music for their respective albums – If You See Him for Reba and If You See Her for Brooks & Dunn. And it was a collaboration for the books.
The song, which was written by Tommy Lee James, Jennifer Kimball, and Terry McBride and was produced by Tony Brown and Tim Dubois, debuted at the Academy of Country Music Awards in 1998. The song held the number-one spot for back-to-back weeks, earning McEntire her 29th number-one and the duo their twelfth.
Meaning Behind the Song
A ballad of heartbreak, the track is straight out of the afternoon TV soap operas we’ve all fallen in love with. It tells the story of former lovers confessing to a mutual friend about their lingering feelings for each other.
Reba McEntire takes the first verse, singing to her friend to tell her ex – if they see him – she wishes him well. She finds it hard to tell if she’s doing well after their breakup, but one thing she knows is that she still misses him more than ever. “But please don’t say a word,” she asks.
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She’s longing for him, but she strives to maintain her composure and independence.
Dunn takes the second verse, singing to his friend to tell his ex – if they see him – he’s doing fine. Brooks joins Dunn in harmony in the pre-chorus, singing, “Ask her if she ever wonders / Where we both went wrong.”
He, on the other hand, is still thinking of her from time to time, but he doesn’t want to say it out loud.
For You
They then went all in on the bridge, and they finally confided to their friend about their lingering passion and love for each other. He still wanted her, and she still needed him. And then, they grapple with the feelings of sadness, confusion, and hopelessness in the wake of their failed relationship, asking why they even let each other go.
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And then, in the third verse, they once again echo that feeling. Dunn says, “If you see her / Tell her the light’s still on for her.” McEntire says in counterpart, “Nothing’s changed / Deep down the fire still burns for him.”
Even if took forever, they’ll still be there for each other.
In April 2023, in celebration of the its 25th anniversary, Reba McEntire and Brooks & Dunn revisited the song and released a stripped down version with the help of Grammy Award-winning producer Dave Cobb. But before you do, check out the original version of “If You See Him/ If You See Her.”
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