"If I Can't Have You" is a song by Canadian singer Shawn Mendes. It was released as the lead single (sixth overall) from the deluxe edition of Mendes' self-titled third studio album through Island Records on May 3, 2019.[1] The music video was released the same day.[2] "If I Can't Have You" has reached number one in Hungary and China, as well as the top five in Australia, Austria, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Malaysia, New Zealand, Scotland, Slovakia, and the United States.
Background[]
Mendes told Zane Lowe on the Beats 1 radio show that out of the 45 songs he has written in the last six months, which are stylistically "all over the place" and have "different vibes", "If I Can't Have You" was "the one consistently every time I played for myself and for friends and family was giving people that smile".
Promotion[]
Mendes announced the release through his social media on May 1.[3] He shared a link to the promotional website canthaveyou.com, which redirects to his webstore and offers the single as a 7-inch vinyl, cassette and CD single, with each format available in three versions containing a unique voice memo from Mendes. He performed the song for the first time during Saturday Night Live on May 4, 2019.[4]
Lyrics[]
[Chorus]
I can't write one song that's not about you
Can't drink without thinking about you
Is it too late to tell you that
Everything means nothing if I can't have you?
[Verse 1]
I'm in Toronto and I got this view
But I might as well be in a hotel room, yeah
It doesn't matter 'cause I'm so consumed
Spending all my nights reading texts from you
[Pre-Chorus]
Oh, I'm good at keeping my distance
I know that you're the feeling I'm missing
You know that I hate to admit it
But everything means nothing if I can't have you
[Chorus]
I can't write one song that's not about you
Can't drink without thinking about you
Is it too late to tell you that
Everything means nothing if I can't have you?
I can't write one song that's not about you
Can't drink without thinking about you
Is it too late to tell you that
Everything means nothing if I can't have you?
[Verse 2]
I'm so sorry that my timing's off
But I can't move on if we're still gonna talk
Is it wrong for me to not want half?
I want all of you, all the strings attached
[Pre-Chorus]
Oh, I'm good at keeping my distance
I know that you're the feeling I'm missing
You know that I hate to admit it
But everything means nothing if I can't have you
[Chorus]
I can't write one song that's not about you
Can't drink without thinking about you
Is it too late to tell you that
Everything means nothing if I can't have you?
I can't write one song that's not about you
Can't drink without thinking about you
Is it too late to tell you that
Everything means nothing if I can't have you?
[Bridge]
I'm trying to move on, forget you, but I hold on
Everything means nothing, everything means nothing, babe
I'm trying to move on, forget you, but I hold on
Everything means nothing if I can't have you, no
[Chorus]
I can't write one song that's not about you
Can't drink without thinking about you
Is it too late to tell you that
Everything means nothing if I can't have you? (Canāt have you)
I can't write one song that's not about you
Can't drink without thinking about you
Is it too late to tell you that
Everything means nothing if I can't have you?
[Chorus]
I can't write one song that's not about you
Can't drink without thinking about you
Is it too late to tell you that
Everything means nothing if I can't have you?
[Verse 1]
I'm in Toronto and I got this view
But I might as well be in a hotel room, yeah
It doesn't matter 'cause I'm so consumed
Spending all my nights reading texts from you
[Pre-Chorus]
Oh, I'm good at keeping my distance
I know that you're the feeling I'm missing
You know that I hate to admit it
But everything means nothing if I can't have you
[Chorus]
I can't write one song that's not about you
Can't drink without thinking about you
Is it too late to tell you that
Everything means nothing if I can't have you?
I can't write one song that's not about you
Can't drink without thinking about you
Is it too late to tell you that
Everything means nothing if I can't have you?
[Break]
Thinking about you
Everything means nothing if I can't have you
[Verse 2]
I'm so sorry that my timing's off
But I can't move on if we're still gonna talk
Is it wrong for me to not want half?
I want all of you, all the strings attached
[Pre-Chorus]
Oh, I'm good at keeping my distance
I know that you're the feeling I'm missing
You know that I hate to admit it
But everything means nothing if I can't have you
[Chorus]
I can't write one song that's not about you
Can't drink without thinking about you
Is it too late to tell you that
Everything means nothing if I can't have you?
I can't write one song that's not about you
Can't drink without thinking about you
Is it too late to tell you that
Everything means nothing if I can't have you?
Music video[]
The music video was released on May 3, 2019, via the singer's official Vevo channel on YouTube. A lyric video was also released on May 6, 2019.
Commercial performance[]
"If I Can't Have You" debuted at number two on both the Canadian Hot 100 and the US Billboard Hot 100, behind "Old Town Road" by Lil Nas X. It was Mendes' highest charting hit in both countries at the time surpassing 2015's "Stitches", which peaked at number 4 in the US.[5] "SeƱorita" became his highest-charting single later in the year.
Trivia[]
- The song was actually written for Dua Lipa.
- Peaked on number two on Billboard's Hot 100 making it the second highest-charting song in his career, behind SeƱorita.
Videos[]
Performances[]
Personnel[]
- Shawn Mendes ā vocals, songwriter, producer, programmer, guitar
- Teddy Geiger ā songwriter, producer, drums, guitar, keyboards, programmer
- Scott Harris ā songwriter, additional producer, guitar
- Nate Mercereau ā songwriter, additional producer, guitar, bass guitar, piano
- Ojivolta ā songwriter, additional producer
- Ray 'August Grant' Jacobs ā backing vocals
- Raul Cubina ā drums, percussion, programmer
- Ryan Svendsen ā trumpet, flugelhorn
- Mark Williams ā guitar, keyboards, programmer
- Zubin Thakkar ā engineer, studio personnel
- George Seara ā mixer, recording engineer, studio personnel
- Mike Gnocato ā assistant mixer, studio personnel
References[]
- ā https://twitter.com/ShawnMendes/status/1123671165829033984
- ā https://variety.com/2019/music/news/shawn-mendes-new-single-if-i-cant-have-you-music-video-1203204071/
- ā https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/8509637/shawn-mendes-announces-single-if-i-cant-have-you
- ā https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/8510073/shawn-mendes-fans-swoon-over-his-snl-performance-on-social-media-see-the
- ā https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/8511123/lil-nas-x-old-town-road-sixth-week-hot-100-number-one
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