| "What Might Have Been" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Little Texas | ||||
| from the album Big Time | ||||
| B-side | "Stop on a Dime"[1] | |||
| Released | May 17, 1993 | |||
| Format | CD single, 7" | |||
| Recorded | 1992 | |||
| Genre | Country | |||
| Length | 3:58 | |||
| Label | Warner Bros. Nashville 18516 | |||
| Writer(s) | Dwayne O'Brien Porter Howell Brady Seals[2] |
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| Producer | James Stroud, Christy Dinapoli, Doug Grau[2] | |||
| Little Texas singles chronology | ||||
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"What Might Have Been" is the title of a song recorded by country music group Little Texas. It was released in May 1993 as the lead-off single from their second album, Big Time. It was co-written by the band's lead guitarist Porter Howell, rhythm guitarist Dwayne O'Brien, and keyboardist and vocalist Brady Seals. The song reached #2 on the Billboards Hot Country Songs chart and #11 on the Canadian RPM country Tracks chart in 1993. It is one of their best known songs, peaking at #16 on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart.
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In this song, the narrator tells himself or his former lover that he can't change the past and that there's no way to know what their relationship could have become. The exact circumstances are left open-ended.
Two music videos, both directed by Jack Cole, were filmed for the song. The first version, which was never released, is filmed completely in sepia tone. The video focuses around World War II and shows a couple dancing just before the man has to go off to war. Old stock footage from the war is shown also.
The second version features the same footage as the first version, but is mixed in with some added scenes (filmed in color) where a man named Michael brings his son, Tommy, to visit Michael's grandfather, Nathan, who lives in a nursing home. After arriving, Tommy shows his great-grandfather a photograph he had found of Nathan with a woman he met during World War II, named Clarice. Throughout the visit, Nathan shares various stories with Michael about Clarice, along with the fact that they had lost touch after the war ended. After Michael and Tommy leave, Nathan walks about the nursing home hallways when he passes an elderly woman. He suddenly stops and turns around to see if the woman looks familiar - it turns out to be his long, lost love, Clarice. As they reunite, the video flashes back to the younger Clarice and Nathan sharing a kiss. This version is best known and has been seen on CMT, TNN and GAC, as well as CMT's sister channel, Pure Country.[3]
"What Might Have Been" debuted at number 72 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks for the week of May 29, 1993.
| Chart (1993) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 11 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100[4] | 76 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks[4] | 2 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks[4] | 16 |
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