| "What'll You Do About Me" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Doug Supernaw | ||||
| from the album Deep Thoughts from a Shallow Mind | ||||
| Released | January 9, 1995 | |||
| Format | CD single | |||
| Genre | Country | |||
| Length | 2:41 | |||
| Label | BNA | |||
| Writer(s) | Dennis Linde | |||
| Producer | Richard Landis | |||
| Doug Supernaw singles chronology | ||||
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"What'll You Do About Me" is the title of a country music song written by Dennis Linde. Originally recorded by McGuffey Lane then by Steve Earle in 1984, it has also been released as a single by The Forester Sisters and Doug Supernaw, the latter of whom took it to Top 20 on the Billboard country charts in early 1995.
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"What'll You Do About Me" is an up-tempo describing a man who has just had a one-night stand with a woman. Having fallen in love with her ("But I fell in love and ruined all your plans"), he is still present the next day, standing on her porch, threatening to call the police and physically harm any other potential suitors[1] ("And what in the world are you planning to do / When a man comes over just to visit with you / And I'm on the porch with a two-by-two").
McGuffey Lane was the first artist to record the song in 1984 on their album, Day by Day on Atlantic America Division of Atlantic Recording Corporation. Steve Earle was the second artist to record the song, doing so in 1984 on Epic Records. Released as a single that year, Earle's rendition peaked at #76 on the country charts that year. This version was not included on an album until 1987, when Koch Records issued it on the compilation Early Tracks. The band Nitty Gritty Dirt Band did it for their album "Not Fade Away". The band McGuffey Lane also recorded it on their 1984 album Day By Day, as did John Schneider on his 1984 album Too Good to Stop Now, Randy Travis on his 1987 album Always & Forever, The Forester Sisters on their 1992 album I Got a Date, and Doug Supernaw on his 1995 album Deep Thoughts from a Shallow Mind. The Forester Sisters and Supernaw both released their versions as singles also. Supernaw's rendition was the highest-peaking of the three, peaking at #16 on the US country charts.
In his book Steve Earle: Fearleses Heart, Outlaw Poet, author David McGee describes Earle's rendition as having "a hard country edge and snarling, borderline confrontational vocal." He compared it to Travis's recording, saying that his interpretation showed a "cool, maybe even slightly goofy would-be paramour[…]treating it as a humorous depiction of all-consuming love—no harm, no foul."[1]
In Richard Carlin's book Country Music: A Biographical Dictionary, the author says that since it was released while the O.J. Simpson trials were underway, the trials "offered a somewhat creepy parallel to the song, which seemed to be sympathetic toward the abusive man."[2]
| Chart (1984) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles | 76 |
| Chart (1992) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks | 74 |
"What'll You Do About Me" debuted at #62 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks for the week of January 14, 1995.
| Chart (1995) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks | 16 |
| Canada RPM Top Country Tracks | 26 |