Who You Thought I Was

Album: Your Life Is a Record (2020)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • "Who You Thought I Was" is a soaring ballad that finds Brandy Clark reflecting on the end of a relationship. The singer remembers things she wanted out of life in her younger days.

    I used to wanna be a cowboy
    A shadow in a sunset
    That's why I started smokin' cigarettes.


    Because of her time with her now-ex, Clark's priorities have changed. She wants to be a better person now that her lover has gone.

    Now I wanna be better
    I wanna be the me I should have been when we were together
    I wanna be at least almost close to worth your love
    I wanna be who you thought I was
  • A John Prine joke at an Americana Honors & Awards ceremony kick-started the song. Clark recalled at an album preview event:

    "John Prine walked out, and everybody stood up and clapped for a long time. I think in an attempt not to get emotional, he made a joke of it. He said, 'I'm John Prine, but I'd like to go back to being who you thought I was.'"

    The songwriter in Clark instantly recognized a song, so she put the idea in her phone. Her heart recognized a truth, which bought her to tears. She explained: "I cried because I'd felt that way. Like, 'Man, I'd love to be who somebody thought I was,' you know? It can really be anything. I'd like to be who my dogs think I am, on most days."

    The very next day Clark sat down and penned the song.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Creedence Clearwater Revival

Creedence Clearwater RevivalFact or Fiction

Is "Have You Ever Seen the Rain" about Vietnam? Was John Fogerty really born on a Bayou? It's the CCR edition of Fact or Fiction.

Randy Houser

Randy HouserSongwriter Interviews

The "How Country Feels" singer talks Skynyrd and songwriting.

Dave Mason

Dave MasonSongwriter Interviews

Dave reveals the inspiration for "Feelin' Alright" and explains how the first song he ever wrote became the biggest hit for his band Traffic.

Randy Newman

Randy NewmanSongwriting Legends

Newman makes it look easy these days, but in this 1974 interview, he reveals the paranoia and pressures that made him yearn for his old 9-5 job.

Female Singers Of The 90s

Female Singers Of The 90sMusic Quiz

The ladies who ruled the '90s in this quiz.

Supertramp founder Roger Hodgson

Supertramp founder Roger HodgsonSongwriter Interviews

Roger tells the stories behind some of his biggest hits, including "Give a Little Bit," "Take the Long Way Home" and "The Logical Song."