What If

Album: Simple Plan (2008)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • "What If" is an essay, inspired by the TV show Heroes, about changing and improving the world. Frontman Pierre Bouvier explained to TheyWillRockYou: "We had been watching a lot of TV these last couple of years and we've been really into the show Heroes. It was kind of inspired by the character Peter Petrelli who feels tortured and is trying to do the right thing even though a lot of people are opposing him and what he feels is the right thing to do. That's the way that we saw it for that song. I think if anyone is trying to do something important or something that might be seen as a little controversial, when you go through it you have to go through obstacles and its kind of confusing because you don't know if you want to do it or not. Look at someone like maybe Al Gore, he's taken some big leaps and done some crazy things and I think that he's probably had a lot of people opposing him. It's kind of about that feeling that you get when you go through something like that."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

David Bowie Lyrics Quiz

David Bowie Lyrics QuizMusic Quiz

How well do you know your David Bowie lyrics? Take this quiz to find out.

Elton John

Elton JohnFact or Fiction

Does he have beef with Gaga? Is he Sean Lennon's godfather? See if you can tell fact from fiction in the Elton John edition.

Chris Robinson of The Black Crowes

Chris Robinson of The Black CrowesSongwriter Interviews

"Great songwriters don't necessarily have hit songs," says Chris. He's written a bunch, but his fans are more interested in the intricate jams.

Country Song Titles

Country Song TitlesFact or Fiction

Country songs with titles so bizarre they can't possibly be real... or can they?

Facebook, Bromance and Email - The First Songs To Use New Words

Facebook, Bromance and Email - The First Songs To Use New WordsSong Writing

Where words like "email," "thirsty," "Twitter" and "gangsta" first showed up in songs, and which songs popularized them.

Chris Frantz of Talking Heads

Chris Frantz of Talking HeadsSongwriter Interviews

Talking Heads drummer Chris Frantz on where the term "new wave" originated, the story of "Naive Melody," and why they never recorded another cover song after "Take Me To The River."