Brooks & Dunn's music covers the full range of modern country music, and their chart-topping hits have included everything from the Ronan Keating-penned ballad "The Long Goodbye," through the Rivers Rutherford-written "Ain't Nothing About You," to the gospel music-influenced "Believe." They are also associated with being pioneers of the line dance craze of the mid-1990s. One of their hits, "Boot Scootin' Boogie" - the video for which was made in Tulsa, Oklahoma - is most emblematic of this style.
Both band members write, sing, and play guitar. One or both artists writes or co-writes a large majority of their material, and self-penned successes include the 2004 smash "Red Dirt Road" which the duo wrote together. Both artists have served as song-writers for other artists too. Ronnie Dunn co-wrote country superstar Toby Keith's song "Don't Leave I Think I Love You" which appeared on his 2003 album Shock'n Y'all. Dunn's vocal performances have tended to be released as radio singles: recent hits "You Can't Take the Honkytonk Out of The Girl," "Red Dirt Road," "It's Getting Better All The Time," "That's What It's All About," "Play Something Country," and "Believe" all feature Ronnie Dunn singing lead vocals.
Brooks & Dunn are renowned for their high-energy stage shows. Recent tours have featured Australian country singer Keith Urban, fellow duo Montgomery Gentry, and successful country newcomer Gretchen Wilson. Their latest Deuces Wild tour of 2005 featured fellow country duo Big and Rich. In 2006, the duo opened for the Rolling Stones at their Omaha, Nebraska show.
The duo's songs have been used by President George W Bush as his official campaign songs in both his election and re-election campaigns. In 2000, the then Texas Governor chose the blue-collar line-dance-friending hit of the mid-1990s, "Hard Workin' Man," and in 2004, the President selected the (pre-9/11) hit patriotic "Only in America." Brooks & Dunn both supported the President's re-election campaign, performing at a Republican rally featuring Laura Bush on the eve of the election.
Their latest album is Hillbilly Deluxe which features the number 1 single "Play Something Country."
On August 10, 2009, the duo issued a statement on their website announcing that they were splitting up after 20 years of making music together. The split was amicable, with a final album in September 2009 and a final tour in 2010.
On December 3, 2014, it was announced that Brooks & Dunn will reunite and perform a series of concerts in Las Vegas, Nevada with Reba McEntire throughout mid-late 2015. In 2016, they were selected as one of 30 artists to perform on "Forever Country", a mash-up track featuring the artists performing a medley of "Take Me Home, Country Roads", "On the Road Again", and "I Will Always Love You", which was released in celebration of 50 years of the CMA Awards.
If You See Him / If You See Her
Brooks & Dunn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tell him I wish him well
How am I doin'?
Well, sometimes it's hard to tell
I still miss him more than ever
But please don't say a word
If you see him
If you see her
Tell her I'm doin' fine
And if you want to
Say that I think of her from time to time
Ask her if she ever wonders
Where we both went wrong
If you see her
If you see her
Oh, I still want her
And I still need him so
Oh, I don't know why
We let each other go
If you see her
Tell her the light's still on for her
Nothing's changed
Deep down the fire still burns for him
And even if it takes forever
Say I'll still be here
If you see him
If you see her
If you see him
If you see her
The lyrics to Brooks & Dunn's song If You See Him / If You See Her are a poignant expression of the bittersweet emotions that arise after a breakup. The singer is addressing two different people they've parted ways with, with a message to pass along. The first verse tells the audience to relay their good wishes to the male partner ("if you see him"), but also admits that they're struggling with the separation. The second verse is for the female partner ("if you see her"), and the singer tells her that they're "doing fine" and that they think about her sometimes. The bridge reveals that the singer still has deep feelings for both of them, and that the distance between them is painful. The chorus ties everything together by reiterating both requests, as well as the lingering emotions: "if you see him/if you see her."
The lyrics to this song are incredibly relatable to anyone who has gone through a breakup, particularly one where the feelings were intense and deep. One of the most powerful aspects of the song is the way it acknowledges the complexity of those emotions: the singer doesn't pretend that they're over their exes, but they're also not wallowing in bitterness or regret. Instead, they're acknowledging the love that they still feel, even as they move on. This speaks to a deep human need to honor our past relationships, even as we try to forge a new path forward.
Line by Line Meaning
If you see him
Asking if the person being spoken to has seen the individual in question (him)
Tell him I wish him well
Requesting that the person being spoken to pass on a message of goodwill to him
How am I doin'?
Asking for an update on how the individual is perceived by others
Well, sometimes it's hard to tell
Acknowledging that one's own emotions can be difficult to discern
I still miss him more than ever
Admitting to a persistent feeling of emptiness and longing for him
But please don't say a word
Preferring that the person being spoken to keep the previous sentiment between them
If you see him
Reiterating the initial inquiry about him
Oh, if you see him
Expressing the strength of the desire to see him again
If you see her
Adjusting the inquiry from him to her
Tell her I'm doin' fine
Informing her of one's current state of being
And if you want to
Offering the option of passing on additional information
Say that I think of her from time to time
Revealing that thoughts of her occasionally cross one's mind
Ask her if she ever wonders
Making an inquiry about her thoughts and feelings concerning their past relationship
Where we both went wrong
Asking for an evaluation of where the relationship was damaged
If you see her
Restating the inquiry about her
If you see her
Repeating the inquiry for emphasis
Oh, I still want her
Admitting to a persistent desire for her
And I still need him so
Acknowleging that one still relies on him emotionally
Oh, I don't know why
Confessing a lack of understanding regarding the reasons for the dissolution of the relationship
We let each other go
Acknowledging that both parties have separated from one another
If you see her
Returning the focus to the inquiry about her
Tell her the light's still on for her
Declaring that one is still waiting for her to come back
Nothing's changed
Asserting that one's feelings and circumstances remain unchanged
Deep down the fire still burns for him
Acknowledging that the same persistent feeling of desire for him still remains
And even if it takes forever
Continuing to wait for the individuals to return
Say I'll still be here
Vowing to remain in the same position, emotionally and circumstantially
If you see him
A final restatement of the original inquiry about him
If you see her
The final statement reiterating the inquiry about her
If you see him
A final restatement of the original inquiry about him
If you see her
The final statement reiterating the inquiry about her
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Tommy Lee James, Jennifer K Kimball, Terry Mc Bride
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind