Now, with the release of his debut CD, Wide Open Road (Perfect Vision/Cashbox), Bryan is showcasing that signature sound to the world. Featuring soaring vocal landscapes and skillful, melody-laden guitar licks, this Chuck Ainlay (Sugarland, George Strait) produced disc has been garnering critical praise since its February 2010 release. Wide Open Road includes the top-notch skills of such stalwart session players as Mark Greenwood (Garth Brooks,) Jimmy Mattingly (Garth, Reba McEntire,) Steve Hinson (Randy Travis,) Michael Rojas (Lady Antebellum,) and Jimmy Nichols (Faith Hill.) Wide Open Road, which has been in the top 10 on the Roots Report Pop Country Chart for over 4 months, is a timeless collection of twelve compositions by Bryan and his longtime collaborator and manager, Michael Stover of MTS Management, as well as such heavyweight tunesmiths as Kent Blazy and Tom Paden, writers of Bryan’s second single, “It All Comes Back to Me.”
Following up the astonishing international success of “I’m Comin’ Home,” (#1 US Indie World, #11 Italy, #17 Switzerland, #23 Norway, #27 Austria) Bryan rose to the top of the charts once again with “It All Comes Back to Me.” The second release from Wide Open Road, the song hit both the radio and music video charts (#14 Cashbox, #9 MySpace Videos, #10 Y’allWire.) Now, with his third single, “If Only” being released to both country and AC formats, Bryan is about to launch his career into the stratosphere. Written by Pat Durbin and Paden, “If Only” is an emotional tear-jerker about the regrets of a love lost, that will surely strike a chord with not only Bryan’s fans, but with music lovers everywhere.
While chart success has been extremely gratifying for him, Bryan finds his true rewards through the lending of his time and talents to charitable causes. Whether it’s by performing at fundraising events, being a part of the Armed Forces Entertainment roster, donating tracks to charity CDs like the upcoming Joey’s Song (Epilepsy Foundation,) or by sharing proceeds from his music (proceeds from “I’m Comin’ Home” were donated to the Animal Rescue League of Western PA) Bryan has found that success can be measured not only by his position on the charts, but also by his ability to use his gifts to help worthy causes.
In addition to his involvement with charitable enterprises, Bryan also endorses products that he PERSONALLY uses—made by companies with integrity. Among these products are Bailey hats, Wrangler Jeans, GHS strings, Geezer cabinets, Voodoo Labs and Rocktron effects, and In-Tune guitar picks, who are currently manufacturing the prototype for the Bryan Cole signature pick.
Timeless family tradition, tremendous God-given talent, a strong faith and commitment to charity—these are the things that have endeared Bryan Cole to his devoted fans. And, at the end of the day, he is grateful for each and every one. Bryan’s gratitude was rewarded by receiving 3 nominations (most of any artist) at the 2010 Pittsburgh Music Awards. “My fans are my lifeblood. Their love and support inspire me to be the best man I can be—on and off the stage.”
If Only
Bryan Cole Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
to what you needed from me
i would have seen what you were missing
in the man i promised you i'd be
and if only i had listened
to what your heart was trying to say
then i wouldn't be here wishing
chorus 1
and everyday that goes by no matter how hard i try
i can't change the past and i can't bring you back
and all the things i didn't do and the pain i put you thru
i crossed that line and it was more than love allowed
if only i'd known then what i know now
if only i could make a happy ending
wave a magic wand and touch your heart
but what's the use in me pretending
when i don't even know where you are
chorus 2
and everyday that goes by no matter how hard i try
i can't change the past, no i can't bring you back
so it's time i let you go, take my regrets on down the road
learn to face the truth that i couldn't face before
if only doesn't matter anymore
tag
when it comes to me and you
if only doesn't matter anymore
The song "If Only" by Bryan Cole talks about regret and how it feels to lose someone you love because of the mistakes you made. The lyrics suggest that the singer did not pay enough attention to what his partner needed and ignored what her heart was trying to say. He believed that he had promised to be the perfect man for her, but eventually, he realized that he let her down, and his actions were the reason for the love slipping away. The singer now wishes he could undo his mistakes and have a second chance with his partner, but he knows that it is impossible, and he has to learn to face the truth and move on.
The chorus highlights the pain the singer is going through and how he is struggling to come to terms with what happened. He wishes he could change the past, but he knows he cannot bring her back, and he takes responsibility for the pain he caused her. The second verse shows acceptance and that the singer has understood that he has to let go of his regrets and learn from his mistakes. He acknowledges that he couldn't face the truth before, but he has now realized that "if only" doesn't matter anymore.
Overall, "If Only" is a heart-wrenching song that highlights the importance of paying attention to our loved ones and how it feels to live with regret.
Line by Line Meaning
if only i had paid attention
I regret not paying closer attention to what you needed from me
to what you needed from me
I wish I had been more aware of your needs
i would have seen what you were missing
I realize now what I was not providing for you
in the man i promised you i'd be
I didn't live up to the expectations I set for myself in our relationship
and if only i had listened
I regret not listening to your heart and your concerns
to what your heart was trying to say
I wish I had paid closer attention to your emotions and feelings
then i wouldn't be here wishing
I regret not taking action sooner to address the problems in our relationship
for the love that i let slip away
I understand now that my actions led to the end of our relationship
and everyday that goes by no matter how hard i try
Despite my efforts, time cannot reverse the past
i can't change the past and i can't bring you back
I realize there is no way for me to go back and make things right between us
and all the things i didn't do and the pain i put you thru
I regret not taking action to prevent the pain and hurt that I caused you
i crossed that line and it was more than love allowed
I realize now that my behavior was unacceptable and went beyond the boundaries of our love
if only i'd known then what i know now
I regret not having the knowledge and perspective I have now when we were still together
if only i could make a happy ending
I wish I could turn back time and make things right between us
wave a magic wand and touch your heart
I understand now the gravity of my actions and wish there was a quick fix to make things better between us
but what's the use in me pretending
I realize now that pretending won't change the reality of our situation
when i don't even know where you are
I understand that we may be in different places in life now
so it's time i let you go
I realize now that I need to let go and move on from our relationship
take my regrets on down the road
I need to let go of my regrets and learn from my mistakes so I can grow as a person
learn to face the truth that i couldn't face before
I understand now that I need to confront the reality of my mistakes
if only doesn't matter anymore
I realize that living in regret won't change the past and it's time to focus on moving forward.
when it comes to me and you
Despite my regrets, I accept that our relationship is over and the past cannot be changed
if only doesn't matter anymore
My regret won't change the present or the future, so I need to learn from my mistakes and grow from them.
Contributed by Parker Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Chris Delivasilis
Great song. One of the best on a great record
Eaglechild
Awesome track and singer!
ESTELITO SIEGA II
AWESOME SINGER
Samantha Eiler
Aunt.shes still watching out for us. Bry. You know we would of brought back her . Wish I could. I'd go for her
Tyler Halfenbrack
Anit Tyler. Bryron. He really matters