if
Jo Stafford with Paul Weston and His Orchestra Lyrics

The song "If" by Jo Stafford with Paul Weston and His Orchestra is a romantic tune about the fear of losing someone or something that is too good to be true. The first line of the first stanza sets the mood of the song where the persona says "If you are but a dream, I hope I never waken" - this suggests that the singer is in love with someone whom they hold in high esteem or someone whom they believe is too good to be true. The persona then expresses their fear of losing this person, saying it would be unbearable to find that they are forsaken. The second stanza suggests that the persona has found happiness in their imagination, and if this is the only channel through which they can be with the person he loves, he's willing to venture there.

The chorus further conveys the message of the song. It suggests that the persona is afraid of taking a bold step in expressing their love for the person they cherish, maybe because they're afraid of losing them. Hence, he would rather remain in his dream world with the person whom he loves than wake up to the possibility of heartbreak. Therefore, the song If explores the idea of the fragility of happiness, love, and the fear of loss. It emphasizes how sometimes, our imaginations can help us find happiness in our reality.