In addition to his career with Lonestar, McDonald sang harmony vocals on Mindy McCready's 1997 single "Maybe He'll Notice Her Now". He has also co-written four singles for other country music artists, including "She's Always Right" by Clay Walker, "Let Them Be Little" by Billy Dean (which was also recorded by Lonestar), "Coalmine" by Sara Evans, and "Once a Woman Gets a Hold of Your Heart" by Heartland.
McDonald announced his departure from Lonestar in 2007, with Cody Collins succeeding him as the band's lead vocalist. On November 8, 2007, Richie released an album of Christmas music, titled If Every Day Could Be Christmas. Also featured on the new album is "Coming Home for Christmas," a collaboration with Jim Brickman.
McDonald released his solo debut album I Turn to You on June 3, 2008. He signed a deal with Stroudavarious Records a month later. His first single for the label, "How Do I Just Stop", was released in November, but did not chart until the week of January 17, 2009, where it debuted at number 53 on the Hot Country Songs chart and peaked at 51. A second single, "Hey God", which was originally on his I Turn to You album and before that on Lonestar's 2006 album Mountains, was released on March 3, 2009, but was withdrawn from country radio and replaced with "Six Foot Teddy Bear."
McDonald released Slowdown, his second solo album, in 2010. This album included "How Do I Just Stop", which also peaked at number 51.
How Do I Just Stop
Richie McDonald Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That doesn't mean I let you go
I swear I tried
Your memory won't leave me alone
How do I move on
When I keep looking back?
How do I find someone
Do I lie to myself, say it's all for the best?
Say I don't really need you, I don't miss your tenderness?
After all the nights I held you, after all that we've been through
Tell me how do I just stop loving you?
We had it all
How did it ever come to this?
Your eyes, your smile
So many things I'm gonna miss
Girl, your love's not something
I can just forget about
And I'll go crazy soon
If I don't find a way somehow
Do I lie to myself, say it's all for the best?
Say I don't really need you, I don't miss your tenderness?
After all the nights I held you, after all that we've been through
Tell me how do I just stop loving you?
Man, I don't know where to start
When you're still here in my heart
Where you're supposed to be
Do I lie to myself, say it's all for the best?
Say I don't really need you, I don't miss your tenderness?
After all the nights I held you, after all that we've been through
Tell me how do I just stop loving you?
The lyrics to Richie McDonald's "How Do I Just Stop" paint a picture of a person struggling to move on from a past relationship. The singer has said goodbye and tried to let go, but memories of their former partner persistently haunt them. The chorus exemplifies the singer's internal conflict, as they grapple with the challenge of finding love anew while still longing for the past. The verses specifically highlight the different aspects of their previous relationship that they are unable to forget, such as the partner's eyes and smile, their love, and the trust that they had built up.
The lyrics are somber and reflective, capturing the complex emotions of someone struggling to let go of a cherished relationship. The singer realizes that they cannot continue living in the past, but they are uncertain of how to move forward. The question of how to just stop loving someone can be a difficult and often impossible one to answer, and the song captures the heartache that comes with that struggle.
Line by Line Meaning
I said goodbye
I ended the relationship.
That doesn't mean I let you go
However, I am still struggling to move on emotionally.
I swear I tried
I made every effort to let go of the past.
Your memory won't leave me alone
But my memories of our time together are still haunting me.
How do I move on
I am looking for a way to forget about you.
When I keep looking back?
But I keep thinking about the past and our time together.
How do I find someone
I want to be with someone new.
When I just want what we had?
But I find myself wanting to go back to how things were between us before.
Do I lie to myself, say it's all for the best?
Should I try to convince myself that moving on is the right thing to do?
Say I don't really need you, I don't miss your tenderness?
Or that I don't still love and miss you?
After all the nights I held you, after all that we've been through
Despite all the good times and the love we shared.
Tell me how do I just stop loving you?
I am struggling to find a way to move on from my feelings for you.
We had it all
We shared a deep and meaningful relationship.
How did it ever come to this?
I can't believe that it's over between us.
Your eyes, your smile
I miss all the little things about you that made me fall in love with you.
So many things I'm gonna miss
There are so many things about you that I will miss.
Girl, your love's not something
The love between us is not something I can just forget about.
I can just forget about
It's still very much a part of who I am as a person.
And I'll go crazy soon
If I don't find a way to move on from my feelings for you.
If I don't find a way somehow
I need to find a way to let go of my love for you.
Man, I don't know where to start
I am lost and don't know how to begin to move on.
When you're still here in my heart
Because even though we're no longer together, you still hold a special place in my heart.
Where you're supposed to be
And that's where you belong.
Writer(s): Tommy Lee James, Richie Mcdonald
Contributed by Sydney M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Norma Crum-Grunwell
on Peterbilt Sleigh
Sure wish the printed lyrics were available for us hearing impaired folks. Can't make out all the words of the verses. Love the idea at least what I can get. Sad. Why is it being skipped.... copywright problems???