Consider Me Gone

Album: Keep On Loving You (2009)
Charted: 38
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This was the second single to be taken from Keep on Loving You, Reba McEntire's first recording for the Valory Music Group and her twenty-sixth studio album in total.
  • McEntire discussed this song with Great American Country: "It's a strong woman song. I'm sure there are tons of women who get the cold shoulder when the husband comes in from work. He's had a rough day and she's had three kids at home, especially if it's summer. He doesn't want to talk, something's going on and it's confrontation time. If you are giving me the cold shoulder, if you're not wanting to talk to me, and if things aren't getting any better and if I don't turn you on, consider me gone. Here's the way the cow eats the cabbage. It's like, let's poop or get off the pot. Tell it like it is. It's a pretty cool song and it's confrontation time. That is one thing that is wrong with relationships, that there's not enough communication."
  • This was McEntire's 34th country chart-topper of her illustrious career. Its reign at the top of the charts expanded Reba's run of #1 hits to 26 years. Her first song to reach peak position was "Can't Even Get the Blues" in January 1983.
  • The song's ascension to the top position in the first chart of 2010 meant that McEntire had reached #1 on Country Songs in four decades. Dolly Parton ('70s-'00s) is the only other female artist to achieve that feat.
  • The cut was the first Country Songs #1 by a lead female artist not named Carrie Underwood or Taylor Swift since Sara Evans' "Real Fine Place to Start" in the fall of 2005. In the four year span between the two female-led chart-toppers Underwood notched eight #1s and Swift four.
  • The song was written by Steve Diamond and Marv Green. Diamond told AOL's The Boot, the story of the song: "One thing I love about writing with Marv is we usually come in with no preconceived notion. We just started strumming some chords... I came out with the first line, 'Every time I turn the conversation to something deeper than the weather …' And the melody came out in the verse. We did want to write about the inattentiveness of men sometimes! [laughs] I know in my own case, I don't always pay attention to my wife and what she needs. And this was a song about a woman just wanting to have some power in a relationship... and to be able to dictate some terms. We didn't have a title, but we had all the chords. So we tried a few other things, like, 'I'm outta here,' and 'I'm not gonna let that happen again'... because we didn't start with the chorus, and the chorus doesn't start with the title. So we fished around for awhile to see if we could find a title. But the song did flow... pretty much everything but the title! And then once we had that, everything else fell into place. We just kind of went with it... almost like jamming, if you're a couple of guitar players. We got most of it that day, and we finished it up the next day. Sometimes when you let it sit for a while, that last little piece becomes clearer... We were excited when we left the first day, but when we came back the second day, we felt we really had something. We're absolutely thrilled that Reba heard it and loved it. It's mind-blowing to us, because Reba is such an icon and her hits are going to be as big as hits could ever be. So we were thrilled to find out it was her biggest record. And she is so cool. She called me the other day, and she called Marv, as well, to thank us for the song and to congratulate us. She has been exceptionally gracious with her appreciation and her congratulations."

Comments: 3

  • Carol from Sayre, Pathe songs keeping breaking up while they are playing. if i can't hear the whole song what is the why bother!
  • Princess from Villa Rica, GaEvery time i turn the conversation to something deeper than the weather i can feel you always shuttin' down.

    And when i need an explanation for the silence you just tell me you don't wanna talk about it now.

    What you're not saying is coming in loud and clear we're at a crossroads here...

    If i'm not the one thing you can't stand to lose
    If i'm not that arrow to the heart of you
    If you don't get drunk on my kiss
    If you think you can do better than this then i guess we're done
    Let's not drag this on
    Consider me gone


    I heard it on the radio and I knew he didn't love me anymore, if he ever did, I dunno. We broke up a month later . . . when I met his wife! The lying P.O.S. never got a divorce. He introduced me to his mom, brother, sister, and all his friends and nobody said anything to me about his wife for 15 months!!!

    I'm still a little angry, can you tell?
  • Robin from Marlton, NjThe first time I heard this song I was driving to work alone and it's amazing I didn't stop short when I heard this. The first line got my attention and the rest is history. If I were a song writer, this could be my song. The lyrics/message is exactly what I've been unsuccessfully trying to convey to my husband this year. Thank you Reba for recording this song!
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Weezer

WeezerFact or Fiction

Did Rivers Cuomo grow up on a commune? Why did they name their albums after colors? See how well you know your Weezer in this Fact or Fiction.

90s Music Quiz 1

90s Music Quiz 1Music Quiz

First question: Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson appeared in videos for what artist?

Kristian Bush of Sugarland

Kristian Bush of SugarlandSongwriter Interviews

Kristian talks songwriting technique, like how the chorus should redefine the story, and how to write a song backwards.

Mike Rutherford (Genesis, Mike + The Mechanics)

Mike Rutherford (Genesis, Mike + The Mechanics)Songwriter Interviews

Mike Rutherford talks about the "Silent Running" storyline and "Land Of Confusion" in the age of Trump.

Jimmy Webb

Jimmy WebbSongwriter Interviews

Webb talks about his classic songs "By the Time I Get to Phoenix," "Wichita Lineman" and "MacArthur Park."

Ron and Russell Mael of Sparks

Ron and Russell Mael of SparksSongwriter Interviews

The men of Sparks on their album Hippopotamus, and how Morrissey handled it when they suggested he lighten up.