The song "If I Were" by George Jones talks about longing to be in someone's life and the desire to be loved and cherished by that person. The lyrics paint a picture of someone imagining what it would be like to be a friend, a smile, a prayer, or a song in the person's life. The singer expresses that if they were the person's friend, they would be there for them, bringing joy and companionship. If they were a smile, they would feel the warmth of the person's love. If they were the person's love, they would be held in their arms. If they were a prayer, they would always be in the person's thoughts at night. The lyrics also mention wishful thinking in a world of fantasy, where the singer feels like someone the person has forgotten and that they might as well believe in something that they are not. This may suggest that the singer feels unimportant or overlooked by the person they desire. The song continues by saying that if they were a picture, the person's love for them would endure. Finally, the singer highlights that if they were the person's love, they wouldn't be just a memory of the past. Overall, the meaning of the song "If I Were" is about longing for someone's love and wanting to be a significant presence in their life, rather than just a forgotten memory.
