Meaning of "If" by Kristin Chenoweth

The lyrics of "If" by Kristin Chenoweth tell the story of a woman who has reached her breaking point with her unfaithful partner, Joe. She lists all the ways he has hurt her, from leaving her alone to spending time with other women, all while lying and being deceitful. The repetition of "If you had not" reflects the regret and disappointment she feels over the relationship not meeting her expectations. Despite all the pain, she still expresses some level of longing for what could have been, showing the complexity of emotions in a toxic relationship. However, she finally decides to let go, acknowledging that things could have been different if Joe had chosen honesty and loyalty. The lyrics capture the theme of resilience and self-empowerment, as the woman finally stands up for herself and decides to say goodbye to a relationship that only brought her pain.