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What Would Happen

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1997 single by Meredith Brooks

"What Would Happen"
A portrait of Meredith Brooks sitting in front of a dark red and black backdrop, wearing a black sleeveless top and green plaid jeans. On the top-left of the portrait, Brooks's name and the song's title are depicted in white and tan text, respectively.
Single by Meredith Brooks
from the album Blurring the Edges
ReleasedOctober 7, 1997 (1997-10-07)
Studio
  • The Salt Mines (Hollywood)
  • Alpha (Burbank)
GenreRock
Length
LabelCapitol
Songwriter(s)Meredith Brooks
Producer(s)David Ricketts
Meredith Brooks singles chronology
"I Need"
(1997) 		"What Would Happen"
(1997) 		"Stop"
(1998)
Music video
"What Would Happen" on YouTube

"What Would Happen" is a song by American singer-songwriter Meredith Brooks from her second studio album, Blurring the Edges (1997). The song was released to radio as the third single from the album on October 7, 1997, by Capitol Records. Brooks is credited as the sole writer of the song, while production was helmed by David Ricketts.

Critical reception

Larry Flick of Billboard noted the contrast between "What Would Happen" and its parent album, in which he described the song as a "far-more-subtle rocker." He further praised the song's memorability and claimed it would lessen comparisons between Brooks and Alanis Morissette. A reviewer from Music Week gave the song four out of five, adding, "A mellow offering from the Brits nominee. This is a soulful melodic tune that reinforces the songwriting skills first heard with 'Bitch'."

Music video

David Hogan directed the music video for "What Would Happen". Chuck Taylor of Billboard gave the video a B grade; he referred to it as " satisfying steam bath of seduction and fantasy with an overture of rich colors."

Track listings and formats

  • Australian CD single
  1. "What Would Happen" (edit) – 4:30
  2. "What Would Happen" (album version) – 5:16
  3. "Bitch" (E-Team/M2000 Crazy Bitch mix) – 6:58
  4. "Every Time She Walks Away"  – 3:40
  • European CD 1
  1. "What Would Happen" (edit) – 4:04
  2. "Come Undone"  – 4:27
  3. "What Would Happen" (album version) – 5:17
  4. "Stop"  – 5:00
  • European CD 2
  1. "What Would Happen" (edit) – 4:04
  2. "Come Undone"  – 4:27
  • United Kingdom CD and cassette single
  1. "What Would Happen" (edit) – 4:04
  2. "Come Undone"  – 4:26
  3. "Stop"  – 5:01
  4. "Bitch" (edit) – 3:58
  • United States 7" vinyl
  1. "What Would Happen"  – 5:16
  2. "My Little Town"  – 3:59
  • United States cassette single
  1. "What Would Happen"  – 5:19
  2. "Every Time She Walks Away"  – 3:44
  • United States CD single
  1. "What Would Happen"  – 5:19
  2. "Every Time She Walks Away"  – 3:44
  3. "Bitch" (live acoustic) – 3:22
  4. "What Would Happen" (Universal mix) – 5:33

Credits and personnel

Credits and personnel are adapted from the Blurring the Edges album liner notes.

  • Meredith Brooks – vocals, writer, guitars, background vocals
  • David Ricketts – producer, keyboards, drum/loop programming
  • Jim Ebert – mixing, engineering, drum/loop programming
  • Charles Nasser – assistant engineer
  • Mauricio Iragorri – assistant engineer
  • Husky Hoskulds – assistant engineer
  • Cappy Japngie – assistant engineer
  • Bob Ludwig – mastering
  • Josh Freese – drums
  • Paul Bushnell – bass
  • Victoria Levy – additional background vocals

Charts

Peak chart positions of "What Would Happen"
Chart (1997–1998) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA) 89
UK Singles (OCC) 49
US Billboard Hot 100 46

Release history

Region Date Formats(s) Label(s) Ref(s).
United States October 7, 1997 (1997-10-07) Contemporary hit radio Capitol

References

  1. Flick, Larry (October 25, 1997). "Reviews & Previews: Singles". Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 43. p. 79.
  2. "Reviews: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. February 14, 1998. p. 16. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  3. Taylor, Chuck (February 14, 1998). "The Video Challenge: Some Songs Are Meant to be Seen and Not Heard-and Vice Versa". Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 7. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. p. 94. ISSN 0001-8996. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
  4. What Would Happen (Australian CD single liner notes). Meredith Brooks. Capitol Records. 1997. 7243 8 84730 2 6.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  5. What Would Happen (European CD single-one liner notes). Meredith Brooks. Capitol Records. 1997. 7243 8 85134 2 5.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  6. What Would Happen (European CD single-two liner notes). Meredith Brooks. Capitol Records. 1997. 7243 8 85133 2 6.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  7. What Would Happen (United Kingdom CD single liner notes). Meredith Brooks. Capitol Records. 1997. 7243 8 85290 2 0.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  8. What Would Happen (United Kingdom cassette single liner notes). Meredith Brooks. Capitol Records. 1997. 7 24388 52904 4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  9. What Would Happen (United States 7-inch vinyl liner notes). Meredith Brooks. Capitol Records. 1997. S7-724381972274.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  10. What Would Happen (United States cassette single liner notes). Meredith Brooks. Capitol Records. 1997. 4KM-72438 58681 4 6.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  11. What Would Happen (United States CD single liner notes). Meredith Brooks. Capitol Records. 1997. C2 7243 8 58681 2 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. Blurring the Edges (CD liner notes). Meredith Brooks. Capitol Records. 1997. CDP 7243 8 36919 2 0.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. "Meredith Brooks – What Would Happen". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved June 16, 2022.
  14. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 16, 2022.
  15. "Meredith Brooks Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 16, 2022.
  16. "New Releases". Radio & Records. No. 1217. October 3, 1997. p. 86.
Meredith Brooks
Studio albums
Singles
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