What Am I Gonna Do About You (song)

"What Am I Gonna Do About You" is a song written by Jim Allison, Doug Gilmore, and Bob Simon. It was first recorded by American country music artist Con Hunley in 1986 on the Capitol Records label and later by Reba McEntire for her 1986 studio album of the same name. Produced by Jimmy Bowen and McEntire, it was a number one single on the Billboard Magazine country music chart.^[1]

It debuted at #54 on the Hot Country Single's chart for the week of October 11, 1986 and peaked at #1 for the week of January 17, 1987.

Background and content

"What Am I Gonna Do About You" was recorded by Con Hunley in 1985 on the Capitol Records label with "Lord, She Sure Looks Good Tonight" on the B-side. His version was released on the Capitol #5525, spending 15 weeks on the country charts and peaking at #48.

It was recorded by Reba McEntire in 1986 at the Sound Stage Studio in Nashville, Tennessee.^[2] The song is characterized as a slow ballad, which describes how a woman tries to recover from a love affair,^[3] saying throughout the song, "what am I gonna do about you." The song's chorus is also repeated throughout the song:

What in the world am I gonna do about you

Oh your memory keeps coming back from out of the blue

Oh well I try and I try, but I still can't believe that we're through

So tell me what in the world am I gonna do about you

What am I gonna do about you

Critical reception

Upon its release and many years afterward, "What Am I Gonna Do About You" gained positive reviews. Although William Ruhlmann of Allmusic found the song not to have the characteristics of her previous releases, he received the song well. Ruhlmann found it to be nearly similar to that of her number one single, "Whoever's in New England," stating, "the title song had something of the feel of "Whoever's in New England" in its portrayal of a woman trying to recover from a painfully ended love affair."^[3]

Release and chart performance

"What Am I Gonna Do About You" was released as McEntire's final single of the year September 15, 1986. The song became a preface of her 1986 album of the same name (her second studio album of the year) and became a major hit in the United States and Canada. In the United States, the song reached number one on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks the following year on January 17, 1987, becoming her seventh song to top the charts. The song's success helped the album certify "Gold" (and eventually "Platinum") by the Recording Industry Association of America.^[4]^[3] It also became McEntire's first single to top the Canadian RPM Country Tracks charts, reaching number one January 24.

Charts

Chart (1986-1987)	Peak position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)^[5]	1
Canadian RPM Country Tracks	1

Preceded by "Give Me Wings" by Michael Johnson	Billboard Hot Country Singles number-one single January 17, 1987	Succeeded by "Cry Myself to Sleep" by The Judds
Preceded by "Mind Your Own Business" by Hank Williams, Jr., Reba McEntire, Tom Petty, Reverend Ike, and Willie Nelson	RPM Country Tracks number-one single January 24, 1987	Succeeded by "The Carpenter" by John Conlee

References

↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. p. 226.
↑ "What Am I Gonna Do About You CD". CD Universe. Retrieved 2009-09-03.
1 2 3 Ruhlmann, William. "What Am I Gonna Do About You > Review". Allmusic. Retrieved 2009-09-03.
↑ Ruhlmann, William. "Reba McEntire > Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved 2009-09-03.
↑ "Reba McEntire – Chart history" Billboard Hot Country Songs for Reba McEntire.

Reba McEntire 1970s–1980s singles

Reba McEntire	"I Don't Want to Be a One Night Stand" "(There's Nothing Like the Love) Between a Woman and a Man" "Glad I Waited Just for You" "I've Waited All My Life for You"

Out of a Dream	"Last Night, Ev'ry Night" "Runaway Heart" "That Makes Two of Us" (with Jacky Ward) "Sweet Dreams" "(I Still Long to Hold You) Now and Then"

Feel the Fire	"(You Lift Me) Up to Heaven" "I Can See Forever in Your Eyes" "I Don't Think Love Oughta Be That Way"

Heart to Heart	"Today All Over Again" "Only You (And You Alone)"

Unlimited	"I'm Not That Lonely Yet" "Can't Even Get the Blues" "You're the First Time I've Thought About Leaving"

Behind the Scene	"Why Do We Want (What We Know We Can't Have)" "There Ain't No Future in This"

Just a Little Love	"Just a Little Love" "He Broke Your Memory Last Night"

My Kind of Country	"How Blue" "Somebody Should Leave"

Have I Got a Deal for You	"Have I Got a Deal for You" "Only in My Mind"

Whoever's in New England	"Whoever's in New England" "Little Rock"

What Am I Gonna Do About You	"What Am I Gonna Do About You" "Let the Music Lift You Up" "One Promise Too Late"

The Last One to Know	"The Last One to Know" "Love Will Find Its Way to You"

Reba	"Sunday Kind of Love" "I Know How He Feels" "New Fool at an Old Game"

Sweet Sixteen	"Cathy's Clown" "'Til Love Comes Again" "Little Girl"

Guest singles	"Three Sheets to the Wind"/"I'd Really Love to See You Tonight" (with Jacky Ward) "Mind Your Own Business" (with Hank Williams, Jr. et al.)

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