If I Can't Be Your Woman
Lynn Anderson · Listen to a Country Song [Columbia] [1972]
(Gary Stoval - Kent Sprague)
Young girls think love can be found any night
But a woman knows true love comes once in her life
The moment I saw you I knew we was true
That my mind would be empty if I couldn't have you.
But you said you were takin' and you won't go away
I know you felt something when you heard me say
If I can't be your woman let me please be your friend
You don't have to caress me just hold my hand.
If I can't be your woman let me please be your friend
You're the one that I need my love.
I wish I knew the right words to make you change your mind
I would send them with flowers I would write them in rhymes
I don't know where you've been I can't tell where you'll be
But I want you to remember if you ever get free.
So until then be happy and go your own way
And the words that you've heard are still true today.
If I can't be your woman let me please be your friend
You're the one that I need my love.
If I can't be your woman let me please be your friend
You're the one that I need my love...
Young girls think love can be found any night
But a woman knows true love comes once in her life
The moment I saw you I knew we was true
That my mind would be empty if I couldn't have you.
But you said you were takin' and you won't go away
I know you felt something when you heard me say
If I can't be your woman let me please be your friend
You don't have to caress me just hold my hand.
If I can't be your woman let me please be your friend
You're the one that I need my love.
I wish I knew the right words to make you change your mind
I would send them with flowers I would write them in rhymes
I don't know where you've been I can't tell where you'll be
But I want you to remember if you ever get free.
So until then be happy and go your own way
And the words that you've heard are still true today.
If I can't be your woman let me please be your friend
You're the one that I need my love.
If I can't be your woman let me please be your friend
You're the one that I need my love...
If I Can't Be Your Woman
Lynn Anderson delivers a poignant country ballad on her 1972 Columbia album Listen to a Country Song. The track explores themes of heartbreak and the complexities of romantic commitment, delivered with Anderson's signature clear vocals and emotive delivery. As part of her discography from the early 1970s, the recording reflects the era's focus on narrative storytelling within the genre. The song complements her other notable works from this period, showcasing her ability to convey deep personal emotion through traditional country instrumentation. This recording stands as a testament to her skill in interpreting songs that address universal feelings of loss and longing.