About The Song
In the realm of country music, few names resonate with the same enduring power as Garth Brooks. With his captivating stage presence, heartfelt lyrics, and a voice that effortlessly traverses the spectrum from tender whispers to impassioned roars, Brooks has cemented his legacy as one of the genre’s most iconic figures. Among his extensive discography, the song “What She’s Doing Now” stands out as a poignant ballad that delves into the depths of lingering love, unanswered questions, and the enduring ache of a lost connection.
Released in 1991 as the third single from Brooks’s album Ropin’ the Wind, “What She’s Doing Now” immediately captured the hearts of listeners, topping the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart for four consecutive weeks. The song’s enduring popularity lies in its ability to tap into universal emotions that transcend time and place. It is a story that resonates with anyone who has ever experienced the lingering pain of a love that has ended, leaving behind a trail of unanswered questions and a heart yearning for closure.
What She’s Doing Now opens with a gentle acoustic guitar melody, setting the stage for Brooks’s emotive vocals. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a man haunted by memories of a past love. He recalls fragments of their shared moments, each one a bittersweet reminder of what once was. The chorus, with its poignant refrain of “What she’s doing now is tearing me apart,” lays bare the raw emotion at the heart of the song.
The song’s strength lies in its simplicity. Brooks’s unadorned vocals and the stripped-down instrumentation allow the lyrics to take center stage, creating a direct and intimate connection with the listener. The narrative unfolds with a sense of vulnerability and honesty, as the protagonist grapples with the complexities of his emotions.
What She’s Doing Now is more than just a country ballad; it is a testament to the enduring power of love and the lingering impact of loss. It is a song that speaks to the human experience, capturing the universal ache of longing and the unanswered questions that linger long after a relationship has ended. With its timeless melody, relatable lyrics, and Brooks’s heartfelt delivery, What She’s Doing Now has secured its place as a country music classic, continuing to touch the hearts of listeners for generations to come.
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Lyric
Last time I saw her, it was turnin’ colderBut that was years agoLast I heard she had moved to BoulderBut where she’s now, I don’t knowBut there’s somethin’ ’bout this time of yearThat spins my head aroundTakes me back and makes me wonderWhat she’s doin’ now‘Cause what she’s doin’ now is tearin’ me apartFillin’ up my mind and emptyin’ my heartI can hear her call each time the cold wind blowsAnd I wonder if she knows what she’s doin’ nowJust for laughs, I dialed her old numberBut no one knew her nameHung up the phone, sat there and wonderedIf she’d ever done the sameI took a walk in the evenin’ windTo clear my head somehowBut tonight, I lie here thinkin’What’s she doin’ now?‘Cause what she’s doin’ now is tearin’ me apartFillin’ up my mind and emptyin’ my heartI can hear her call each time the cold wind blowsAnd I wonder if she knowsThat what she’s doin’ now is tearin’ me apartFillin’ up my mind and emptyin’ my heartI can hear her call each time the cold wind blowsAnd I wonder if she knows what she’s doin’ now