'What if I Told Ya' is like a big, emotional plea. It feels like someone is desperately asking themselves, “What if I wanted to stay?” They’re laying it all on the line, hoping their love will give them some kind of answer. You get to understand the need for love, but then you also get to feel the fear about taking that final leap.
Right off the bat, you can tell this person is being honest about how empty and sad it feels to think about being apart. On the other hand, this person is also trying to stay calm, but just can’t keep it together anymore. So, the walls are coming down, and true feelings are coming out. Plus, it’s clear that this new love that's being cared for, has been hurt before. Which is why there's this constant attempt at trying to be different, even though there’s still that fear creeping in, that insecurity mixed with hope that this relationship won’t slip away.
Now, the music here has this wavy, country vibe with dreamy, delicate performances. The electric and acoustic guitars fill up the sound, kind of like soft candlelight glowing everywhere. Right away, you feel that "alt-country" sound with bright strumming guitars and relaxed rhythms, plus some cool tremolo and smooth slides. The bass is nice and thick, standing out really well, and the drums have a tight reverb that gives them depth. The kick drum hits hard, and the snare is nice and crisp. On top of that, you’ve got beautiful vocal harmonies and a warm touch of organ.
And, all this is within the production that mostly plays around with panning and reverb, which keeps everything clear and organized but still feels tightly glued. The song flows nicely with a bluesy chord progression and a swinging 6/8 time signature, which adds to the emotional feel. Then you have these vocals with a lot of deep emotion, mostly coming through softly but still holding a nice, comfortable and skilful range. Going a bit further again, you know now that these vocals are from a person dealing with this strong feeling of wanting to stay with someone special, and this feeling shows up in the tone and delivery, with a pinch of vulnerability.
There’s a contrast between the busy, everyday life around them and how deep their feelings are. While the other person is caught up in their daily routine, the singer is just sitting there, wishing they could hold onto this connection a little longer. In Stellar Jays' words, it's about that early stage of a relationship where you know it’s something special, but you’re afraid to jinx it by saying too much.