If You Just Didn't Do It

"If You Just Didn't Do It"
Album track by That Dog
Album	Old LP
Released	2019
Recorded	2016-2019 @ Kingsize Soundlabs; Park Oak Studios; The Boat; The Evergreen Stage; The Whiskey Kitchen
Length	3:40
Label	UME
Writer(s)	Anna Waronker
Producer(s)	Anna Waronker and That Dog
Status	Released
Live debut	July 13, 2019 in Los Angeles, CA
That Dog singles chronology
"Old LP" (2019) "If You Just Didn't Do It" (2019) "Just the Way" (2019)
Old LP track listing
"Drip Drops" (4) "If You Just Didn't Do It" (5) "When We Were Young" (6)

"If You Just Didn't Do It" is the fifth song and second single off That Dog's fourth album Old LP.

Overview

Band commentary

Anna Waronker: This song was a last minute addition to the album. We had been finished with the album for several months, and we thought we needed a song with a different sound to balance out the overall tone of the album. I had written pieces of this song about a year before and thought there was something to it. I was having a hard time with someone I have collaborated with for many years and needed an outlet. The song is my experience word for word , but I think it can be taken however you want to. Mostly, I love how direct the chorus is. There are several ways to interpret a statement that is so matter of fact.

—Consequence of Sound interview with Anna Waronker - October 3, 2019

Personnel

For additional contributors, see here.

• Anna Waronker - Lead vocals, guitar, piano, producer
• Rachel Haden - Bass, backing vocals
• Tony Maxwell - Drums, percussion, piano

Lyrics

I'm writing this song
Because I can't talk to you
I don't know for how long
Or even if I want to
I wrote you a letter (ah-ah)
But I knew that you would read it wrong
So I thought this was better (ah-ah)
In case you want to sing along

If you just didn't do it
Then you wouldn't do it
And you wouldn't be here right now

Take it from the top (ah-ah)
Let's go!
Five, six, seven, eight, to the coffee shop (ah-ah)
Back to where you wished you'd run away
You said I wouldn't let you (ah-ah)
Like I can hold you down by myself
I was trying to protect you (ah-ah)
But I can't protect you from yourself

Kick and scream like a little girl
Blame it on me and our little world
Go back and read every single word
And you'll see in the very scene that you wrote
You were the only one who let it go

See also

• List of That Dog songs