"If You Loved Me" is the title of a song co-written by Paul Nelson and Tom Shapiro

Tom Shapiro

Tom Shapiro is an American songwriter and occasional record producer, known primarily for his work in country music. To date, he holds four Country Songwriter of the Year awards from Broadcast Music Incorporated, as well as the Songwriter of the Decade award from the Nashville Songwriters...

 and recorded by American country music

Country music

Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...

 artist Tracy Lawrence

Tracy Lawrence

Tracy Lawrence is an American country music artist. He started at a country music restaurant called "Live At Libby's" where owner Libby Knight would help local talent find their way into country music...

. It was released in December 1995 as the lead off single from his album, Time Marches On

Time Marches On

Time Marches On is the fourth studio album released by country music artist Tracy Lawrence. The title track spent three weeks at Number One on the Billboard country charts in 1996, becoming Lawrence's biggest chart hit to date...

. It peaked at number 4 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart and at number 13 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart.

Content

In "If You Loved Me", the narrator is consoling a former love of his who is being treated unfairly by her current lover. He tells her that he would be there for her, If you loved me again.

Critical reception

Deborah Evans Price, of Billboard

Billboard (magazine)

Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...

magazine reviewed the song favorably, calling it a "lovely and understated ballad that is brought to life by that yearning, hurtin' country-boy quality in Lawrence's voice." On the production, she says that it "lets the vocals shine and Lawrence turns in a performance devoid of bravado, just full of warmth and heart.

Chart performance

"If You Loved Me" debuted at number 68 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks for the week of December 16, 1995.
The song peaked at #4 on The Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart and #13 on Canada's RPM

RPM (magazine)

RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,...

country charts.

Chart (1995-1996)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks	4
Canadian RPM Country Tracks	13