She Thinks His Name Was John
Encyclopedia
"She Thinks His Name Was John" is a 1994 song from American country music
artist Reba McEntire
, and was the second single, from her 1994 album Read My Mind
. Upon its release, the song gained media attention and controversy for its storyline, regarding a woman who was dying from AIDS
.
with a man whom she did not previously know. The song recounts how, upon learning she had gotten AIDS, her struggles to remember the man with whom she had her affair, her crying herself to sleep over dreams and life's milestones she will never experience (such as marriage and motherhood), and former friends pitying her due to her decisions that led to her illness.
Sandy Knox, one of the song's writers, was inspired to write "She Thinks His Name Was John" after losing her brother to the disease. The song was released as a single after several radio stations began playing it as an album cut.
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 Reba McEntire
Reba McEntire
Reba Nell McEntire is an American country music artist and actress. She began her career in the music industry as a high school student singing in the Kiowa High School band , on local radio shows with her siblings, and at rodeos. As a solo act, she was invited to perform at a rodeo in Oklahoma...
, and was the second single, from her 1994 album Read My Mind
Read My Mind (album)
-Personnel:*Larry Byrom - acoustic guitar, electric guitar*Terry Crisp - steel guitar*Reba McEntire - lead vocals*Joe McGlohon - saxophone*Steve Nathan - Hammond B-3 organ, piano, synthesizer*Matt Rollings - piano, Hammond B-3 organ, synthesizer, Wurlitzer...
. Upon its release, the song gained media attention and controversy for its storyline, regarding a woman who was dying from AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
.
Story
"She Thinks His Name Was John" tells the story of a woman who is dying from AIDS, which she acquired after becoming intoxicated and having a one-night standOne-night stand
Originally, a one-night stand was a single theatre performance, usually by a guest performer on tour, as opposed to an ongoing engagement. Today, however, the term is more commonly defined as a single sexual encounter, in which neither participant has any intention or expectation of a relationship...
with a man whom she did not previously know. The song recounts how, upon learning she had gotten AIDS, her struggles to remember the man with whom she had her affair, her crying herself to sleep over dreams and life's milestones she will never experience (such as marriage and motherhood), and former friends pitying her due to her decisions that led to her illness.
Sandy Knox, one of the song's writers, was inspired to write "She Thinks His Name Was John" after losing her brother to the disease. The song was released as a single after several radio stations began playing it as an album cut.
Chart performance
| Chart (1994) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs | 15 |
| U.S. Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 | 1 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 11 |