About The Song
“If I Had It to Do All Over Again” is a country song recorded by Roy Clark and released as a single in the mid-1970s. Issued on the ABC/Dot label, the song came during a period when Clark was balancing an active recording schedule with a high public profile as a television personality and touring musician. The single was part of his steady run of releases throughout the decade and later appeared on compilation albums that collected his vocal recordings from that era.
By the time the song was released, Roy Clark was widely recognized not only as a virtuoso guitarist and banjo player but also as a reliable country vocalist. While his instrumental skill often drew attention, his recordings from the 1970s frequently emphasized accessible, lyric-driven material designed for country radio. “If I Had It to Do All Over Again” fits comfortably within that approach, presenting Clark as a reflective narrator rather than an instrumental showman.
Musically, the recording follows a mid-tempo country-pop format typical of the era. The arrangement is clean and restrained, built around acoustic and electric guitars, steady rhythm, and subtle backing harmonies. Production choices are conservative, allowing the vocal line to remain central and ensuring that the song’s message is delivered clearly without distraction from excessive studio embellishment.
Lyrically, the song is structured as a retrospective statement about love and life choices. The narrator looks back over shared years with a partner and expresses satisfaction with the path taken, stating that given the chance to begin again, he would make the same decisions. The language is plainspoken and affirmative, relying on sincerity rather than metaphor or dramatic tension. This simplicity makes the song relatable and easily understood on first listen.
Roy Clark’s vocal performance is warm and measured, reflecting the song’s reflective tone. He delivers the lyric with calm assurance, avoiding theatrical emphasis and allowing the sentiment to unfold naturally. This understated approach reinforces the credibility of the narrator and aligns with Clark’s reputation for clear, conversational delivery in his vocal recordings.
On the country charts, “If I Had It to Do All Over Again” performed well and became one of Clark’s stronger singles of the mid-1970s. It reached the upper levels of the Billboard country listings, adding another successful radio entry to his catalog during a decade when he consistently maintained visibility as a recording artist. The song’s chart performance demonstrated his continued appeal to country audiences beyond his television fame.
In retrospect, the song is often viewed as a representative example of Roy Clark’s mid-career vocal work. It illustrates his ability to deliver straightforward, emotionally grounded material with professionalism and restraint. While it may not be as widely remembered as his instrumental performances or his biggest crossover hits, “If I Had It to Do All Over Again” remains an important part of his recorded legacy and continues to appear on reissues and collections documenting his work from the 1970s.
Video
Lyric
I never picked cotton
But my mother did and my brother did
And my sister did and my daddy died young
Working in the coal mines
When I was just a baby too little for a cotton sack
I played in the dirt while the others worked ’til they couldn’t straighten up their backs
I made myself a promise when I was big enough to run
That I’d never stay a single day in that Oklahoma sun
And I never picked cotton
But my mother did and my brother did
And my sister did and my daddy died young
Working in the coal mines
Folks said I grew up early and that the farm couldn’t hold me then
So I stole ten bucks and a pickup truck, and I never went back again
And it was fast cars and whiskey long haired girls and fun
I had everything that money could bring, and I took it all with a gun
But I never picked cotton
But my mother did and my brother did
And my sister did and my daddy died young
Working in the coal mines
Well, it was Saturday night in Memphis when a redneck grabbed my shirt
And when he said, “Go back to your cotton sack”, I left him dying in the dirt
And they’ll take me in the morning to the gallows just outside
And in the time I’ve got, there ain’t a hell of a lot that I can look back on with pride
But I never picked cotton
But my mother did and my brother did
And my sister did and I’ll never die young
Working in the coal mines
And I’ll never pick cotton
But my mother did and my brother did
And my sister did and I’ll never die young
Working in the coal mines