An earnest plea wrapped in harmony, this is the song of a young man’s tender heart.
In the ever-shifting landscape of early 1970s pop music, where bubblegum melodies and glam-rock swagger often vied for dominance, a different kind of song occasionally broke through. These were the tracks that weren’t just about fun; they were about vulnerability, about the earnest, sometimes painful, business of growing up. Among the most prolific purveyors of this sound were The Osmonds, a family act from Ogden, Utah, who had already transitioned from wholesome TV darlings to full-blown teen idols. While their hits like “One Bad Apple” and “Down by the Lazy River” were energetic and infectious, it was often the ballads that revealed the heart and soul of their music. One such song, a heartfelt and pleading track that perhaps didn’t get the same fanfare as its chart-topping brethren, was “(Would It Make You) Think”.
Released in 1973, “(Would It Make You) Think” was the B-side to the band’s hit single “Let Me In”. While “Let Me In” climbed to a respectable No. 36 on the Billboard Hot 100, its companion piece quietly resonated with listeners who were drawn to its introspective and melancholic tone. It’s a testament to the era’s music consumption habits that such a profound song could be discovered on the flip side of a 45, a treasure waiting to be unearthed by those who took the time to listen to the whole record. The song was featured on their 1973 album, The Plan, a concept album that, in retrospect, was a surprising and ambitious departure for the group, exploring themes of life, love, and mortality.
The story behind “(Would It Make You) Think” is one of youthful anxiety and the universal ache of unrequited love. The song’s lyrics, sung with poignant sincerity by lead singer Donny Osmond, speak of a young man’s desperate desire to matter to the one he loves. He’s not asking for a grand declaration of affection, but simply a moment of reflection. The central question—”If I packed my things and left tomorrow, would it make you think?”—is a classic teenage gambit, a plea for attention born of insecurity. It’s a beautifully simple, yet profoundly relatable sentiment. We’ve all been there, standing on the precipice of a relationship, wondering if our presence, or our absence, truly holds any weight in the heart of another. The vulnerability in Donny’s voice, the slight waver as he delivers these lines, is what makes the song so powerful. It feels less like a performance and more like a private confession.
What makes “(Would It Make You) Think” so special for many older listeners is the way it serves as a time capsule for a certain kind of youthful emotion. It’s a song that evokes memories of slow dances in dimly lit school gyms, of writing heartfelt notes on lined paper, of the quiet despair that came with a crush not returning your calls. The production, with its gentle piano and sweeping orchestral strings, enhances this feeling of wistful longing. It’s a far cry from the funk and disco that would soon dominate the airwaves, a reminder of a time when pop music could be this tender and unashamedly sentimental.
In the vast discography of The Osmonds, a band that was often unfairly dismissed as mere teenybopper fluff, “(Would It Make You) Think” stands out as a genuine and deeply felt piece of art. It’s a song that speaks to the timeless human experience of wanting to be seen and valued. It’s a quiet masterpiece, a melody that, for those who remember it, can still conjure up the bittersweet ache of a young heart yearning for a second thought. It’s a song that proved that even the biggest stars of the day could capture the simplest, most profound human emotions, and in doing so, create something that would resonate for decades.
Music Legend 
Ms Lợi