Despite the band members being in committed relationships at the time, "What Could’ve Been" was written from the perspective of looking back years later on a failed romance.
There is a specific kind of heartache that doesn’t come from a sudden explosion, but from the quiet realization of a slow drift. Gone West captured this perfectly in their debut single, "What Could’ve Been," and while the studio version is a masterclass in modern country-pop, it is the that truly lets the lyrics breathe. Stripping Away the Production Gone West - What Couldve Been (Acoustic)
The song famously references Bob Dylan’s album Blood on the Tracks , a nod from Jason Reeves to his favorite songwriter. Despite the band members being in committed relationships
The Raw Beauty of Retrospection: Gone West’s Acoustic "What Could’ve Been" "What Could’ve Been