Jerrod Niemann Records ‘What Do You Want’ Live at the Grand Ole Opry

Jerrod Niemann lets it all hang out in this live version of 'What Do You Want' from the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. 'What Do You Want' originally appeared as the third single from Niemann's 2010 record, 'Judge Jerrod and the Hung Jury,' and it's back now to drag up an old flame once again.

We all know the song: A heartless woman breaks Niemann's heart and then pulls him back in just to let him go again, and he wants to put a stop to it to save himself from the pain. "There's three reasons they're calling you," he says. "One, because you haven't filled your quota of begging for them back. Two, they're trying to make you jealous. Or three, they want to make sweet nothings with you in the middle of the night."

It's easy to relate to this tune from the 'Lover, Lover' hitmaker, because it's based on a true story. Niemann previously spilled to Taste of Country that he wrote 'What Do You Want' about an ex-girlfriend. "Basically, I realized I was being used as nothing but a piece of meat by an ex-girlfriend," Niemann admits. "My self-esteem was very low. I was very vulnerable. She was taking advantage of me. After so many times of that, the idea of ‘What Do You Want’ came to me."

This new stripped-down live version gives this from-the-heart song a fresh element of raw emotion, and you can really hear the desperation in Niemann's voice. At the end, the Opry audience erupts in applause and cheering to let Niemann know that he's not alone.

"It’s finally when life kicks you in the heart when certain songs just come out, and I needed that to happen," the singer adds. "This song’s changed my life and the way I approach writing songs. Sometimes you just realize you’ve got to be somebody, so you might as well be yourself."

Listen to Jerrod Niemann, 'What Do You Want (Live From the Grand Ole Opry)'