Ronnie Milsap, ‘If You Don’t Want Me To (The Freeze)’ – Song Review

Ronnie Milsap didn't have a song that charted outside of the Top 10 between 1974 and 1992. That's an amazing run and a testament to supreme talent and ability to adapt to changing times and styles. His new song 'If You Don't Want Me To' -- on his new album 'Country Again,' available now -- picks up right where the legend left off. Actually, it finds him somewhere in the middle of his career, and sonically that's not a good thing in the 2010s.

The piano riff that dominates the song is stolen from an early 1980s sitcom. Milsap's vocals still spread like warm butter on this remake of an album cut from his 1980 release 'Milsap Magic,' but the pace of the song is one today's generation will dance to - or linedance to - only for it's kitschy value. Heck, look at the cover art for the single! Even the furniture in that dining room is outdated, not to mention Milsap's rhinestones. If you're smelling mothballs and peppermint candy right now, it's not the person beside you.

"'Cause if you don't want me to / Then tell me / It's too easy loving you / Like it should be / If you don't want me to / Don't tease me / Try to please me," Milsap sings during the chorus. It's not clear why this song is sub-titled 'The Freeze,' although these days it certainly can suggest Milsap being frozen in time. The second verse continues the theme.

"The way / The way you say goodnight / Makes me want to stay each time / Girl you know I'm really wanting you / Merry-go-round / You got me so high off the ground / Now don't you go and let me down / Girl you don't know what I'm going through," he sings.

There's no doubt Milsap has plenty of great songs left in him, but if he's targeting his oldest fans who've grown weary of modern country radio this song works. For future projects he may be wise to enlist the help of a few country newcomers to bring him up to speed.

Listen to Ronnie Milsap, 'If You Don't Want Me To (The Freeze)'