Did You Know? Two Men Wrote What Became One of Reba McEntire’s Most Powerful Female Anthems

In 2009, Reba McEntire released “Consider Me Gone“. On her Keep On Loving You album, the song is a powerful female anthem about knowing one’s worth. But perhaps surprisingly, the song’s two writers are both men.

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Written by Marv Green and Steve Diamond, “Consider Me Gone” says, “If I’m not the one thing you can’t stand to lose / If I’m not that arrow to the heart of you / If you don’t get drunk on my kiss / If you think you can do better than this / Then I guess we’re done / Let’s not drag this on / Consider me gone.”

“Consider Me Gone” may have been written by men, but they knew they wanted to write about the typical flaws most men have.

“We did want to write about the inattentiveness of men sometimes,” Diamond tells The Boot with a laugh. “I know in my own case, I don’t always pay attention to my wife and what she needs. And this was a song about a woman just wanting to have some power in a relationship … and to be able to dictate some terms.”

What Reba McEntire Says About “Consider Me Gone”

McEntire doesn’t write a lot of her own music. Still, she does try to find songs she can relate to, which she did in “Consider Me Gone”.

“It’s a strong woman song,” McEntire says (via Songfacts). “I’m sure there are tons of women who get the cold shoulder when the husband comes in from work. He’s had a rough day, and she’s had three kids at home, especially if it’s summer. He doesn’t want to talk, something’s going on, and it’s confrontation time. If you are giving me the cold shoulder, if you’re not wanting to talk to me, and if things aren’t getting any better. And, if I don’t turn you on, consider me gone. Here’s the way the cow eats the cabbage.”

McEntire has plenty of hits in her lengthy career. But “Consider Me Gone” remains among her favorites.

“It’s a pretty cool song, and it’s confrontation time,” McEntire says. “That is one thing that is wrong with relationships, that there’s not enough communication.”

McEntire liked “Consider Me Gone” so much, she personally called the songwriters to thank them.

“She is so cool. She called me, and she called Marv as well, to thank us for the song and to congratulate us,” Diamond boasts, calling her “exceptionally gracious with her appreciation and her congratulations.”

Photo by Janette Pellegrini/WireImage