If (Bread song)

"If"
Single by Bread
from the album Manna
B-side	"Take Comfort"
Released	27 March 1971
Genre	Folk rock, soft rock
Length	2:33
Label	Elektra
Writer(s)	David Gates and Walien Bruner
Producer(s)	Bread
Bread singles chronology
"Let Your Love Go" (1971) "If" (1971) "Mother Freedom" (1971)

"If" is a song written by American singer-songwriter David Gates in 1971. Originally popularized by his group Bread, the song charted at number four on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 when released as a single in 1971 and number six in Canada. The song also spent three weeks at number one on the U.S. Easy Listening chart,^[1] and one week at the top of the Canadian AC chart.^[2]

In the U.S., Bread's version was the shortest song title to become a top ten hit until 1993, when Prince hit No. 7 with "7", later matched by Britney Spears' No. 1 hit "3" in 2009.

"If" has been a perennial favorite at weddings (for example, as a first-dance song) ever since it was released.^[3]

Cover versions

It has been covered by other singers and musicians, including Petula Clark, Sergio Franchi, Cleo Laine, Perry Como, Frank Sinatra, Tom Jones, Jack Jones, Shirley Bassey, Dorothy Squires, Herbie Mann, Julio Iglesias, Joe Pass, Ryoko Moriyama, Westlife, Olivia Newton-John, Dolly Parton, Scott Walker, Andy Williams, Frankmusik, Sarah Geronimo and Damien Leith.

Telly Savalas recorded a mostly-spoken version which reached number one on the UK Singles Chart for two weeks in March 1975,^[4] and has the shortest title of any song to reach number one in the UK.^[5] This version also charted at #12 on the US Billboard Easy Listening chart in late 1974.^[6] A parody version of the Savalas version, recorded by voiceover artists Chris Sanford and Bill Mitchell performing as Yin and Yan,^[7] reached number 25 in the UK.^[8]

References

1. Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Record Research. p. 39.
2. http://collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.5386&type=1&interval=50&PHPSESSID=itsh9ogh17k948fo5hu8mpnb90
3. "First Dance Songs for Weddings". Weddings.about.com. Retrieved 2014-03-27.
4. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 311. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
5. Rice, Jo (1982). The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits (1st ed.). Enfield, Middlesex: Guinness Superlatives Ltd. p. 166. ISBN 0-85112-250-7.
6. Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary 1961-1993. Record Research. p. 212.
7. "About | Chris Sandford - Actor. Presenter. Angler. Writer. Flytyer". Chris Sandford. Retrieved 2014-03-27.
8. "Yin And Yan - If (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs.com. 2009-08-18. Retrieved 2014-03-27.

External links

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics