If (Pink Floyd song)

"If"
Song by Pink Floyd from the album Atom Heart Mother
Published	World Copyrights
Released	2 October 1970 (UK) 10 October 1970 (US)
Recorded	August 1970 at Abbey Road Studios, London
Genre	Psychedelic folk
Length	4:31
Label	Harvest
Writer	Roger Waters
Producer	Pink Floyd, Norman Smith (executive producer)
Atom Heart Mother track listing
5 tracks Side one "Atom Heart Mother" Side two "If" "Summer '68" "Fat Old Sun" "Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast"

"If" is a song by Pink Floyd on their 1970 album Atom Heart Mother.^[1][2] This song was one of several to be considered for the band's "best of" album, Echoes: The Best of Pink Floyd.^[3]

Writing

Written and sung by Roger Waters, like "Grantchester Meadows" before it, "If" carries on a pastoral and folky approach,^[4][5] but instead deals with introspection.^[6] The song is in the key of E Major.

Live

The song was performed live at a John Peel session on 16 July 1970, at BBC's Paris Theatre, London. During that performance, Richard Wright plays both organ and bass. Waters did perform it numerous times on his solo tours,^[5] during the 1984/85 'Pros and Cons' tour, and in support of Radio K.A.O.S. in 1987. For these solo tours, "If" was expanded with additional lyrics and chord sequences.

Personnel

• Roger Waters – lead vocals, classical acoustic guitar, bass guitar
• David Gilmour – slide electric guitar
• Richard Wright – piano, Hammond organ
• Nick Mason – drums

References

1. Strong, Martin C. (2004). The Great Rock Discography (7th ed.). Edinburgh: Canongate Books. p. 1177. ISBN 1-84195-551-5.
2. Mabbett, Andy (1995). The Complete Guide to the Music of Pink Floyd. London: Omnibus Press. ISBN 0-7119-4301-X.
3. Guthrie, James. "James Guthrie: Audio: Building A Compilation Album". Pink Floyd. Archived from the original on 2 June 2010. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
4. Manning, Toby (2006). "The Albums". The Rough Guide to Pink Floyd (1st ed.). London: Rough Guides. p. 162. ISBN 1-84353-575-0.
5. Schaffner, Nicholas (2005). "The Amazing Pudding". Saucerful of Secrets: The Pink Floyd Odyssey (New ed.). London: Helter Skelter. p. 162. ISBN 1-905139-09-8.
6. Manning, Toby (2006). "Set the Controls". The Rough Guide to Pink Floyd (1st ed.). London: Rough Guides. p. 63. ISBN 1-84353-575-0.

External links

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics