B-side "Take Comfort" | Format 7-inch single Length 2:33 | |
Released March 21, 1971 (1971-03-21) | ||
"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, and one week at the top of the Canadian AC chart.
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.
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, Mirusia Louwerse, Herbie Mann, Julio Iglesias, Joe Pass, Ryoko Moriyama, Westlife, Olivia Newton-John, Dolly Parton, Scott Walker, Andy Williams, Frankmusik, Sarah Geronimo (From Sarah G. Live! statement song), Deni Hines, George Millard, Damien Leith and an instrumental cover by Violinist Vov Dylan
Telly Savalas recorded a mostly-spoken version which reached number one on the UK Singles Chart for two weeks in March 1975, and has the shortest title of any song to reach number one in the UK. This version also charted at #12 on the US Billboard Easy Listening chart in late 1974. A parody version of the Savalas version, recorded by voiceover artists Chris Sanford and Bill Mitchell performing as Yin and Yan, reached number 25 in the UK.