Released August 21, 1989 Recorded 1988 Length 3:39 | Format CD single, 7" single Genre Country | |
B-side "Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old)" | ||
"If Tomorrow Never Comes" is a song recorded by American country music artist Garth Brooks. Written by Brooks and Kent Blazy, it was released in August 1989 as the second single from his album Garth Brooks and also appears on The Hits, The Limited Series and Double Live. This was his first #1 single on the Billboard Country Singles chart. It is also sometimes referred to as his signature song. "If Tomorrow Never Comes" was named Favorite Country Single in the American Music Awards of 1991. It has subsequently become one of Brooks' most popular songs for other artists to perform. The song has been covered by several artists, including Ronan Keating, who took it to Number 1 in the UK Singles Chart in May 2002.
Contents
Song
This is the first country love song released by Brooks. A man lies awake at night, thinking what would happen in his love's mind if he were to die the next day. The first line in the chorus reads: "If tomorrow never comes, will she know how much I love her?" He goes on to compare this situation with his own lost loved ones, and how he made a promise to say each day how much she means to him. The song begins with a soft guitar solo and gradually builds up to a more orchestrated accompaniment. Brooks has written many love songs since.
Background and production
Garth provided the following background information on the song in the CD booklet liner notes from The Hits:
"'If Tomorrow Never Comes" will probably always be my signature song. I ran the idea for this song by what seemed like a thousand writers and no one really seemed to understand what I was looking for. On the day that Bob Doyle, my co-manager, introduced me to Kent Blazy, I passed this idea by Kent and he had the first verse down within fifteen seconds. I could tell he just felt it. Kent Blazy is a wonderful man, full of love and energy, and if we never write again, I hope that we are always friends first. Think you Ireland for this moment."
Music video
Throughout the music video for the song, Brooks is seen playing his guitar in a dim room. Next to him is a table with an antique oil lamp on it. The video constantly cuts to a small child, played by the daughter of Steve Gatlin, brother of Larry Gatlin. She is the subject of the song in this case. The use of an antique screen is present through much of the video, which also features Brooks' ex-wife, Sandy. "If Tomorrow Never Comes", directed by John Lloyd Miller, received the #3 position on the CMT The Greatest: 20 Greatest First Videos broadcast.
Chart positions
"If Tomorrow Never Comes" entered the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles chart on September 9, 1989 and peaked at number 1 on December 9.
Ronan Keating version
"If Tomorrow Never Comes" served as the first single from Irish singer Ronan Keating's second studio album, Destination. The song was produced by Steve Mac. The song peaked at number one on the UK Singles Chart, as well as making the Top 10 in Ireland, Sweden, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, France and Australia. The song was declared as the second highest-selling single of 2002.
Music video
The video shows Keating sitting on a bed staring at the woman sleeping in it and also shows scenes of him falling onto a road in the path of a moving car.
Track listing
- "If Tomorrow Never Comes" - 3:57
- "If Tomorrow Never Comes" (Groove Brothers Mix) - 6:08
- "Interview with Ronan Keating" - 4:00
- "If Tomorrow Never Comes" - 3:57
- "Sea of Love" - 3:46
- "Ronan Hits DMC Megamix" - 10:14
- "If Tomorrow Never Comes" (Video)
Other versions
Legião Urbana's front man Renato Russo recorded a cover for his debut solo album, The Stonewall Celebration Concert in 1994. Joose had a number one hit in New Zealand with "If Tomorrow Never Comes" in 1997. In 1999, Westlife made an a cappela version live. Engelbert Humperdinck included the song on his 2003 album Definition of Love. It also became part of Barry Manilow's concert repertoire, and is featured on his 2004 live album 2 Nights Live!. Manilow had previously released a studio version of the song on his 1992 CD box set The Complete Collection and then some..... In the 2000s, the song has gained added visibility with performances on reality television competition shows, with third-place finisher Elliott Yamin singing it on the fifth season of American Idol. Second season The X Factor winner Shayne Ward performing it in that series' penultimate round, and Australian Idol 2006 winner Damien Leith singing it on Top 10: Number One's Night. Foster & Allen recorded a version which they released on their 2005 album, Foster & Allen - Sing The Number 1's On June 30, 2009, Kevin Skinner sang this song during the auditions on the NBC series America's Got Talent.