Wikipedia

If (Bread song)

"If" is a song written by American singer-songwriter David Gates in 1971. Originally popularized by his group Bread, "If" charted at No. 4 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 when released as a single in 1971 and No. 6 in Canada. It also spent three weeks at No. 1 on the U.S. Easy Listening chart,[1] and one week at the top of the Canadian AC chart.[2]

"If"
Single by Bread
from the album Manna
B-side"Take Comfort"
ReleasedMarch 21, 1971 (1971-03-21)
GenreSoft rock
Length2:33
LabelElektra
Songwriter(s)David Gates
Producer(s)David Gates
Bread singles chronology
"Let Your Love Go"
(1971) 		"If"
(1971) 		"Mother Freedom"
(1971)

Record World said that the "gentle song by group's own David Gates (he produced and arranged also) will score in short order."[3]

In the U.S., Bread's tune 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. The song is distinguished by its opening line "If a picture paints a thousand words..."

Chart performance

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Telly Savalas version

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"If"
Single by Telly Savalas
from the album Telly
B-side"Rubber Bands and Bits of String" (US)
"You and Me Against the World" (UK)
Released1974
GenrePop, spoken word
Length3:06
LabelMCA
Songwriter(s)David Gates
Producer(s)Snuff Garrett
Telly Savalas singles chronology
"We All End Up the Same"
(1972) 		"If"
(1974) 		"You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" / "Help Me Make It Through the Night"
(1974)

Telly Savalas recorded a mostly-spoken interpretation which reached No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart for two weeks and No. 1 in Ireland in March 1975.[12][13] It has the shortest title of any song to reach No. 1 in the UK.[14] This version also charted at No. 12 on the US Billboard Easy Listening chart in late 1974.[15] In Canada, "If" reached No. 88 on the Pop chart, and No. 40 on the AC chart.[16][17] It also peaked at number 12 in Australia and was the 81st biggest selling single in Australia in 1975.[18]

Other versions

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Olivia Newton-John was one of the first to cover the song, recording a version for her 1971 debut solo album, If Not for You, performing the song during her first American TV performance that year on The Dean Martin Show.

A parody take on Savalas' rendition, by voice over artists Chris Sandford and Bill Mitchell performing as Yin and Yan,[19] reached No. 25 in the UK in 1975.[20]

Sissel Kyrkjebø covered the song in her 1993 album Gift of Love. And Sephira covered the song on their 2015 album, Believe.

References

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  1. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–2001. Record Research. p. 39.
  2. ^ "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on October 5, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  3. ^ "Picks of the Week" (PDF). Record World. March 13, 1971. p. 1. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  4. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 45. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  5. ^ Canada, Library and Archives (July 17, 2013). "Image : RPM Weekly". Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved September 11, 2017.
  6. ^ Canada, Library and Archives (July 17, 2013). "Image : RPM Weekly". Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved September 11, 2017.
  7. ^ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 – ISBN 0-89820-089-X
  8. ^ "Cash Box Top 100 5/15/71". tropicalglen.com. Archived from the original on June 7, 2015. Retrieved September 11, 2017.
  9. ^ "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". www.collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved September 11, 2017.
  10. ^ "Top 100 Hits of 1971/Top 100 Songs of 1971". www.musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved September 11, 2017.
  11. ^ "Cash Box YE Pop Singles – 1971". tropicalglen.com. Archived from the original on October 6, 2016. Retrieved September 11, 2017.
  12. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 311. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  13. ^ "The Irish Charts - All there is to know".
  14. ^ 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.
  15. ^ Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary 1961-1993. Record Research. p. 212.
  16. ^ "RPM Top 100 Singles - December 14, 1974" (PDF).
  17. ^ "RPM Top 50 AC - December 7, 1974" (PDF).
  18. ^ "National Top 100 Singles for 1975". Kent Music Report. December 29, 1975. Retrieved January 15, 2022 – via Imgur.
  19. ^ "About | Chris Sandford – Actor. Presenter. Angler. Writer. Flytyer". Chris Sandford. Retrieved March 27, 2014.
  20. ^ "YIN & YAN | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
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