If (Bread song)

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"If" is a song written by David A. Gates in 1971. Originally popularized by the group Bread, the song charted at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 when released as a single in 1971. It was quickly covered by other singers (including Frank Sinatra, Jack Jones, Perry Como and Telly Savalas). The Telly Savalas version 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.^{[citation needed]}

To confuse matters, in 1951 Como had a hit with a different song called "If". Many radio stations play Como's recording of the Gates' song and announce it as being his 1951 hit. This same mistake is made on the series of CDs released by the Disky label in the late 1990s entitled 'Millennium', where the David Gates song is included in the album 40 Hits: 1950-54.^{[citation needed]}

"If" has been a perennial favorite at weddings (for example, as a first dance song) ever since it was released. [1] It was also recorded, as an album track, by Scott Walker in his early 1970s MOR period.

Preceded by "Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)" by Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel

UK number one single (Telly Savalas version) March 4, 1975

Succeeded by "Bye Bye Baby" by Bay City Rollers