If... (The Bluetones song)

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"If..."
Single by The Bluetones
from the album Return to the Last Chance Saloon
B-side"Blue Shadows"
"The Watchman"
Released27 April 1998 (1998-04-27)
Recorded1997
StudioRockfield
GenreAlternative rock
Length5:12
LabelA&M, Superior Quality
Songwriters
ProducerHugh Jones
The Bluetones singles chronology
"Solomon Bites the Worm"
(1998)		 "If..."
(1998)		 "Sleazy Bed Track"
(1998)
Music video
"If..." on YouTube

"If..." is a song by the English indie rock band the Bluetones, released in April 1998 as the second single from their second album, Return to the Last Chance Saloon, released 9 March 1998 on A&M Records. It peaked at number 13 on the UK Singles Chart,[1] and its first B-side is a cover of "Blue Shadows on the Trail", originally composed by Randy Newman for the 1968 western comedy film ¡Three Amigos!. Its music video was directed by Tony Hill.[2]

In 2002, it was included on the band's greatest hits Mercury Records compilation,[3] The Singles.[4][5] It was later featured on their 2006 two-disc and limited three-disc CD compilation,[6] A Rough Outline: The Singles & B-sides 95 - 03.[7]

Background

The song's title comes from the 1968 drama film If... and its single cover has the same font used for it. Part of its lyrics come from the country single released in the same year by Glen Campbell, "Wichita Lineman".[8]

Track listing

UK CD single[9]

  1. "If..." - 5:12
  2. "Blue Shadows" - 2:38
  3. "The Watchman" - 2:57

UK 7-inch vinyl, cassette[10][11]

  1. "If..." - 5:12
  2. "Blue Shadows" - 2:38

Credits

Credits taken from the Return to the Last Chance Saloon booklet and CD single notes.[12][9]

The Bluetones
  • Mark Morriss – vocals, backing vocals (track 1, 2), handclaps (track 1), songwriter (tracks 1, 3)
  • Adam Devlin – guitar, backing vocals (track 1), handclaps (track 1), songwriter (tracks 1, 3)
  • Scott Morriss – bass, backing vocals (tracks 1, 3), handclaps (track 1), songwriter (tracks 1, 3)
  • Eds Chesters – drums, percussion, backing vocals (track 1), handclaps (track 1), songwriter (tracks 1, 3)
Additional musicians
  • Richard Payne – keys, songwriter (tracks 1, 3)
  • Hugh Jones – backing vocals (track 1), handclaps (track 1)
  • Randy Newman – songwriter (track 2)
Production
  • Hugh Jones – producer, mixer
  • Phil Auty – mix engineer (track 1)
  • Scott Morriss – original painting

Reception

NME wrote in March 1998 that the track has a "creeping funk to it which emphasises the musical versatility of a band once seen in some quarters as an inexcusably lily-livered, terminally generic bunch of white guitar weeds."[13] Anthony Thornton of The Sunday Telegraph stated that they were "cruising in neutral and letting the jangle do the work for them".[14] Melissa Gunn shared her appreciation with the single in June 1998 despite many criticism written within her review, saying that it displays "true brilliance of the Bluetones with unique lyrics and fantastic background accompaniment."[15]

Charts

Chart (1998) Peak
position
UK Singles (OCC)[16]13

References

  1. "Official Singles Chart on 3/5/1998". Official Charts. Retrieved 11 June 2026.
  2. Blue Movies DVD Audio Commentary (DVD). Townsend Records. 22 October 2007.
  3. Burrows, Marc (23 April 2014). "Mark Morriss on life after The Bluetones / In Depth /". Drowned in Sound. Retrieved 8 June 2026.
  4. "with a little charm...: discography: albums: the singles". bluetones.org.uk. Retrieved 8 June 2026.
  5. "NEW BLUE!". NME. 20 February 2002. Retrieved 8 June 2026.
  6. "with a little charm...: news: 2006: 24th February". bluetones.org.uk. 24 February 2006. Retrieved 11 June 2026.
  7. "with a little charm...: discography: albums: a rough outline". bluetones.org.uk. Retrieved 8 June 2026.
  8. "The Bluetones - If..." recordrewindplay.co.uk. 27 May 2014. Retrieved 11 June 2026.
  9. If... (CD single notes). A&M Records. 27 March 1998. BLUED009.
  10. If... (7-inch single notes). A&M Records. 27 March 1998. BLUEX 009.
  11. If... (Cassette single notes). A&M Records. 27 March 1998. BLUEM009.
  12. Return to the Last Chance Saloon (CD booklet notes). A&M Records. 9 March 1998. BLUE 008.
  13. "Return to the Last Chance Saloon Review". NME. March 1998. Retrieved 11 June 2026.
  14. Thornton, Anthony (March 1998). "Return to the Last Chance Saloon Review". The Sunday Telegraph. Retrieved 11 June 2026.
  15. Gunn, Melissa (4 June 1998). "with a little charm...: reviews: 1998: melissa gunn". bluetones.org.uk. Retrieved 11 June 2026.
  16. "Official Singles Chart on 3/5/1998 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 24 June 2025.