If Only (KT Tunstall song)
Encyclopedia
"If Only" is an alternative rock
song performed by Scottish
singer KT Tunstall
. The song was written by Tunstall and Jimmy Hogarth
for Tunstall's third album Drastic Fantastic
(2007). It was released as the album's third single
in the United Kingdom
on March 3, 2008. "If Only" reached #45 on the UK Singles Chart
.
, the demo versions of "If Only" and "Other Side of the World
" were available for download free of charge on Tunstall's website.
"If Only" is reportedly one of KT Tunstall's favourite songs on Drastic Fantastic.
for "If Only" was directed by James Caddick and filmed at the Olympic Ski Jumping Hill (Lysgårdsbakken) in Lillehammer
, Norway
. The video features Tunstall as a ski jumper
who fails to complete an important jump. The video concludes with an injured Tunstall bleeding from the nose being helped up, smiling to the camera.
praised the song for its "chirpy chorus and beaming harmonies" and gave it eight stars out of ten. Christopher Hammer of AllGigs.co.uk gave it three stars out of five, calling it an "[almost] perfect song for a lazy Sunday afternoon drive". Sarah Walters of the Manchester Evening News
was less impressed, viewing the song's "chart-ready pop" sound and "bah-bah-bah backing vocals" as a step backwards from her earlier hits such as "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree
", and gave it two stars out of five.
UK CD single
(Released )
7" vinyl single
(Released 3 March 2008)
Digital download
(Released )
Promo CD
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
song performed by Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
singer KT Tunstall
KT Tunstall
Kate Victoria "KT" Tunstall is a Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist from St Andrews, Scotland. She broke into the public eye with a 2004 live solo performance of her song "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" on Later... with Jools Holland...
. The song was written by Tunstall and Jimmy Hogarth
Jimmy Hogarth
Jimmy Hogarth is a London-based producer and songwriter, whose production and writing credits include Amy Winehouse, Sia, Paolo Nutini, Duffy, Corinne Bailey Rae, Estelle, Tina Turner, KT Tunstall, James Blunt and James Morrison....
for Tunstall's third album Drastic Fantastic
Drastic Fantastic
Drastic Fantastic is the second studio album by Scottish Singer-songwriter KT Tunstall. It was released by Relentless Records on 10 September 2007 in the United Kingdom and 18 September 2007 in the United States and Canada. The album was leaked on P2P networks on 3 September 2007. "Hold On", the...
(2007). It was released as the album's third single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
on March 3, 2008. "If Only" reached #45 on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
.
History
"If Only" first appeared as a track on Tunstall's second unreleased demo album, Toons March '03. The demo version of "If Only" is markedly different from the version found on Drastic Fantastic, with a mellower sound and slightly slower tempo and Tunstall having a slightly higher tone to her voice. For a period of time, prior to the release of Eye to the TelescopeEye to the Telescope
Reviews for Eye to the Telescope were positive. Mark A. Price of PopMatters gave the album a score of 7 out of 10, noting that it manages to sound "both new and familiar", mixing influences from artists like Melissa Etheridge and Fiona Apple while adding some originality of her own...
, the demo versions of "If Only" and "Other Side of the World
Other Side of the World
"Other Side of the World" is a song by Scottish singer-songwriter KT Tunstall and is the opening track on her debut album, Eye to the Telescope. It was released 9 May 2005 as the second single from that album and became her first UK Top 20, charting at #13 in the UK Singles Chart...
" were available for download free of charge on Tunstall's website.
"If Only" is reportedly one of KT Tunstall's favourite songs on Drastic Fantastic.
Music video
The music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for "If Only" was directed by James Caddick and filmed at the Olympic Ski Jumping Hill (Lysgårdsbakken) in Lillehammer
Lillehammer
is a town and municipality in Oppland county, Norway, globally known for hosting the 1994 Winter Olympics. It is part of the traditional region of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Lillehammer. As of May 2011, the population of the town of Lillehammer was...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. The video features Tunstall as a ski jumper
Ski jumping
Ski jumping is a sport in which skiers go down a take-off ramp, jump and attempt to land as far as possible down the hill below. In addition to the length of the jump, judges give points for style. The skis used for ski jumping are wide and long...
who fails to complete an important jump. The video concludes with an injured Tunstall bleeding from the nose being helped up, smiling to the camera.
Critical reception
"If Only" has received mixed reviews from music critics. Reviewers for Channel 4Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
praised the song for its "chirpy chorus and beaming harmonies" and gave it eight stars out of ten. Christopher Hammer of AllGigs.co.uk gave it three stars out of five, calling it an "[almost] perfect song for a lazy Sunday afternoon drive". Sarah Walters of the Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
The Manchester Evening News is a regional daily newspaper covering Greater Manchester in the United Kingdom. It is published every day except Sunday and is owned by Trinity Mirror plc following its sale by Guardian Media Group in early 2010. It has an average daily circulation of 90,973 copies...
was less impressed, viewing the song's "chart-ready pop" sound and "bah-bah-bah backing vocals" as a step backwards from her earlier hits such as "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree
Black Horse and the Cherry Tree
"Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" is a song by Scottish singer-songwriter KT Tunstall and is featured on her debut album, Eye to the Telescope. It was released on 21 February 2005 as the lead single from the album, charting at #28 in the UK Singles Chart...
", and gave it two stars out of five.
Formats and track listings
These are the formats and track listings of single releases of "If Only".UK CD single
(Released )
- "If Only"
- "Walk Like an EgyptianWalk Like an Egyptian"Walk Like an Egyptian" is a number-one hit from the album Different Light by The Bangles in 1986.-Origin:Liam Sternberg wrote the song after seeing people on a ferry walking awkwardly to keep their balance, which reminded him of figures in Ancient Egyptian reliefs. The opening lyrics state, "All...
" (Live in LiverpoolLiverpoolLiverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
)
7" vinyl single
(Released 3 March 2008)
- "If Only"
- "The PrayerThe Prayer"The Prayer" is most commonly known as a duet between Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli. This duet is the second single from Dion's Christmas album These Are Special Times and first from Bocelli's album Sogno, and was released as a promotional single on March 1, 1999."The Prayer" won the Golden Globe...
" (Radio 1BBC Radio 1BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
Live LoungeLive LoungeThe Live Lounge is a segment on the British radio station BBC Radio 1. Originally hosted by Jo Whiley on her mid-morning radio show and now hosted by Fearne Cotton, it exhibits well-known artists usually performing one song of their own and one by another artist, in an acoustic format...
)
Digital download
(Released )
- "If Only"
- "Walk Like an Egyptian" (Live in Liverpool)
Promo CD
- "If Only" (Radio Edit) 3:30
- "If Only" 3:46
- "If Only" (Instrumental) 3:46
Charts
| Chart (2008) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
45 |