If I Was
| "If I Was" | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| File:MU If I Was.jpg | |||||||
| Single by Midge Ure | |||||||
| from the album The Gift | |||||||
| B-side | "Piano" "The Man Who Sold the World" |
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| Released | 13 September 1985[1] | ||||||
| Format | 7" vinyl, 12" vinyl | ||||||
| Recorded | July 1985 | ||||||
| Genre | Synthpop, new wave | ||||||
| Length | 4:46 (single version) 5:20 (album version) 6:45 (extended mix) |
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| Label | Chrysalis | ||||||
| Writer(s) | Danny Mitchell, Midge Ure | ||||||
| Producer(s) | Midge Ure | ||||||
| Midge Ure singles chronology | |||||||
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"If I Was" is a popular song written by Midge Ure and Danny Mitchell, released as a single off of his first solo album The Gift. It reached #1 on the UK singles chart for a single week in October 1985.[2] This was Ure's third number one, coming after his success with Slik in 1976 ("Forever and Ever")[3] and Band Aid in 1984 ("Do They Know It's Christmas?").[4]
In the sleeve notes for the 2001 compilation If I Was: The Very Best of Midge Ure & Ultravox Ure wrote:
- "This song is pure Danny Mitchell. I found a demo of it on a cassette Danny had sent me for his band The Messengers. I grabbed it with both hands, messed around with it, sprinkled it with fairy dust and the rest is history."
Music video
The music video featured Ure's face patterns on a Pin Art pinscreen.
B-sides
The instrumental "Piano" was released on the B-side of the 7" and 12" singles. The 12" single featured a second track: a cover of David Bowie's "The Man Who Sold the World", originally released on the film soundtrack of Party Party (1983).[5] Both songs were added as bonus tracks to the CD reissue of The Gift in 1996.[6]
Chart performance
| Chart (1985/1986) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[2] | 1 |
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[7] | 6 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[8] | 1 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[9] | 16 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[10] | 8 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[11] | 16 |
| Preceded by | UK number one single 5 October 1985[2] |
Succeeded by "The Power of Love" by Jennifer Rush[13][14] |
| Preceded by | Irish IRMA number-one single 6 October 1985 |
References
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Midge Ure: Artist Chart History" Official Charts Company. Retrieved 28 June 2010.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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- ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Midge Ure – If I Was" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 28 June 2010.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 46, 1985" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved 28 June 2010.
- ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Midge Ure – If I Was". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 28 June 2010.
- ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Midge Ure – If I Was". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 28 June 2010.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
External links
- "If I Was" at Discogs (list of releases)
- Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics
