"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, and one week at the top of the Canadian AC chart.
Record World said that the "gentle song by group's own David Gates (he produced and arranged also) will score in short order."
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.
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. It has the shortest title of any song to reach No. 1 in the UK. This version also charted at No. 12 on the US Billboard Easy Listening chart in late 1974. In Canada, "If" reached No. 88 on the Pop chart, and No. 40 on the AC chart. It also peaked at number 12 in Australia and was the 81st biggest selling single in Australia in 1975.