If (Pink Floyd song)

"If" is a song by Pink Floyd on their 1970 album Atom Heart Mother.[1][2] This song was one of several to be considered for the band's "best of" album, Echoes: The Best of Pink Floyd.[3]

"If"
Song by Pink Floyd
from the album Atom Heart Mother
PublishedWorld Copyrights
Released2 October 1970 (UK)
10 October 1970 (US)
RecordedAugust 1970 at Abbey Road Studios, London
GenreFolk rock, progressive folk
Length4:31
LabelHarvest
Songwriter(s)Roger Waters
Producer(s)Pink Floyd, Norman Smith (executive producer)

The lyrics are inspired by the homonymous poem by Rudyard Kipling, at least for the compositional scheme; only that, while the great poet turns to his son, Waters turns to himself.

Writing

Written and sung by Roger Waters, like "Grantchester Meadows" before it, "If" carries on a pastoral and folky approach,[4][5] but instead deals with introspection.[6] The song is in the key of E major.

Live

The song was performed live at a John Peel session on 16 July 1970, at BBC's Paris Theatre, London. Waters performed it on several occasions,[5] during the 1984/85 'Pros and Cons' tour, and in support of Radio K.A.O.S. in 1987. For these performances, "If" was expanded with additional lyrics and chord sequences. The song was later played by Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets in 2018 in a medley with Atom Heart Mother.

Reception

In a review for the Atom Heart Mother album on release, Alec Dubro of Rolling Stone gave "If" a negative review, calling the song "English folk at its deadly worst. It's soft and silly." Dubro said the same for "Fat Old Sun".[7] In a more positive review, Stephen Deusner of Paste described "If" as one of Roger Waters' best compositions.[8] In another positive review, Irving Tan of Sputnik Music believes "If" contains "very introspective lyrics that end up making a memorable outing", but also believed the track was not as well-written as some of his later and earlier pieces.[9] Tan also believed the track was reminiscent of "Grantchester Meadows", another Waters-penned track from Ummagumma a year before.[9]

Personnel

References
  1. Strong, Martin C. (2004). The Great Rock Discography (7th ed.). Edinburgh: Canongate Books. p. 1177. ISBN 1-84195-551-5.
  2. Mabbett, Andy (1995). The Complete Guide to the Music of Pink Floyd. London: Omnibus Press. ISBN 0-7119-4301-X.
  3. Guthrie, James. "James Guthrie: Audio: Building A Compilation Album". Pink Floyd. Archived from the original on 2 June 2010. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
  4. Manning, Toby (2006). "The Albums". The Rough Guide to Pink Floyd (1st ed.). London: Rough Guides. p. 162. ISBN 1-84353-575-0.
  5. Schaffner, Nicholas (2005). "The Amazing Pudding". Saucerful of Secrets: The Pink Floyd Odyssey (New ed.). London: Helter Skelter. p. 162. ISBN 1-905139-09-8.
  6. Manning, Toby (2006). "Set the Controls". The Rough Guide to Pink Floyd (1st ed.). London: Rough Guides. p. 63. ISBN 1-84353-575-0.
  7. Dubro, Alec (10 December 1970). "Atom Heart Mother". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  8. Deusner, Stephen (6 October 2011). "Pink Floyd: Atom Heart Mother ("Why Pink Floyd?" Reissue)". pastemagazine.com. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  9. Tan, Irving (18 September 2010). "Review: Pink Floyd - Atom Heart Mother | Sputnikmusic". www.sputnikmusic.com. Retrieved 23 July 2017.



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