"If It Takes a Lifetime" | ||||
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Single by Cheap Trick | ||||
from the album Rockford | ||||
Released | 2006 | |||
Genre | Rock, power pop | |||
Length | 3:44 | |||
Label | Big3 Records Cheap Trick Unlimited | |||
Songwriter(s) | Robin Zander, Tom Petersson, Rick Nielsen, Bun E. Carlos, Julian Raymond | |||
Producer(s) | Cheap Trick | |||
Cheap Trick singles chronology | ||||
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"If It Takes a Lifetime" is a song by American rock band Cheap Trick, released in 2006 as the third and final single from their fifteenth studio album Rockford . It was written by Robin Zander, Tom Petersson, Rick Nielsen, Bun E. Carlos and Julian Raymond, and produced by Cheap Trick, with co-production by Raymond.
"If It Takes a Lifetime" was released as a remixed promotional single, aimed at generating radio play. [1] The song's remix, named the "Little Steven Van Zandt Radio Edit", was created by the American musician and producer Steven Van Zandt of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band. In his weekly Billboard column, Little Steven's Underground Garage, Zandt listed the song as No. 2 of his Top 10 "Coolest Garage Songs". [2] In a 2006 interview with Star Press, Nielsen told Michelle Kinsey that "If It Takes a Lifetime" was the song he looked forward to playing most during a Cheap Trick concert. [3]
On June 7, 2006, the band appeared on Rockline, a nationally syndicated radio interview program hosted by Bob Coburn, and performed the song live. [4] The band also performed the song on the Bart Connor-presented WGN America show MDA on September 4, 2006, [5] and an MSNBC show on September 25. [6]
Upon release, Marc Hirsh of The Boston Globe commented of the tracks on Rockford: "...along with "If It Takes a Lifetime," they sound blessedly like classic Cheap Trick songs and performances." [7] Alan Sculley of The Desert Sun noted: "The poppier side of Cheap Trick's sound emerges brightly on hook-laden Beatlesque songs such as "If It Takes A Lifetime" and "Every Night And Every Day"." [8]
Lou Friedman of PopMatters noted: ""If It Takes a Lifetime" is another ballad disguised as a rocker, and has a sing-along chorus to boot." [9] Alexander Müller of The-Pit described the song as "somewhat relaxed but equally good" as the album's previous track, "Perfect Stranger". [10] K. L. Poore of Audio Video Revolution noted: "...while listening to "If It Takes a Lifetime" I figure that Rick Nielsen went to his "catchy hook" trunk, pulled out 10 or 15 and crammed them into the same song." [11]
Ben Perry of 80's Metal Server said of the song: "For me, this is the easiest song on the album to get stuck in my head. No idea why, but it does... on a frequent basis and I do not even listen to this album much." [12] Andrew J. McNeice of MelodicRock.com considered the song to be "very Lap of Luxury-ish pop/rock". [13] Tony Bonyata of ConcertLivewire.com described the song as a "sugar-buzzed power-pop anthem". [14]
In a review of the 2008 compilation The Coolest Songs in the World, Vol. 5, Mark Deming of AllMusic said: "Van Zandt clearly knows a great single when he hears one, and "Pull Shapes," "Porno Movies," and "If It Takes a Lifetime" all get over on cool melodies, high spirits, and ineffable cool that defies generic classification." [15] Jed Gottlieb of The Phoenix wrote: "The first three tracks are irrelevant stabs at anemic Top 40. Cheap Trick haven't learned any new tricks, but they're as skilled (and enthused) as they were two decades ago." [16]
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