If That's What It Takes (album)

If That's What It Takes
Studio album by Michael McDonald
Released	August 3, 1982
Recorded	1981–82
Studio	Warner Bros. Recording Studio (North Hollywood, Los Angeles) Sunset Sound Recorders (Hollywood) Strings recorded at Ocean Way Recording (Hollywood)
Genre	Pop rock funk blue-eyed soul
Length	39:59
Label	Warner Bros.
Producer	Ted Templeman Lenny Waronker
Michael McDonald chronology
If That's What It Takes (1982) No Lookin' Back (1985)
Singles from If That's What It Takes
"I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near)" Released: August 1982 "I Gotta Try" Released: November 1982 "Playin' by the Rules" Released: February 1983

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[2]
Rolling Stone	[3]
The Village Voice	C+ [4]

If That's What It Takes is the debut studio album by American musician Michael McDonald, released on August 3, 1982 by Warner Bros. Records. The album peaked at #6 on Billboard 200, while singles "I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near)" and "I Gotta Try" went to #4 and #44 on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Michael McDonald, with additional writers noted.

Side one

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Playin' by the Rules"	Ed Sanford	4:55
2.	"I Keep Forgettin'"	Sanford Jerry Leiber Mike Stoller	3:39
3.	"Love Lies"	Randy Goodrum	3:21
4.	"I Gotta Try"	Kenny Loggins	3:53
5.	"I Can Let Go Now"		2:54

Side two

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
6.	"That's Why"	Goodrum	4:24
7.	"If That's What It Takes"	Jackie DeShannon	4:17
8.	"No Such Luck"	Grady Walker Harry Garfield	3:44
9.	"Losin' End"		4:11
10.	"Believe in It"		4:41
Total length:			39:59

Personnel

• Michael McDonald – lead vocals; backing vocals (1, 3, 4, 6–8, 10); Rhodes piano (1–3, 7, 9, 10); synthesizers (1–4, 6–8, 10); acoustic piano (4–6, 8)
• Greg Phillinganes – acoustic piano (1, 3, 7, 10); clavinet (2); Rhodes piano (4); Hammond organ (9)
• Michael Boddicker – additional synthesizers (4)
• Michael Omartian – Rhodes piano (6, 8)
• Dean Parks – guitar (1, 3, 7, 9); guitar overdubs (8)
• Steve Lukather – guitar (2, 4, 6, 8, 10)
• Robben Ford – guitar solo (6, 7)
• Willie Weeks – bass (1, 3, 4, 7, 9, 10)
• Louis Johnson – bass (2)
• Mike Porcaro – bass (6, 8)
• Steve Gadd – drums (1, 3, 4, 7, 9, 10)
• Jeff Porcaro – drums (2, 6, 8)
• Lenny Castro – percussion (1, 3, 6-8, 10)
• Bobby LaKind – percussion (1)
• Paulinho da Costa – percussion (3, 4)
• Ted Templeman – percussion (4)
• Edgar Winter – saxophone solo (1, 10); alto saxophone (8)
• Tom Scott – saxophone solo (6); Lyricon solo (9)
• Ed Sanford – backing vocals (1)
• Maureen McDonald – backing vocals (2, 6)
• Kenny Loggins – backing vocals (4)
• Christopher Cross – backing vocals (6)
• Brenda Russell – backing vocals (6)
• Kathy Walker – backing vocals (6)
• Amy Holland – backing vocals (6)

Production

• Produced by Ted Templeman and Lenny Waronker
• Engineers – Lee Herschberg (1, 3, 4, 7, 9, 10), Jim Isaacson (5, 6, 8), Donn Landee (2)
• Overdub engineers – Jim Isaacson, Donn Landee, Mark Linett, Lee Herschberg
• Second engineers – Ken Deane, Steve McManus
• Mixing – Lee Herschberg
• Mastered by Bobby Hata at Warner Bros. Recording Studio.
• Horn arrangements – Jerry Hey
• String arrangements – Marty Paich
• Keyboard technician – Paul Mederios
• Production coordinators – Joan Parker, Vicki Fortson, Kathy Walker
• Direction – Irving Azoff
• Photography – Jim Shea
• Art Direction and design – Jeff Adamoff

Charts

Chart (1982)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report) [5]	41
Canada Top Albums/CDs ( RPM ) [6]	27
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista) [7]	30
US Billboard 200 [8]	6
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) [9]	10

References

1. Jason Elias. "If That's What It Takes - Michael McDonald | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic . Retrieved September 21, 2015.
2. Larkin, Colin (2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th concise ed.). Omnibus Press. ISBN   978-0-85712-595-8.
3. "If That's What It Takes : Michael McDonald : Review : Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone . September 30, 1982. Archived from the original on December 8, 2008. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
4. Christgau, Robert (November 2, 1982). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice . Retrieved February 15, 2017.
5. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, New South Wales: Australian Chart Book. p. 185. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
6. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 6949a". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved August 2, 2025.
7. "Norwegiancharts.com – Michael McDonald – If That's What It Takes". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 2, 2025.
8. "Michael McDonald Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
9. "Michael McDonald Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 21, 2015.

External links

• If That's What It Takes at Discogs (list of releases)