What If (Kate Winslet song)

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"What If"
What If Cover - Kate Winslett.jpg
Single by Kate Winslet
from the album Christmas Carol: The Movie soundtrack
B-side "The Coventry Carol"
Released12 November 2001 (2001-11-12) [1]
Studio Air Lyndhurst, Rokstone (London, England)
Genre Pop
Length4:05
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Steve Mac

"What If" is a song performed by English actress Kate Winslet, recorded for the animated film Christmas Carol: The Movie (2001). Winslet provided the voice of Belle in the feature, which is based on the Charles Dickens classic 1843 novel and also stars Nicolas Cage, Jane Horrocks and Simon Callow. "What If" was written by Wayne Hector and Steve Mac, while production was helmed by the latter. The song is a ballad that follows the film's theme, as Belle laments the end of her and Scrooge's relationship and wonders what could have been. [2] It was the only song to be released from the official movie soundtrack.

Contents

"What If" was released as a single in Germany on 12 November 2001 and was issued in the United Kingdom two weeks later. News that Winslet was secretly recording the one-off single to vie for the 2001 UK Christmas number one spot was reported in the Daily Mirror . In the event, the song entered the UK Singles Chart at number six, its peak. Elsewhere, "What If" became a number-one hit in Austria, Flanders, and Ireland whilst also reaching the top 10 in Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. Critically acclaimed, the song won the 2002 OGAE Song Contest. [3] At Winslet's request, the proceeds from the single were given to the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children and Sargent Cancer Care for Children.

Critical reception

Can't Stop the Pop described "What If" as a "ballad of epic proportions", and a "huge, soaring Disney-esque ballad". [4] Barbara Ellen from The Observer said it is "a sweet, trilling, sub-Celine little ditty." [5] British trade paper Music Week wrote that Winslet could sing the track well but noted that her divorce from Jim Threapleton would make the lyrics less "poignant". [6]

Music video

An accompanying music video, which was directed by Paul Donnellon and produced by Chris Horton, shows Winslet walking around an old Victorian house, haunted by the ghost of a girl, along with clips from the film.

Track listings

UK CD single [7]

  1. "What If"
  2. "The Coventry Carol"
  3. "What If" (film version)
  4. "What If" (enhanced video)

UK cassette single [8]

  1. "What If"
  2. "The Coventry Carol"
  3. "What If" (film version)

European CD single [9]

  1. "What If" (full version)
  2. "What If" (film version)

Credits and personnel

Credits are adapted from the UK CD single liner notes. [7]

Studios

Personnel

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Belgium (BEA) [33] Gold25,000*
Germany (BVMI) [34] Gold250,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland) [35] Gold20,000^
United Kingdom (BPI) [36] Silver200,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)Ref.
Germany12 November 2001CD EMI [1]
United Kingdom26 November 2001
  • CD
  • cassette
 Liberty UK [6]

Cover versions

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References

  1. 1 2 "Kate Winslet: What If" (in German). EMI Germany. Archived from the original on 21 March 2002. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  2. ↑ Lovejoy, Hannah (17 December 2021). "Remembering Kate Winslet's iconic 'What If' song from Christmas Carol: The Movie". Smooth Radio . Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  3. ↑ "The winner takes it all". Ogae Song Contest. Archived from the original on 12 August 2013. Retrieved 3 May 2009.
  4. ↑ "Kate Winslet – What If". Can't Stop the Pop. 23 November 2020. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
  5. ↑ Ellen, Barbara (2 December 2001). "Stars in their guises". p. 14. The Observer .
  6. 1 2 "The Christmas Number One Race" (PDF). Music Week . 1 December 2001. p. 21. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  7. 1 2 What If (UK CD single liner notes). Kate Winslet. Liberty Records UK. 2001. CDKATE 001, 7243 8 79994 0 4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  8. ↑ What If (UK cassette single sleeve). Kate Winslet. Liberty Records UK. 2001. TCKATE 001, 7243 8 79994 4 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  9. ↑ What If (European CD single liner notes). Kate Winslet. EMI Records. 2001. 7243 8 79994 2 6.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
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  11. ↑ "Kate Winslet – What If" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
  12. ↑ "Top Lista Hrvatskog Radija". Croatian Radiotelevision. Archived from the original on 9 February 2002. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
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  39. ↑ Whetstone, David (29 November 2009). "Perfect pitch and the Cowell factor". journallive.co.uk. Archived from the original on 13 February 2012. Retrieved 3 August 2009.
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