If That's What It Takes (album)

Last updated
If That's What It Takes
If That's What It Takes (Michael McDonald album).jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedAugust 3, 1982
Recorded1981–82
Studio Warner Bros. Recording Studio, North Hollywood, CA and Sunset Sound Recorders, Hollywood.
Strings recorded at Ocean Way Recording, Hollywood.
Genre Pop, rock, funk, blue-eyed soul
Length39:59
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
  1. "I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near)"
    Released: August 1982
  2. "I Gotta Try"
    Released: November 1982
  3. "Playin' By The Rules"
    Released: February 1983
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [1]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [2]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [3]
The Village Voice C+ [4]

If That's What It Takes is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Michael McDonald. The album was released in August 1982 and 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.

Contents

Track listing

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

Side one
No.TitleWriter(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.TitleWriter(s)Length
6."That's Why"Goodrum4:24
7."If That's What It Takes" Jackie DeShannon 4:17
8."No Such Luck"Grady Walker, Harry Garfield3:44
9."Losin' End" 4:11
10."Believe in It" 4:41

Personnel

Production

Charts

Chart (1982)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report) [5] 41
US Billboard 200 [6] 6
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) [7] 10

Related Research Articles

<i>Toulouse Street</i> 1972 studio album by the Doobie Brothers

Toulouse Street is the second studio album by American rock band the Doobie Brothers. It was released in July 1972, by Warner Bros. Records. It was the band's first album with bassist Tiran Porter and also the first with drummer Michael Hossack to augment existing drummer John Hartman, putting in place their trademark twin-drummer sound. Toulouse Street is the name of a street in the French Quarter of New Orleans. The cover and inside centerfold photos were taken at a former brothel on Toulouse Street.

<i>What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits</i> 1974 studio album by The Doobie Brothers

What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits is the fourth studio album by American rock band the Doobie Brothers. The album was released on February 1, 1974, by Warner Bros. Records.

<i>Takin It to the Streets</i> (The Doobie Brothers album) 1976 studio album by The Doobie Brothers

Takin' It to the Streets is the sixth studio album by American rock band The Doobie Brothers. The album was released on March 19, 1976, by Warner Bros. Records. It was the first to feature Michael McDonald on lead vocals.

<i>Minute by Minute</i> 1978 studio album by The Doobie Brothers

Minute by Minute is the eighth studio album by American rock band The Doobie Brothers, released on December 1, 1978, by Warner Bros. Records. It was their last album to include members John Hartman and Jeff "Skunk" Baxter.

<i>Lionel Richie</i> (album) 1982 studio album by Lionel Richie

Lionel Richie is the debut solo studio album by American singer Lionel Richie, released on October 6, 1982, on Motown Records. Originally intended as a side project at the suggestion of Motown, it was recorded and released while Richie was still a member of the Commodores; he left the group shortly after the album's release. The first single from the album, "Truly", topped the Billboard Hot 100. Follow-up single "You Are" reached number four, and "My Love" reached number five. The album reached number one on the Cashbox albums chart on December 11, 1982.

<i>Another Passenger</i> 1976 studio album by Carly Simon

Another Passenger is the sixth studio album by American singer-songwriter Carly Simon, released by Elektra Records, on June 5, 1976.

<i>Behind the Sun</i> (Eric Clapton album) 1985 studio album by Eric Clapton

Behind the Sun is the ninth solo studio album by Eric Clapton, released on 11 March 1985 by Duck Records / Warner Bros. Records. It is Clapton's first collaborative project with Phil Collins who co-produced the album and played on some of the tracks. While recording the album Clapton temporarily split with his wife.

<i>Another Page</i> 1983 studio album by Christopher Cross

Another Page is Christopher Cross's second studio album, recorded in 1982 and released in early 1983. It was not as commercially successful as its predecessor. "Think of Laura", taken from the album as Cross's third single, reached #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1984. It was Cross' final single to reach the Top 10. The first single, "All Right", reached #12 on the chart a year before. As a single, "No Time For Talk" peaked at #33. "Arthur's Theme " appeared as a bonus track on the cassette and later CD releases of the album.

<i>Ross</i> (1983 album) 1983 studio album by Diana Ross

Ross is the fourteenth studio album by American R&B singer Diana Ross, released on June 9, 1983 by RCA Records. It was Ross' third of six albums released by the label during the decade. It was released shortly before Ross gave a pair of free concerts in New York's Central Park. The album peaked at No. 32 on the US charts, No. 14 on the US R&B charts and No. 44 in the UK. The album's highest international chart position was in Sweden, where it reached No. 7.

<i>Extensions</i> (The Manhattan Transfer album) 1979 studio album by The Manhattan Transfer

Extensions is the fifth studio album by The Manhattan Transfer, released on October 31, 1979, by Atlantic Records.

<i>Bi-Coastal</i> 1980 studio album by Peter Allen

Bi-Coastal is the sixth studio album released in 1980 by Australian singer and songwriter Peter Allen.

<i>Breakin Away</i> (album) 1981 studio album by Al Jarreau

Breakin' Away is an album by Al Jarreau, released on June 30, 1981, through the Warner Bros. Records label. To quote AllMusic, "Breakin' Away became the standard bearer of the L.A. pop and R&B sound."

<i>Good to Be Back</i> Album by Natalie Cole

Good to Be Back is a 1989 album by American singer Natalie Cole. Released in May 1989, by EMI USA, It includes the hit singles "Miss You Like Crazy" and "I Do".

<i>Anywhere You Go</i> 1985 studio album by David Pack

Anywhere You Go is the first full-length recording from David Pack, the lead singer for the band Ambrosia. The LP was released in November 1985. Pack wrote five songs himself and co-wrote the other five.

<i>No Lookin Back</i> 1985 studio album by Michael McDonald

No Lookin' Back is the second solo studio album by American musician Michael McDonald. It was released on July 30, 1985 by Warner Bros. Records, three years after his debut studio album, If That's What It Takes (1982); this was his last album to be released by Warner Bros. For the first time, he co-produced and wrote or co-wrote all of the tracks. It features contributions from guitarists Joe Walsh, Robben Ford and David Pack from Ambrosia, Jeff Porcaro on drums, plus the former Doobie Brothers member Willie Weeks on bass, and Cornelius Bumpus providing horns.

<i>Lauren Wood</i> (album) 1979 studio album by Lauren Wood

Lauren Wood, released in 1979, is the first eponymous album by Lauren Wood. It features her Chunky, Novi & Ernie bandmates Novi Novog, and bassist Ernie Emerita. The disc is studded with guest stars including Little Feat members Bill Payne and Fred Tackett, Steve Lukather, Ronnie Montrose and Jim Keltner. Her duet with Michael McDonald, "Please Don't Leave", went to #5 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart and #24 on the Pop Singles chart.

<i>In the Nick of Time</i> (album) 1979 studio album by Nicolette Larson

In the Nick of Time was the second album by Nicolette Larson. It features a duet with Michael McDonald, keyboards from Bill Payne, backing vocals from Bobby LaKind and Rosemary Butler, Ronnie Montrose on guitar and other collaborators. Larson had a minor hit with her McDonald duet, "Let Me Go, Love".

<i>20/20</i> (George Benson album) 1985 studio album by George Benson

20/20 is the 22nd studio album by George Benson, released on the Warner Bros. record label in 1985. The lead single by the same name reached #48 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album was certified Gold by the RIAA. "You Are the Love of My Life" is a duet with Roberta Flack; it was one of numerous songs used for Eden Capwell and Cruz Castillo on the American soap opera Santa Barbara. Also included on 20/20 is the original version of the song "Nothing's Gonna Change My Love for You" which would later become a smash hit for Hawaiian singer Glenn Medeiros.

<i>Jarreau</i> (album) 1983 studio album by Al Jarreau

Jarreau is the sixth studio album by Al Jarreau, released in 1983. It was his third consecutive #1 album on the Billboard Jazz charts, while also placing at #4 on the R&B album charts and #13 on the Billboard 200. In 1984 the album received four Grammy Award nominations, including for Jay Graydon as Producer of the Year (Non-Classical).

<i>Take It to Heart</i> 1990 studio album by Michael McDonald

Take It to Heart is the third solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Michael McDonald. It was released on May 15, 1990, on the label Reprise, five years after his previous studio album, No Lookin' Back.

References

  1. Jason Elias. "If That's What It Takes - Michael McDonald | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2015-09-21.
  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". 1982-09-30. Archived from the original on December 8, 2008. Retrieved 2015-09-21.
  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, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 185. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  6. "Michael McDonald Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
  7. "Michael McDonald Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 21, 2015.