If That's What It Takes (album)

If That's What It Takes
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, CA and 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
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;

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.

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

Track listing edit

All tracks 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

Personnel edit

Michael McDonald – lead vocals, backing vocals (1, 3, 4, 6–8, 10), Fender Rhodes (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), Fender Rhodes (4), Hammond organ (9)
Michael Boddicker – additional synthesizers (4)
Michael Omartian – Fender Rhodes (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 edit

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 edit

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

References edit

^ Jason Elias. "If That's What It Takes - Michael McDonald | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2015-09-21.
^ Larkin, Colin (2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th concise ed.). Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0-85712-595-8.
^ "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.
^ Christgau, Robert (November 2, 1982). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved February 15, 2017.
^ 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.
^ "Michael McDonald Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
^ "Michael McDonald Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 21, 2015.

This 1980s pop album–related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[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.

[aus-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.

[ac_Billboard200_Michael_McDonald-6] "Michael McDonald Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 21, 2015.

[ac_BillboardRandBHipHop_Michael_McDonald-7] "Michael McDonald Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 21, 2015.

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