If I Only Had Time
{{EngvarB|date=October 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox song
| name = If I Only Had Time
| cover =
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = John Rowles
| album =
| B-side = Now Is the Hour
| released = 17 February 1968
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Pop
| length = 3:20
| label = MCA MU 1000
| writer = {{hlist|Michel Fugain|Pierre Delanoë|Jack Fishman}}
| producer = Mike Leander
| chronology = John Rowles UK singles
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| next_title = Hush ... Not a Word to Mary
| next_year = 1974
| misc =
}}
"If I Only Had Time" is a song recorded by the New Zealand singer John Rowles in 1968 that became a worldwide hit single. It is based on a French song "Je n'aurai pas le temps" by Michel Fugain. Rowles' song was his first release in the United Kingdom where it reached number 3 on the chart.
Background
"If I Only Had Time" is an English version of "Je n'aurai pas le temps", a French ballad written by Michel Fugain and Pierre Delanoë, and recorded by Fugain. Fugain's recording was released as a single and charted in 1967.{{cite web |url=https://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Michel+Fugain&titel=Je+n%27aurai+pas+le+temps&cat=s|title=Michel Fugain - Je n'aurai pas le temps (Chanson) |work=Lescharts.com}}{{cite web |url=https://www.ultratop.be/fr/song/2796c/Michel-Fugain-Je-n'aurai-pas-le-temps |title=Michel Fugain – Je n'aurai pas le temps |work=Ultratop }}
Manager Peter Gormley signed the New Zealander John Rowles to MCA in London, and for his first record release in the UK; Mike Leander was chosen to produce and arrange the song.{{cite web |work=AudioCulture Iwi Waiata|date= 4 June 2013 |url=https://www.audioculture.co.nz/people/john-rowles |title= John Rowles > Profile |first=Adam |last=Gifford}} New lyrics in English were written by Jack Fishman.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=N0chAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA1800 |title=Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third series |author= Library of Congress. Copyright Office |date= 1970 |page=1800}} It was released in the UK on 17 February 1968.
Rowles' version peaked at number 3 on the UK Singles Chart, number 2 in New Zealand, Belgium and the Netherlands, number 15 in Germany, and number 17 in Austria. It also performed well in the Australian cities, registering at number 5 in Sydney, number 14 in Melbourne, number 3 in Brisbane, number 6 in Adelaide and number 7 in Perth.{{cite web |work=Pop Archives |url=http://www.poparchives.com.au/2581/john-rowles/if-i-only-had-time |title= John Rowles - If I Only Had Time (1968) }}
The song was re-released in 1988 on the Old Gold label. It was backed with "Hush Not a Word to Mary".45Cat - [http://www.45cat.com/artist/john-rowles/uk John Rowles - Discography, UK]
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Chart (1968)
!Peak |
|---|
| {{singlechart|Austria|17|artist=John Rowles |song=If I Only Had Time}} |
| {{singlechart|Flanders|2|artist=John Rowles |song=If I Only Had Time}} |
| {{singlechart|Ireland2|6|artist=John Rowles |song=If I Only Had Time}} |
| {{singlechart|Dutch100|2|artist=John Rowles |song=If I Only Had Time}} |
| New Zealand{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zgoEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA94|title=Hits of the World |page=94 |magazine=Billboard |date=June 29, 1968}}
| style="text-align:center;"|2 |
| {{singlechart|UKsinglesbyname|3|artist=John Rowles|artistid=13209}} |
| {{singlechart|West Germany|15|artist=John Rowles |song=If I Only Had Time|songid=149350 }} |
Other versions
- Jean-Claude Pascal recorded "Je n'aurai pas le temps" for his album Chansons d'hier et de toujours in 1968.
- Nick DeCaro released an instrumental version of "If I Only Had Time" as a single in 1968, and it reached No. 95 on the Billboard Hot 100,{{cite magazine |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/60s/1969/BB-1969-01-11.pdf |title=Billboard Hot 100 |page=60 |magazine=Billboard |date= 11 January 1969}} and 12 on the Easy Listening chart in 1969.{{cite magazine |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/60s/1969/Billboard-1969-02-08.pdf |title=Easy Listening |page=69 |magazine=Billboard |date= 8 February 1969}} It is included on his 1969 album Happy Heart.{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ySgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA20 |title=Billboard Album Reviews |page=20 |magazine=Billboard |date= 12 April 1969}}