If It Takes a Lifetime
{{Infobox song
| name = If It Takes a Lifetime
| cover = Cheap Trick If It Takes a Lifetime 2006 Single Cover.jpeg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Cheap Trick
| album = Rockford
| released = 2006
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| length = 3:44
| label = Big3 Records
Cheap Trick Unlimited
| writer = Robin Zander, Tom Petersson, Rick Nielsen, Bun E. Carlos, Julian Raymond
| producer = Cheap Trick
| prev_title = Come On, Come On, Come On
| prev_year = 2006
| next_title = Sick Man of Europe
| next_year = 2009
}}
"If It Takes a Lifetime" is a song by American rock band Cheap Trick, released in 2006 as the third and final single from their fifteenth studio album Rockford. It was written by Robin Zander, Tom Petersson, Rick Nielsen, Bun E. Carlos and Julian Raymond, and produced by Cheap Trick, with co-production by Raymond.
"If It Takes a Lifetime" was released as a remixed promotional single, aimed at generating radio play.{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/release/4070544 |title=Cheap Trick - If It Takes A Lifetime (CD) at Discogs |publisher=Discogs.com |access-date=2013-03-01}} The song's remix, named the "Little Steven Van Zandt Radio Edit", was created by the American musician and producer Steven Van Zandt of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band. In his weekly Billboard column, Little Steven's Underground Garage, Zandt listed the song as No. 2 of his Top 10 "Coolest Garage Songs".{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_NBYEAAAAMBAJ |page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_NBYEAAAAMBAJ/page/n6 18] |quote=cheap trick if it takes a lifetime. |title=Billboard |via=Internet Archive |date=2006-07-15 |publisher=Nielsen Business Media |access-date=2013-03-01}} In a 2006 interview with Star Press, Nielsen told Michelle Kinsey that "If It Takes a Lifetime" was the song he looked forward to playing most during a Cheap Trick concert.{{cite web|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestarpress/access/1753974731.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Sep+07%2C+2006&author=MICHELLE+KINSEY&pub=Star+Press&desc=Seasoned+band+has+new+bag+of+Tricks&pqatl=google |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130411161414/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestarpress/access/1753974731.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Sep+07,+2006&author=MICHELLE+KINSEY&pub=Star+Press&desc=Seasoned+band+has+new+bag+of+Tricks&pqatl=google |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 11, 2013 |title=Seasoned band has new bag of Tricks |publisher=Pqasb.pqarchiver.com |date=2006-09-07 |access-date=2013-03-01}}
Promotion
On June 7, 2006, the band appeared on Rockline, a nationally syndicated radio interview program hosted by Bob Coburn, and performed the song live.{{cite web |url=http://www.trickworld.com/cheap_trick_live_on_rockline.htm |title=Cheap Trick LIVE on Rockline |publisher=Trickworld.com |access-date=2013-03-01 |archive-date=2012-10-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121008230527/http://trickworld.com/cheap_trick_live_on_rockline.htm |url-status=dead }} The band also performed the song on the Bart Connor-presented WGN America show MDA on September 4, 2006,{{cite web|author=YouTube |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDzhYpjPtRU |title=Cheap Trick - If It Takes A Lifetime |publisher=YouTube |date=2006-09-11 |access-date=2013-03-01}} and an MSNBC show on September 25.{{cite web|author=YouTube |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTAeL9FqnWk |title=Cheap Trick - If It Takes A Lifetime |publisher=YouTube |date=2006-09-30 |access-date=2013-03-01}}
Track listing
;CD single (DPRO236788-2)
- "If It Takes a Lifetime (Little Steven Van Zandt Radio Edit)" - 3:41
Critical reception
Upon release, Marc Hirsh of The Boston Globe commented of the tracks on Rockford: "...along with "If It Takes a Lifetime," they sound blessedly like classic Cheap Trick songs and performances."{{cite web|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/access/1065560231.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jun+23%2C+2006&author=MARC+HIRSH&pub=Boston+Globe&desc=CHEAP+TRICK+%3B+ROCKFORD+BIG+3&pqatl=google |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130411161911/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/access/1065560231.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jun+23,+2006&author=MARC+HIRSH&pub=Boston+Globe&desc=CHEAP+TRICK+;+ROCKFORD+BIG+3&pqatl=google |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 11, 2013 |title=CHEAP TRICK ; ROCKFORD BIG 3 |publisher=Pqasb.pqarchiver.com |date=2006-06-23 |access-date=2013-03-01}} Alan Sculley of The Desert Sun noted: "The poppier side of Cheap Trick's sound emerges brightly on hook-laden Beatlesque songs such as "If It Takes A Lifetime" and "Every Night And Every Day"."{{cite web|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/mydesert/access/1735367011.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Feb+23%2C+2007&author=Alan+Sculley&pub=The+Desert+Sun&desc=New+Cheap+Trick+CD+gives+fans+cause+to+celebrate&pqatl=google |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130411161541/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/mydesert/access/1735367011.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Feb+23,+2007&author=Alan+Sculley&pub=The+Desert+Sun&desc=New+Cheap+Trick+CD+gives+fans+cause+to+celebrate&pqatl=google |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 11, 2013 |title=New Cheap Trick CD gives fans cause to celebrate |publisher=Pqasb.pqarchiver.com |date=2007-02-23 |access-date=2013-03-01}}
Lou Friedman of PopMatters noted: ""If It Takes a Lifetime" is another ballad disguised as a rocker, and has a sing-along chorus to boot."{{cite web|last=Friedman |first=Lou |url=http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/cheap-trick-rockford/ |title=Cheap Trick: Rockford |publisher=PopMatters |access-date=2013-03-01}} Alexander Müller of The-Pit described the song as "somewhat relaxed but equally good" as the album's previous track, "Perfect Stranger".{{cite web|author=The-Pit.de |url=http://www.the-pit.de/review/cheap-trick-rockford/#.UTChLFf2-So |title=Cheap Trick: Rockford |publisher=The-Pit.de |date=2006-06-23 |access-date=2013-03-01}} K. L. Poore of Audio Video Revolution noted: "...while listening to "If It Takes a Lifetime" I figure that Rick Nielsen went to his "catchy hook" trunk, pulled out 10 or 15 and crammed them into the same song."{{cite web |url=http://www.avrev.com/music-disc-reviews/audio-cd/cheap-trick-rockford.html |title=Cheap Trick - Rockford |publisher=Avrev.com |date=2006-09-01 |access-date=2013-03-01 |archive-date=2014-04-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140421051306/http://www.avrev.com/music-disc-reviews/audio-cd/cheap-trick-rockford.html |url-status=dead }}
Ben Perry of 80's Metal Server said of the song: "For me, this is the easiest song on the album to get stuck in my head. No idea why, but it does... on a frequent basis and I do not even listen to this album much."{{cite web|url=http://80smetalserver.com/index.php/reviews/30-cheap-trick-rockford |title=Cheap Trick - Rockford |publisher=80smetalserver.com |date=2007-04-15 |access-date=2013-03-01}} Andrew J. McNeice of MelodicRock.com considered the song to be "very Lap of Luxury-ish pop/rock".{{cite web |url=http://www.melodicrock.com/reviews/cheaptrick-rockford.p3 |title=Interactive Melodic CD Reviews |publisher=MelodicRock.com |access-date=2013-03-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130313015239/http://melodicrock.com/reviews/cheaptrick-rockford.p3 |archive-date=2013-03-13 }} Tony Bonyata of ConcertLivewire.com described the song as a "sugar-buzzed power-pop anthem".{{cite web|url=http://www.concertlivewire.com/cheapcd.htm |title=Cheap Trick - Rockford CD review |publisher=Concertlivewire.com |date=2006-06-06 |access-date=2013-03-01}}
In a review of the 2008 compilation The Coolest Songs in the World, Vol. 5, Mark Deming of AllMusic said: "Van Zandt clearly knows a great single when he hears one, and "Pull Shapes," "Porno Movies," and "If It Takes a Lifetime" all get over on cool melodies, high spirits, and ineffable cool that defies generic classification."{{cite web|last=Deming |first=Mark |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-coolest-songs-in-the-world-vol-5-mw0000786622 |title=The Coolest Songs in the World, Vol. 5 - Various Artists : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards |publisher=AllMusic |date=2008-04-08 |access-date=2013-03-01}} Jed Gottlieb of The Phoenix wrote: "The first three tracks are irrelevant stabs at anemic Top 40. Cheap Trick haven't learned any new tricks, but they're as skilled (and enthused) as they were two decades ago."{{cite web|author=JED GOTTLIEB |url=http://thephoenix.com/boston/music/18978-cheap-trick-rockford/ |title=Cheap Trick - CD Reviews |publisher=Thephoenix.com |date=2006-08-01 |access-date=2013-03-01}}
Personnel
;Cheap Trick
- Robin Zander – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, producer
- Rick Nielsen – lead guitar, backing vocals, producer
- Tom Petersson – bass guitar, backing vocals, producer
- Bun E. Carlos – drums, percussion, producer
;Additional personnel
- Kim Bullard – keyboard
- Robin Taylor Zander – backing vocals
- Julian Raymond – co-producer
- Bill Edwards – executive producer
- Steve Thompson – mixing
- Bryan Cook – recording
- Kevin Churko – recording assistant
- Ted Jensen – mastering