If Tomorrow Never Comes

"If Tomorrow Never Comes" is a song by American country music artist Garth Brooks. Written by Brooks and Kent Blazy, it was released in August 1989 as the second single from his album Garth Brooks and also appears on The Hits, The Limited Series and Double Live. This was his first number-one single on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. It is also sometimes referred to as his signature song. "If Tomorrow Never Comes" was named Favorite Country Single in the American Music Awards of 1991.

"If Tomorrow Never Comes"
Single by Garth Brooks
from the album Garth Brooks
B-side"Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old)"
ReleasedAugust 21, 1989
Recorded1988
GenreCountry
Length3:39
LabelCapitol Nashville 444
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Allen Reynolds
Garth Brooks singles chronology
"Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old)"
(1989)		 "If Tomorrow Never Comes"
(1989)		 "Not Counting You"
(1990)

The song subsequently became one of Brooks' most popular songs for other artists to perform. In 2002, Irish singer Ronan Keating released a version that reached number one in the United Kingdom and three other countries, and it became a top-five hit in several additional territories.

Content

This is the first country love song released by Brooks. A man lies awake at night, thinking what would happen in his love's mind if he were to die the next day. The first line in the chorus reads: "If tomorrow never comes, will she know how much I love her?" He goes on to compare this situation with his own lost loved ones, and how he made a promise to say each day how much she means to him. The song begins with a soft guitar solo and gradually builds up to a more orchestrated accompaniment. Brooks has written many love songs since. This song is about the love of a father to his daughter, not to his lover. Garth said that on stage at Belmont University to Britt Todd and in his music video he has his daughter playing next to him while he sings.

Background and production

Garth provided the following background information on the song in the CD booklet liner notes from The Hits:

"If Tomorrow Never Comes" will probably always be my signature song. I ran the idea for this song by what seemed like a thousand writers and no one really seemed to understand what I was looking for. On the day that Bob Doyle, my co-manager, introduced me to Kent Blazy, I passed this idea by Kent and he had the first verse down within fifteen seconds. I could tell he just felt it. Kent Blazy is a wonderful man, full of love and energy, and if we never write again, I hope that we are always friends first. Thank you Ireland for this moment."[1]

Music video

The music video for the song was directed by John Lloyd Miller, and features Brooks singing and playing guitar in a dim room. Next to him is a table with an oil lamp. The video shows a small child, played by the daughter of Steve Gatlin, brother of Larry Gatlin. The use of an antique screen is present through much of the video, which also features Brooks' then-wife, Sandy.

Chart performance

"If Tomorrow Never Comes" entered the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles chart on September 9, 1989, and peaked at number one on December 9.

Weekly charts
Chart (1989) Peak
position
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[2] 2
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[3] 1
Chart (2022) Peak
position
Ireland (IRMA)[4] 54

Year-end charts
Chart (1989) Position
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[5] 48
US Country Songs (Billboard)[6] 84
Chart (1990) Position
US Country Songs (Billboard)[7] 75

Ronan Keating version
"If Tomorrow Never Comes"
Single by Ronan Keating
from the album Destination
B-side
  • "Ronan Hits Megamix by DMC"
  • "Sea of Love"
ReleasedApril 29, 2002 (2002-04-29)
StudioVarious
Length3:35
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Steve Mac
Ronan Keating singles chronology
"Lovin' Each Day"
(2001)		 "If Tomorrow Never Comes"
(2002)		 "I Love It When We Do"
(2002)

"If Tomorrow Never Comes" served as the first single from Irish singer Ronan Keating's second studio album, Destination. Produced by Steve Mac, the song was released in Australia on April 29, 2002, and in the United Kingdom on May 6, 2002. It peaked at number one in the United Kingdom, giving Keating his third and final solo number one on the UK Singles Chart. The song also topped the charts of Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, and Norway, and it entered the top 10 in 11 other countries, including Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, and Sweden.

Music video

The video starts with Keating sitting on a bed and staring at the woman sleeping in it. He leaves his house and, having fallen onto a road in the path of a moving car, he is run over by it. He goes through the same scene multiple times, apparently stuck in a time loop, unrealistically singing throughout. At the end, he stops the loop by avoiding crossing the road and, instead, walking along the same sidewalk where his front door is.

Track listings

UK CD1[8]

  1. "If Tomorrow Never Comes" – 3:35
  2. "If Tomorrow Never Comes" (Groove Brothers mix) – 6:08
  3. "Interview with Westlife: Ronan Reveals His Secrets to Brian & Nicky" (CD-ROM video)

UK CD2[9]

  1. "If Tomorrow Never Comes"
  2. "Ronan Hits Megamix by DMC"
  3. "Sea of Love"
  4. "If Tomorrow Never Comes" (video)

UK cassette single[10]

A1. "If Tomorrow Never Comes"
A2. "If Tomorrow Never Comes" (Groove Brothers mix)
B1. "Ronan Hits Megamix by DMC"

Credits and personnel

Credits are lifted from the Destination album booklet.[11]

Studios

  • Recorded at various studios in Los Angeles, London, and Dublin
  • Mixed at Rokstone Studios (London, England)
  • Engineered at Rokstone Studios and Olympic Studios (London, England)
  • Master engineered at Metropolis (London, England)
  • Mastered at Gateway Mastering (Portland, Maine, US)

Personnel

  • Garth Brooks – writing
  • Kent Blazy – writing
  • The Tuff Session Singers – background vocals
  • Friðrik "Frizzy" Karlsson – guitar
  • Steve Pearce – bass
  • Dave Arch – piano, string arrangement
  • Eddie Hession – accordion
  • Steve Mac – keyboards, production, mixing, arrangement
  • Chris Laws – drums, engineering
  • Daniel Pursey – assistant engineering
  • Phil Rose – assistant engineering
  • Bob Ludwig – mastering
  • Tim Young – master engineerering

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[50] Platinum 70,000^
Belgium (BEA)[51] Gold 25,000*
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[52] Gold 45,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[53] Gold 5,000*
Norway (IFPI Norway)[54] Platinum  
Sweden (GLF)[55] Gold 15,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[56] Platinum 600,000‡

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
Australia April 29, 2002 CD Polydor [57]
United Kingdom May 6, 2002
  • CD
  • cassette
 [58]
Japan July 24, 2002 CD [59]
United States March 7, 2005 Adult contemporary radio Universal [60]

Other versions

Legião Urbana's front man Renato Russo recorded a cover for his debut solo album, The Stonewall Celebration Concert in 1994. Joose had a number one hit in New Zealand with "If Tomorrow Never Comes" in 1997, It also peaked at #34 on Billboard's Mainstream Top 40 Chart. Puerto Rican salsa singer Ismael Miranda recorded the Spanish version on his 1997 album Con Buena Nota. In 1999, Westlife made an a cappela version live. Engelbert Humperdinck included the song on his 2003 album Definition of Love. It also became part of Barry Manilow's concert repertoire, and is featured on his 2004 live album 2 Nights Live!. Manilow had previously released a studio version of the song on his 1992 CD box set The Complete Collection and then some..... Claudia Jung made a German cover titled "Wenn es morgen nicht mehr gibt"..

In the 2000s, the song has gained added visibility with performances on reality television competition shows, with third-place finisher Elliott Yamin singing it on the fifth season of American Idol. Second season The X Factor winner Shayne Ward performing it in that series' penultimate round, and Australian Idol 2006 winner Damien Leith singing it on Top 10: Number One's Night. Foster & Allen recorded a version which they released on their 2005 album, Foster & Allen – Sing The Number 1's On June 30, 2009, Kevin Skinner sang this song during the auditions on the NBC series America's Got Talent.

References
  1. Garth Brooks – The Hits: transcription from the CD booklet (bar code 7-2438-29689-2-4)
  2. "Top RPM Country Tracks: Issue 6666." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. December 16, 1989. Retrieved August 23, 2013.
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  6. "Best of 1989: Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 1989. Retrieved August 28, 2013.
  7. "Best of 1990: Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 1990. Retrieved August 23, 2013.
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  9. If Tomorrow Never Comes (UK CD2 liner notes). Ronan Keating. Polydor Records. 2002. 5707192.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  10. If Tomorrow Never Comes (UK cassette single sleeve). Ronan Keating. Polydor Records. 2002. 5707204.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  11. Destination (UK CD album booklet). Ronan Keating. Polydor Records. 2002. 5897992.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
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