| If I Was a River | |
| Cover: | If_I_was_a_river_single_art_work.jpg |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Tina Arena |
| Album: | In Deep |
| Length: | 5:21 |
| Label: | Columbia, Epic |
| Producer: | Walter Afanasieff |
| Chronology: | Tina Arena |
| Prev Title: | I Want to Spend My Lifetime Loving You |
| Prev Year: | 1998 |
| Next Title: | Aller plus haut |
| Next Year: | 1999 |
"If I Was a River" is a song written by Diane Warren and included on the international version of Australian singer Tina Arena's fourth studio album, In Deep (1997). It is the second Warren song performed by Arena, following 1989's "Strong as Steel". The track was aimed at promoting In Deep in the United States. Lyrically, the song is a metaphoric declaration to a loved one, in which Tina Arena lists all the things she would do for them if she were various elements, planets or weather phenomena, including the titular river. The song was one of 10 singles released from the many incarnations of In Deep; overall, it was the album's seventh.
Released as the final single from the album in the United Kingdom, "If I Was a River" peaked at number 43 on the UK Singles Chart. In 2000, "If I Was a River" was released as a single in Japan, alongside four remixes of the track, commissioned for club play in the United States, where they were only made available on vinyl to disc-jockeys. The rarity of the Japanese release makes it a much sought-after item. The song was later included on the compilation albums Souvenirs and Greatest Hits 1994-2004.
UK CD1
UK CD2
Japanese CD single
| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 12 October 1998 | Columbia | ||
| United States | 2 February 1999 | Adult contemporary radio | Epic | [1] |
| Japan | 14 April 1999 | CD | [2] |