If You Want Me (song) explained

If You Want Me
Type:single
Cover:Billie Jo Spears--If You Want Me.jpg
Artist:Billie Jo Spears
Album:If You Want Me
B-Side:"Don't Ever Let Go of Me"
"Here Comes Those Lies Again"
Studio:Jack Clement Recording (Nashville, Tennessee)
Length:2:22
Label:United Artists
Producer:Larry Butler
Prev Title:I'm Not Easy
Prev Year:1977
Next Title:Too Much Is Not Enough
Next Year:1977

"If You Want Me" is a song written by Ben Peters that was originally recorded by American country artist Billie Jo Spears. It was released as a single in 1977 and reached the top ten of the American country chart, among other positions. It was the lead single of Spears's 1977 album of the same name. It was the final top ten single of Spears's career.

Background and recording

Although Billie Jo Spears had her first commercial success in 1969, she had sustained success at the United Artists label in the seventies with songs like "Blanket on the Ground", "What I've Got in Mind" and "Misty Blue". A series of top 20 singles would follow during the seventies decade at the label. Among them was the top ten single in 1977, "If You Want Me".[1] It was composed by Ben Peters and recorded in January 1977 at the Jack Clement Recording Studio in Nashville, Tennessee.[2]

Release, chart performance and reception

"If You Want Me" was released as a single in October 1976 on United Artists Records. On the North American release, it was backed on the B-side by the song "Don't Ever Let Go of Me". On the international version, it was backed on the B-side by the song "Here Comes Those Lies Again". The latter was taken from Spears's 1977 studio album, I'm Not Easy. Both were distributed as seven-inch vinyl discs.[2] [3] It debuted on the American Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in May 1977. Spending a total of 13 weeks on the chart, it reached the number eight position in July 1977. It became her final top ten Billboard country single.[4] On the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart, the song reached the number 17 position.[5] "If You Want Me" served as the title for Spears's studio album of the same name.[6]

Track listing

7" vinyl single (North America)[2]

7" vinyl single (International)[3]

Charts

Chart (1977)! scope="col"
Peak
position
UK Breakers List (OCC)[7] 52
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)17

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Huey . Steve . Billie Jo Spears Biography . . 28 January 2023.
  2. Spears . Billie Jo . "If You Want Me"/"Don't Ever Let Go of Me" (Single Information) . . April 1977 . UA-XW985-Y (North America).
  3. Spears . Billie Jo . "If You Want Me"/"Here Comes Those Lies Again" (Single Information) . . April 1977 . UAS-36-236-AT (Germany); UASP-323 (South Africa); UP-36236 (UK and Ireland).
  4. Book: Whitburn, Joel . The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Joel Whitburn . 2004 . Record Research . various.
  5. Search results for "Billie Jo Spears". RPM. 24 January 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20121012175849/http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-110.01-e.php?PHPSESSID=gmrhouli7kvfvaeu848ka389j0&q1=Billie+Jo+Spears&x=0&y=0. 12 October 2012. dead.
  6. Spears . Billie Jo . If You Want Me (Disc Information) . . June 1977 . UA-LA748-G.
  7. Book: Betts . Graham . The Official Singles Chart - The Seventies . October 14, 2019 . Official Charts Books . 978-1790557141.