Only If...
1997 single by Enya
title: "Only If..." type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["enya-songs", "1997-singles", "1997-songs", "reprise-records-singles", "songs-with-music-by-enya", "warner-music-group-singles"] description: "1997 single by Enya" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Only_If..." license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary 1997 single by Enya ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox song"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Only If... |
| cover | File:Only If (single)- Enya.jpg |
| type | single |
| artist | Enya |
| album | Paint the Sky with Stars |
| released | |
| genre | |
| length | 3:18 |
| producer | Nicky Ryan |
| prev_title | On My Way Home |
| prev_year | 1996 |
| next_title | Only Time |
| next_year | 2000 |
| misc | {{External music video |
| :: |
| name = Only If... | cover = File:Only If (single)- Enya.jpg | alt = | type = single | artist = Enya | album = Paint the Sky with Stars | B-side =
- "Willows on the Water"
- "Oíche Chiún (Silent Night)" | released = | recorded = | studio = | venue = | genre = | length = 3:18 | label =
- WEA
- Reprise | writer =
- Enya
- Roma Ryan | producer = Nicky Ryan | prev_title = On My Way Home | prev_year = 1996 | next_title = Only Time | next_year = 2000 | misc = {{External music video| "Only If..." is a song by Irish singer Enya. It was released on 10 November 1997 as the first single from her first greatest hits compilation, Paint the Sky with Stars (1997). The song charted in several countries, and its accompanying music video was noted for its creative direction. Enya promoted the song with interviews and performances on The Rosie O'Donnell Show, Late Show with David Letterman and Royal Variety Performance.
Critical reception
Larry Flick from Billboard wrote, "Taken from her new best-of collection, "Paint The Sky with Stars", Enya delivers yet another great single. "Only If" is as peaceful and memorably melodic as any other of her inspirational, soul-purifying songs, which traditionally are etched with a unique combination of background voices with drums and violin lines. It's a combination that makes all her songs seem antique, almost, if not angelic. Enya can many times take her listeners into another dimension altogether, and this single is a fine example of that." British magazine Music Week gave the song three out of five, noting that it "is the closest Enya has come to a traditional pop arrangement, though the trademark orchestral layers and oceanic sonics are still in place."
Track listings
| headline = UK and US CD single, US cassette single | title1 = Only If... | length1 = 3:18 | title2 = Willows on the Water | length2 = 3:02 | title3 = Oíche Chiún (Silent Night) | length3 = 3:45 | headline = UK cassette single and US 7-inch single | title1 = Only If... | length1 = 3:18 | title2 = Oíche Chiún (Silent Night) | length2 = 3:45
Charts
::data[format=table title="Weekly chart performance for "Only If...""] | Chart (1997–1998) | Peak position | Australia (ARIA) | Finland (Suomen virallinen lista) | Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40) | Italy Airplay (Music & Media) | Netherlands (Dutch Tipparade 40) | Poland (Music & Media) | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | 94 | | | | | | | | | 23 | | | | | | | | | 30 | | | | | | | | | 6 | | | | | | | | | 19 | | | | | | | | | 4 | | | | | | | | ::
Release history
::data[format=table title="Release dates and formats for "Only If...""]
| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. | Europe | Japan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 November 1997 | CD | WEA | ||||
| 25 November 1997 | ||||||
| :: |
References
References
- Flick, Larry. (6 December 1997). "Reviews & Previews: Singles".
- (8 November 1997). "Reviews: Singles".
- (1997). "Only If...". [[Warner Music Group.
- (1997). "Only If...". [[Reprise Records]].
- (1997). "Only If...". Reprise Records.
- (1997). "Only If...". WEA.
- (1997). "Only If...". Reprise Records.
- Ryan, Gavin. (2011). "Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010". Moonlight Publishing.
- Pennanen, Timo. (2021). "Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021". Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava.
- (5 December 1997). "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (4.12.–11.12.1997)". [[DV (newspaper).
- (24 January 1998). "Major Market Airplay: Italy".
- "Enya - Only If...".
- (29 November 1997). "Major Market Airplay – Week 48/1997".
- "オンリー・イフ {{!}} エンヤ". [[Oricon]].
::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::