If I Ever Fall in Love

This article is about the song. For the album, see ...If I Ever Fall in Love.

"If I Ever Fall in Love" is the debut single by American R&B-soul quartet Shai, released by Gasoline Alley and MCA in September 1992 from their debut album of the same name (1992). The song reached number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1992 and peaked at number one on the Billboard R&B chart.^[2] It spent eight weeks at number two on the Hot 100, which at the time was the second-most number of weeks that a song held the position without topping the chart, behind Foreigner's "Waiting for a Girl Like You". The song was also their only top-40 hit in the UK, peaking at number 36.^[3]

"If I Ever Fall in Love"
Single by Shai
from the album ...If I Ever Fall in Love
Released	September 1, 1992 (1992-09-01)
Recorded	1992^[1]
Genre	A cappella R&B
Length	3:09
Label	Gasoline Alley MCA
Songwriter(s)	Carl "Groove" Martin
Producer(s)	Carl "Groove" Martin
Shai singles chronology
"If I Ever Fall in Love" (1992) "Comforter" (1993)

Critical reception

Paul Lester from Melody Maker declared "If I Ever Fall in Love" as "a kind of doo wop teen-love weepathon" in the mould of Boyz II Men's "End of the Road".^[4]

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1992–1993) Peak position Australia (ARIA)^[5] 4 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[6] 21 Canada Top Singles (RPM)^[7] 53 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)^[8] 80 Europe (European Hit Radio)^[9] 22 Germany (Official German Charts)^[10] 47 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[11] 8 Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[12] 11 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[13] 5 UK Singles (OCC)^[14] 36 UK Dance (Music Week)^[15] 37 US Billboard Hot 100^[16] 2 US Dance Singles Sales (Billboard)^[17] 4 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)^[18] 1 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)^[19] 5 US Rhythmic (Billboard)^[20] 1

Year-end charts Chart (1993) Position Australia (ARIA)^[21] 41 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[22] 69 Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[23] 67 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[24] 34 US Billboard Hot 100^[25] 7 US Hot R&B Singles (Billboard)^[26] 5 Decade-end charts Chart (1990–1999) Position US Billboard Hot 100^[27] 66

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)^[28]	Gold	35,000^^
^^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

East 17 and Gabrielle version

"If You Ever"
Single by East 17 featuring Gabrielle
from the album Around the World (the Journey So Far) and Gabrielle
Released	October 21, 1996 (1996-10-21)
Length	4:15
Label	London
Songwriter(s)	Carl Martin
Producer(s)	Mike Rose Nicholas Foster
East 17 singles chronology
"Someone to Love" (1996) "If You Ever" (1996) "Hey Child" (1997)
Gabrielle singles chronology
"If You Really Cared" (1996) "If You Ever" (1996) "Walk On By" (1997)

"If I Ever Fall in Love" was covered in 1996 as a duet between British boy band East 17 and singer-songwriter Gabrielle, completed with a backing track. Renamed "If You Ever" and released by London Records, the cover peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart and also peaked within the top 10 of the charts in Ireland and Sweden. The song received a platinum certification from the British Phonographic Industry in September 2019 for sales and streams exceeding 600,000.

The song was the first single from East 17's first Greatest Hits compilation, Around the World Hit Singles: The Journey So Far (1996), and was also the fourth single from Gabrielle's second self-titled album (1996). It was the highest-charting single from both aforementioned albums.

Critical reception

Kevin Courtney from Irish Times wrote, "The Walthamstow wideboys and the pirate patched soul queen team up for this fairly run of the mill ballad [...]. At least it's a more appropriate pairing than Lulu and Take That. On the sleeve art, the numeral 17 has been replaced by the spelled out version, perhaps a sign that the Easties are making a subtle bid for a more "mature" audience. Why not go all the way and change their name to East Thirtysomething?"^[29]

Track listings

• UK CD1 and Japanese CD single^[30][31]

1. "If You Ever" (Smoove 7-inch mix)
2. "If You Ever" (Ruff mix)
3. "Deep" (live at Wembley Arena, 28 May 1995)
4. "Steam" (live)

• UK CD2^[32]

1. "If You Ever" (Smoove 7-inch mix)
2. "Stay Another Day" (live)
3. "Around the World" (live)
4. "It's Alright" (live)

• UK cassette single and European CD single^[33][34]

1. "If You Ever" (Smoove 7-inch mix)
2. "If You Ever" (Simple Simon's Pieman remix)

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1996–1997) Peak position Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)^[35] 11 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)^[36] 35 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)^[37] 15 France (SNEP)^[38] 19 Germany (Official German Charts)^[39] 31 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)^[40] 30 Ireland (IRMA)^[41] 4 Lithuania (M-1)^[42] 4 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[43] 38 Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[44] 38 Scotland (OCC)^[45] 3 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)^[46] 5 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[47] 20 UK Singles (OCC)^[48] 2

Year-end charts Chart (1996) Position Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)^[49] 28 UK Singles (OCC)^[50] 18 Chart (1997) Position Romania (Romanian Top 100)^[51] 68

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)^[53]	Platinum	626,000^[52]

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United Kingdom	October 21, 1996	CD cassette	London	^[54]
Japan	November 25, 1996	CD		^[55]

References

1. "Shai If I Ever Fall in Love: CDs & Vinyl". Amazon.com. Retrieved July 26, 2016.
2. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 519.
3. Warwick, Neil; Kutner, Jon; Brown, Tony (2004). The Complete Book Of The British Charts (3rd ed.). London: Omnibus Press. p. 977. ISBN 978-1-84449-058-5.
4. Lester, Paul (January 9, 1993). "Singles". Melody Maker. p. 25. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
5. "Shai %5BUS%5D – If I Ever Fall in Love". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
6. "Shai %5BUS%5D – If I Ever Fall in Love" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
7. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 1825." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
8. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 3. January 16, 1993. p. 15. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
9. "EHR Top 40" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 7. February 13, 1993. p. 22. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
10. "Shai – If I Ever Fall in Love" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
11. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 6, 1993" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
12. "Shai %5BUS%5D – If I Ever Fall in Love" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
13. "Shai %5BUS%5D – If I Ever Fall in Love". Top 40 Singles.
14. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
15. "Top 60 Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. December 19, 1992. p. 22. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
16. "Shai Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
17. "Shai Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
18. "Shai Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
19. "Shai Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
20. "Shai Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
21. "ARIA Top 50 Singles for 1993". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
22. "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 1993" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
23. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1993" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
24. "End of Year Charts 1993". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved December 3, 2017.
25. . Archived from the original on November 10, 2006. Retrieved August 27, 2010.
26. "The Year in Music: Hot R&B Singles". Billboard. Vol. 105, no. 52. December 25, 1993. p. YE-29.
27. "Hot 100 Singles of the '90s". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 52. December 25, 1999. p. YE-20. Retrieved October 15, 2010.
28. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1993 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved October 2, 2002.
29. Courtney, Kevin (October 25, 1996). "Bohemian Rapping Fandango". Irish Times.
30. If You Ever (UK CD1 liner notes). East 17. London Recordings. 1996. LONCD 388, 850 765-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
31. If You Ever (Japanese CD single liner notes). East 17. London Recordings. 1996. POCD-1234.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
32. If You Ever (UK CD2 liner notes). East 17. London Recordings. 1996. LOCDP 388, 850 767-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
33. If You Ever (UK cassette single sleeve). East 17. London Recordings. 1996. LONCS 388, 850 764-4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
34. If You Ever (European CD single liner notes). East 17. London Recordings. 1996. 850 772-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
35. "East Seventeen feat. Gabrielle – If You Ever" (in Dutch). Ultratip.
36. "East Seventeen feat. Gabrielle – If You Ever" (in French). Ultratop 50.
37. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13, no. 45. November 9, 1996. p. 24. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
38. "East Seventeen feat. Gabrielle – If You Ever" (in French). Les classement single.
39. "East Seventeen feat. Gabrielle – If You Ever" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved May 13, 2019.
40. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (12.12. – 18.12. '96)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). December 13, 1996. p. 20. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
41. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – If You Ever". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved May 13, 2019.
42. (in Lithuanian). M-1.fm. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
43. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 50, 1996" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved May 13, 2019.
44. "East Seventeen feat. Gabrielle – If You Ever" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved May 13, 2019.
45. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
46. "East Seventeen feat. Gabrielle – If You Ever". Singles Top 100.
47. "East Seventeen feat. Gabrielle – If You Ever". Swiss Singles Chart.
48. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
49. "Årslista Singlar, 1996" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
50. "Top 100 Singles 1996". Music Week. January 18, 1997. p. 25.
51. (in Romanian). Romanian Top 100. Archived from the original on January 22, 2005. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
52. Copsey, Rob (10 March 2021). "Gabrielle's biggest songs on the Official Chart". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
53. "British single certifications – East 17 ft Gabrielle – If You Ever". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
54. "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. October 19, 1996. p. 37. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
55. "イフ・ユー・エバー | East 17" [If You Ever | East 17] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved March 13, 2024.

External links

• Shai – "If I Ever Fall in Love" on Vevo
• Gabrielle – "If You Ever" (with East 17) on YouTube