If That's What It Takes (album)

If That's What It Takes
If That's What It Takes
Studio album by Michael McDonald
Released	August 1982
Recorded	1981–82
Studio	Warner Bros. Recording Studio, North Hollywood, CA and Sunset Sound Recorders, Hollywood.; Strings recorded at Ocean Way Recording, Hollywood.
Genre	Pop, rock, funk, blue-eyed soul
Length	39:59
Label	Warner Bros. Records
Producer	Ted Templeman, Lenny Waronker
Michael McDonald chronology
Singles from If That's What It Takes
	"I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near)"; Released: August 1982; "I Gotta Try"; Released: 1982; "Believe In It"; Released: 1983;

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[1]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music	^[2]
Rolling Stone	^[3]
The Village Voice	C+^[4]

If That's What It Takes is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Michael McDonald. The album was released in August 1982.

Track listing[]

Side one
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Playin' by the Rules"	McDonald, Ed Sanford	4:55
2.	"I Keep Forgettin'"	McDonald, Ed Sanford, Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller	3:39
3.	"Love Lies"	McDonald, Randy Goodrum	3:21
4.	"I Gotta Try"	McDonald, Kenny Loggins	3:53
5.	"I Can Let Go Now"	McDonald	2:54

Side two
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
6.	"That's Why"	McDonald, Randy Goodrum	4:24
7.	"If That's What It Takes"	McDonald, Jackie De Shannon	4:17
8.	"No Such Luck"	McDonald, Grady Walker, Harry Garfield	3:44
9.	"Losin' End"	McDonald	4:11
10.	"Believe in It"	McDonald	4:41

Michael McDonald – lead vocals, backing vocals (1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10), Fender Rhodes (1, 2, 3, 7, 9, 10), synthesizers (1-4, 6-8), acoustic piano (4, 5, 6, 8)
Greg Phillinganes – acoustic piano (1, 3, 7, 10), clavinet (2), Fender Rhodes (4), Hammond organ (9)
Michael Boddicker – additional synthesizers (4)
Michael Omartian – Fender Rhodes (6, 8)
Dean Parks – guitar (1, 3, 7, 9), guitar overdubs (8)
Steve Lukather – guitar (2, 4, 6, 8, 10)
Robben Ford – guitar solo (6, 7)
Willie Weeks – bass (1, 3, 4, 7, 9, 10)
Louis Johnson – bass (2)
Mike Porcaro – bass (6, 8)
Steve Gadd – drums (1, 3, 4, 7, 9, 10)
Jeff Porcaro – drums (2, 6, 8)
Lenny Castro – percussion (1, 6, 7, 8, 10)
Bobby LaKind – percussion (1)
Paulinho da Costa – percussion (3, 4)
Ted Templeman – percussion (4)
Edgar Winter – saxophone solo (1, 10)
Tom Scott – saxophone solo (6), Lyricon solo (9)
Ed Sanford – backing vocals (1)
Maureen McDonald – backing vocals (2, 6)
Kenny Loggins – backing vocals (4)
Christopher Cross – backing vocals (6)
Brenda Russell – backing vocals (6)
Kathy Walker – backing vocals (6)
Amy Holland – backing vocals (6)

Produced by Lenny Waronker and Ted Templeman
Engineers – Ken Deane, Bobby Hata, Lee Herschberg, James Isaacson, Donn Landee, Mark Linett and Steve McManus.
Overdub Engineers – Lee Herschberg, James Isaacson, Donn Landee and Mark Linett.
Mixing – Lee Herschberg
Mastered by Bobby Hata at Warner Bros. Recording Studio.
Horn arrangements – Jerry Hey
String arrangements – Marty Paich
Keyboard Technician – Paul Mederios
Production Coordinators – Joan Parker, Kathy Walker and Vicki Fortson.
Art Direction and Design – Jeff Adamoff
Photography – Jim Shea
Direction – Irving Azoff

Chart (1982)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)^[5]	41
US Billboard 200^[6]	6
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)^[7]	10

^ Jason Elias. "If That's What It Takes - Michael McDonald | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2015-09-21.
^ Larkin, Colin (2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th concise ed.). Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0-85712-595-8.
^ "If That's What It Takes : Michael McDonald : Review : Rolling Stone". 1982-09-30. Archived from the original on December 8, 2008. Retrieved 2015-09-21.
^ Christgau, Robert (November 2, 1982). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved February 15, 2017.
^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 185. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
^ "Michael McDonald Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
^ "Michael McDonald Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 21, 2015.

This 1980s pop album–related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by .

hide v t Michael McDonald
Studio albums	If That's What It Takes (1982) No Lookin' Back (1985) Take It to Heart (1990) Blink of an Eye (1993) Blue Obsession (2000) Motown (2003) Motown Two (2004) Soul Speak (2008) Wide Open (2017)
Compilation albums	Sweet Freedom (1986)
Singles	"I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near)" "No Lookin' Back" "Sweet Freedom" "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" "Reach Out, I'll Be There" "Baby I Need Your Lovin'" "Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart)" "Deck the Halls/Jingle Bells" "Walk On By" "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher" "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas!"
Related articles	Discography The Doobie Brothers Toto Amy Holland