"If I Ever Lose My Faith in You" is a song by English singer-songwriter Sting, released on 1 February 1993 by A&M Records as the lead single from his fourth studio album, Ten Summoner's Tales (1993). The song, written by him and co-produced with Hugh Padgham, reached number 17 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and the top 40 in several European countries. In Canada, the song reached number one, spending three weeks atop the RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart and finishing 1993 as Canada's fourth-most-successful single.

In 1994, the song won Sting a Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, while it was also nominated for both Record of the Year and for Song of the Year. It has been included on all of Sting's compilation albums since its release, namely Fields of Gold: The Best of Sting 1984–1994 and The Very Best of Sting & The Police.

Composition The song, in the key of A major, is played in swing time. According to Sting, the song was written on the piano, and contains a flattened fifth in the song's intro, which he says was banned in the churches due to its dissonant sound:

The "You" in the song's title is not identified by Sting, as he felt it was important not to point out what it is specifically so that the listeners could connect more with the song:

Critical reception Alan Jones from Music Week gave the song a grade of three out of five, writing, "Less gloomy and more immediate commercial than some of his solo material, though it won't hit the high numbers." Billboard said that the song's "forthright, nicely nuanced vocal propels a crisply textured track with sax -like harmonica and nifty rhythmic touches." They also thought that it was "Sting's most beguiling solo rock ballad since 'If You Love Somebody Set Them Free'".

In his review of the Ten Summoner's Tales album, Andrew Collins from Select said, "The manifesto pension-plan-advert love anthem 'If I Ever Lose My Faith in You' is typical of this down-to-earthness." Ray Boren of Deseret News wrote that the song was" classic Sting, stark and typically rhythmic, yet grand". Tom Moon, writing for Entertainment Weekly classified the song as part of the album's "catchy, unburdened moments" and went on to praise Sting's "surprisingly resolute lead vocal". Select magazine called the song a "manifesto pension-plan-advert love anthem" that was a showcase of Sting's "down-to-earthness".

Sting was surprised by how popular the song became, stating: "I got a prize for this. It was the most played record on American radio in 1993, which kind of surprised me. But I suppose it captured a mood. We've lost faith in a lot of institutions, our government, our churches – most things. And yet we still maintain a sense of hope about the future."Kool 1079. " How Sting Changed Gears With 'If I Ever Lose My Faith in You'" retrieved February 4, 2023.

Track listings

UK CD1 "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You" "All This Time" (unplugged) "Mad About You" (unplugged) "Every Breath You Take" (unplugged)

UK CD2 "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You" "Message in a Bottle" (unplugged) "Tea in the Sahara" (unplugged) "Walking on the Moon" (unplugged)

UK 7-inch and cassette single European CD single Australian cassette single Japanese mini-CD single "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You" – 4:29 "Every Breath You Take" (unplugged) – 5:06

European maxi-CD single "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You" – 4:29 "Every Breath You Take" (unplugged) – 5:06 "All This Time" (unplugged) – 5:20

US maxi-CD single "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You" (LP version) – 4:29 "Everybody Laughed but You" – 3:51 "January Stars" – 3:50 "We Work the Black Seam (1993)" – 6:08

US cassette single "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You" (LP version) – 4:29 "All This Time" (unplugged) – 5:20

Australian CD single "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You" "Every Breath You Take" (unplugged) "Message in a Bottle" (unplugged) "All This Time" (unplugged)

Japanese maxi-CD single "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You" "All This Time" (unplugged) "Mad About You" (unplugged) "Every Breath You Take" (unplugged)

Credits Sting – bass, vocals, guitar, harmonica; producer on track 1 Dominic Miller – guitars David Sancious – keyboards; piano on tracks 2–4 Vinnie Colaiuta – drums Vinx – percussion and backing vocals on tracks 2–4 Hugh Padgham – producer on track 1 Joel Gallen – executive producer on tracks 2–4 Alex Coletti – producer on tracks 2–4

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1993)PeakpositionDenmark (IFPI) 9Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) 16Europe (European Hit Radio) 1Finland (Suomen virallinen lista) 8Finland Airplay (Radiosoittolista) 10Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40) 9Israel (IBA) Search "Sting" for Israeli chart history.14Italy (Musica e dischi) 2Portugal (AFP) 2Spain (AFYVE) 9UK Airplay (Music Week) 2UK Club Chart (Music Week) 50US Cash Box Top 100 5

Year-end charts Chart (1993)PositionCanada Top Singles (RPM) 4Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM) 66Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) 88Europe (European Hit Radio) 11Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40) 77UK Airplay (Music Week) 34US Billboard Hot 100 96US Adult Contemporary (Billboard) 32US Album Rock Tracks (Billboard) 23US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard) 22

Release history RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)United Kingdom1 February 1993A&M8 February 1993CD2Australia14 February 1993Japan28 February 1993

Cover versions Jazzist Greg Adams composed an instrumental cover of the song, which was featured on his 2006 album, Cool to the Touch. In 2009, trumpeter Chris Botti covered the song featuring Sting on vocals. The song was released from the album Chris Botti in Boston. American singer Lady Gaga also performed the song at the 2014 Kennedy Center Honors, where Sting was an honouree. American heavy metal band Disturbed released a cover of "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You" in 2020. "We have loved this song for a long time, and even though it was released in 1993, it seems strangely applicable to today's world," stated the band. "The song is about losing faith, and might initially sound pessimistic, but it's about the importance and power of personal relationships, and how they can save you and provide solace in an increasingly confusing world."Yahoo News. "Disturbed Cover Sting's 'If I Ever Lose My Faith in You'" by Spencer Kaufman. 11 September 2020.

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