"If I Was a River" is a song written by Diane Warren and included on the international version of Australian singer Tina Arena's fourth studio album, In Deep (1997). It is the second Warren song performed by Arena, following 1989's "Strong as Steel". The track was aimed at promoting In Deep in the United States. Lyrically, the song is a metaphoric declaration to a loved one, in which Tina Arena lists all the things she would do for them if she were various elements, planets or weather phenomena, including the titular river. The song was one of 10 singles released from the many incarnations of In Deep; overall, it was the album's seventh.

Released as the final single from the album in the United Kingdom, "If I Was a River" peaked at number 43 on the UK Singles Chart. In 2000, "If I Was a River" was released as a single in Japan, alongside four remixes of the track, commissioned for club play in the United States, where they were only made available on vinyl to disc-jockeys. The rarity of the Japanese release makes it a much sought-after item. The song was later included on the compilation albums Souvenirs and Greatest Hits 1994-2004.

Track listings UK CD1 "If I Was a River" "Any Other Love" "Chains"

UK CD2 "If I Was a River" (long version) "Welcome to My World" "Stay"

Japanese CD single "If I Was a River" (album version) "If I Was a River" (7--inch vocal mix) "If I Was a River" (Nikolas & Sibley Rising Dub) "If I Was a River" (Ny:pd radio edit) "If I Was a River" (Ny:pd club remix)

Personnel Tina Arena: lead vocals, background vocals Diane Warren: songwriter Walter Afanasieff: producer, arranger, keyboards, drum programming, synthesizers, Moog synth bass, Synclavier programming Dan Shea: additional keyboards, drum programming, synthesizer programming, MacIntosh programming Dean Parks: acoustic guitar Michael Landau, Michael Thompson: electric guitars Alex Brown, Jim Gilstrap, Lynn Davis, Phillip Ingram, Jeanie Tracy, Karen Brewington, Claytoven Richardson, Skyler Jett, Sandy Griffith: background vocals

Charts Chart (1998)Peakposition

Release history RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)United Kingdom12 October 1998ColumbiaUnited States13 October 1998Contemporary hit radioEpic2 February 1999Adult contemporary radioJapan14 April 1999CD

References