What If (Kate Winslet song)

"What If"
Single by Kate Winslet
from the album Christmas Carol: The Movie soundtrack
B-side "The Coventry Carol"
by The Tiffin Choir
Released November 26, 2001 (2001-11-26)
Format CD
Genre Pop
Length 4:05
Label EMI/Liberty
Writer(s) Steve Mac, Wayne Hector
Producer(s) Steve Mac

"What If" is the debut single by English actress Kate Winslet. Released as a single in November 2001, it is taken from the animated film Christmas Carol: The Movie which is based on the Charles Dickens classic novel. Winslet provided the voice of Belle in the feature, which also stars Nicolas Cage, Jane Horrocks and Simon Callow. "What If" was written and produced by Steve Mac and is a ballad that follows the film's theme, as Belle laments the end of her and Scrooge's relationship and wonders what could have been. It was the only song to be released from the official movie soundtrack.

News that Winslet was secretly recording the one-off single to vie for the 2001 UK Christmas number one spot was reported in the Daily Mirror. In the event, the song entered the UK Singles Chart at number six,[1] and was beaten to the Christmas top spot by Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman's version of "Somethin' Stupid". "What If" debuted at Number 1 on the Irish Singles Chart on 7 December 2001,[2] toppling Irish television puppet Dustin's version of "Sweet Caroline". It remained at number 1 for four weeks. The song also topped the charts in Austria and Belgium (Flanders) singles chart, was a Top 10 hit in Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands, and won the 2002 OGAE Song Contest.[3]

An accompanying music video, which was directed by Paul Donnellon and produced by Chris Horton, shows Winslet walking around an old Victorian house, along with clips from the film. At Winslet's request, the proceeds from the single were given to the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children and Sargent Cancer Care for Children.

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2001) Peak
position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[4] 1
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[5] 1
Germany (Official German Charts)[6] 6
Ireland (IRMA)[7] 1
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[8] 3
Portugal (Portuguese Singles Chart)[9] 17
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[10] 4
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[11] 6

Year-end charts

Chart (2001) Rank
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[12] 17
Germany (Official German Charts)[13] 35
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[14] 25
United Kingdom (Official Charts Company) 100

Cover versions

In 2004, a dance remake of the song was released by Ronny V featuring Nanda.[15] In 2008, the 2007 X-Factor finalist Rhydian Roberts included a duet of the song with American singer and Broadway actress Idina Menzel on his debut album Rhydian.[16] Britain's Got Talent 2010 semi-finalist Olivia Archbold performed this song. She came in third place in the semi-finals and lost the judges' votes to Tobias Mead. Due to the performance; "What If" re-entered the UK Singles Charts charts at number 76 on 6 June 2010.

References

  1. ↑ "Chart Stats - Kate Winslet - What If". Retrieved 3 August 2009.
  2. ↑ "irishcharts.ie birthday no. 1s search results". Retrieved 3 August 2009.
  3. ↑ "The winner takes it all". Ogae Song Contest. Retrieved 2009-05-03.
  4. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Kate Winslet – What If" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 2012-12-22.
  5. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Kate Winslet – What If" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 2012-12-22.
  6. ↑ "Musicline.de – Kate Winslet Single-Chartverfolgung" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH. Retrieved 2012-12-22.
  7. ↑ "Chart Track: Week 50, 2001". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 2012-12-22.
  8. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Kate Winslet search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 2012-12-22.
  9. ↑ "Top40-charts.com". Retrieved November 24, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Kate Winslet – What If". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 2012-12-22.
  11. ↑ "Kate Winslet: Artist Chart History" Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2012-12-22.
  12. ↑ "Jahreshitparade Singles 2002". Austriancharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 2015-10-22.
  13. ↑ "Top 100 Singles-Jahrescharts (2002)". Offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 2015-11-22.
  14. ↑ "Jahrescharts 2002". Swisscharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 2015-10-10.
  15. ↑ "Ronny V Featuring Nanda - What If (CD, Maxi) at Discogs". Retrieved 3 August 2009.
  16. ↑ Whetstone, David (29 November 2009). "Perfect pitch and the Cowell factor". journallive.co.uk. Retrieved 3 August 2009.
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