"What If" is a song by Creed, released as the second single from their 1999 album Human Clay on January 31, 2000 and it was also the lead single for the soundtrack to Scream 3, for which the band helped to produce.
| "What If" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Creed | ||||
| from the album Human Clay and Scream 3: The Album | ||||
| Released | January 31, 2000 | |||
| Recorded | Late 1998–early 1999 | |||
| Length | 5:18 (album version)
4:55 (radio edit) | |||
| Label | Wind-up | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) | John Kurzweg | |||
| Creed singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "What If" on YouTube | ||||
Writing and recording
edit"What If" was written by singer Scott Stapp and guitarist Mark Tremonti. Along with the rest of Human Clay, the song was recorded at a house outside of Tallahassee. Lead singer Scott Stapp moved there after reading that Jim Morrison had lived in Tallahassee.[1]
Music and lyrics
editIn the song, Scott Stapp sings about hatred and those who oppress others.[1] According to guitarist Mark Tremonti, the intro was inspired by the 1966 song "Paint It, Black" by The Rolling Stones.[1] Along with "Bullets", it is one of Creed's heaviest songs.
Music video
editThe music video was directed by David Meyers and it features David Arquette reprising his role as Dewey Riley. The story revolves around Dewey getting call at 11:36 pm from Ghostface that sets off a chain of events at Sunrise Studios, the fictional filming location seen in Scream 3 where the Stab films were filmed. Each member of the band gets "killed" by the killer while their respective girlfriends run away, only to reveal to them and Dewey towards the end of the video that the guys created the prank. The real killer calls Dewey again, saying they're not finished yet before he starts attacking him from above which then cuts to black.[2] The music video can be found in the home media releases of Scream 3.
Appearances in media
editThe song was performed by Chris Daughtry on the fifth season of American Idol in 2006.[1]
Chart performance
edit| Chart (2000) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[3] | 15 |
| US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[4] | 2 |
| US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[5] | 3 |
Year-end charts
edit| Chart (2000) | Position |
|---|---|
| US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[6] | 11 |
| US Modern Rock (Billboard)[7] | 49 |
References
edit- ^ a b c d "What If". www.songfacts.com. Songfacts. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
- ^ "What If - Creed". Vevo. September 15, 2009. Retrieved October 19, 2016.
- ^ "Creed Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
- ^ "Creed Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
- ^ "Creed Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
- ^ "Most Played Mainstream Rock Songs of 2000" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 8, no. 51. December 22, 2000. p. 33. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
- ^ "Most Played Modern Rock Songs of 2000" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 8, no. 51. December 22, 2000. p. 38. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
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