If You Think You Know How to Love Me

"If You Think You Know How to Love Me"
Artwork for German vinyl single
Single by Smokie
from the album Changing All the Time
B-side"Tis Me"
ReleasedJune 1975
RecordedAudio International Studios in London
GenreSoft rock,[1] pop rock
Length3:27
LabelRAK
Songwriter(s)Nicky Chinn, Mike Chapman
Producer(s)Mike Chapman, Nicky Chinn
Smokie singles chronology
"Pass It Around"
(1975)
"If You Think You Know How to Love Me"
(1975)
"Don't Play Your Rock 'n' Roll to Me"
(1975)
Music videos
"If You Think You Know How to Love Me"
"If You Think You Know How to Love Me" (Remix) on YouTube

"If You Think You Know How to Love Me" is a song by British rock band Smokie. It was first released in June 1975 as a single and appeared later on the album Changing All the Time. Like the band's first single "Pass It Around", the song was composed by Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman.

Upon its release, "If You Think You Know How to Love Me" became a chart success all over Europe, peaking at No. 2 in Ireland, No. 3 in Sweden, No. 6 in Norway, No. 8 in Germany and No. 15 in the Netherlands. It took six weeks for the song to debut in the UK Singles Chart on 19 July 1975. After a few days, Smokie appeared on BBC show Top of the Pops, and this helped the song to climb the charts.[2] The single eventually peaked at No. 3 on the UK charts, during a nine-week stay on that chart.[3]

After their US breakthrough, with "Living Next Door to Alice" making the Top 30, the song was re-released to serve as the followup single,[4] but it did not make the chart.

A second version of the song was included in the 1988 album All Fired Up, sung by Alan Barton. The original 1975 version was sung by Chris Norman.

Pat Benatar recorded the song in 1979 for her debut album In the Heat of the Night, released as the second single from that album in October 1979.[5]

  1. ^ "Obituary: Alan Barton". The Independent. 18 April 1995.
  2. ^ Hendriks, Phil (July 2007). Changing All the Time (CD booklet). Smokie. London: 7T's Records.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
  3. ^ "Smokie chart positions in the UK". The Official Charts Company.
  4. ^ https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Archive-RandR/1970s/1977/RR-1977-05-13.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  5. ^ Benatar, Pat (2010). Between a Rock and a Heart Place. William Morrow. p. 61. ISBN 978-0-06-195377-4.