If Wishes Were Horses (album)

If Wishes Were Horses
Studio album by Sweeney Todd
Released	1977
Genre	Rock, glam rock, Canadian rock
Label	London
Producer	Martin Shaer
Sweeney Todd chronology
Sweeney Todd (1975)Sweeney Todd1975 If Wishes Were Horses (1977)

Professional ratings
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Allmusic	[1]

If Wishes Were Horses is the second album of the Canadian glam rock band Sweeney Todd. The album was recorded during late 1975-1976 and released in 1977. It is the only Sweeney Todd album on which a 17-year-old Bryan Adams appears as the temporary singer. The producers deliberately sped his voice up to sound younger than it already was.

My name is Martin Shaer. I am the producer of this album and the composer of the title track. At the age of 16, Bryan successfully auditioned to replace Nick Gilder as lead singer for the Canadian glam-rock band Sweeney Todd. His joining the band was not on a temporary basis. He did however, later choose the same path as Nick and leave Sweeney Todd to pursue a solo career.

At no time was his voice “sped up” to sound younger than it was. Bryan had the range to sing in a high register at that time and if he sounded young it was because he was young. Looking to have him deliver the vocals in a glam-fey (and yes young) style was exactly what I was looking for. Any suggestion his vocals were technically tampered with is pure nonsense.

Track listing

1. "If Wishes Were Horses" (Martin Shaer) 3:48
2. "Tantalize" (Nick Gilder, James McCulloch) 4:00
3. "Until I Find You" (Bryan Adams, Budd Marr) 2:35
4. "Pushin' & Shovin'" (Adams, Marr) 2:55
5. "No. 5243605 Smith" (Shaer, Dan Gaudin) 5:10
6. "Song for a Star" (Adams, Gaudin) 2:54
7. "Shut Up" (Shaer, Marr, Skip Prest) 3:08
8. "All of a Sudden" (Gaudin) 3:38
9. "Wastin' Time" (Shaer, Prest) 4:55
10. "Say Hello Say Goodbye" (Gaudin, McCulloch, Marr, Gilder, Irving Berlin) 3:55

version 1998

1. "Wastin' Time" (Shaer, Prest) 4:55
2. "Say Hello Say Goodbye" (Gaudin, McCulloch, Marr, Gilder, Irving Berlin) 3:55
3. "Shut Up" (Shaer, Marr, Skip Prest) 3:08
4. "Until I Find You" (Bryan Adams, Budd Marr) 2:35
5. "All of a Sudden" (Gaudin) 3:38
6. "No. 5243605 Smith" (Shaer, Dan Gaudin) 5:10
7. "Song for a Star" (Adams, Gaudin) 2:54
8. "Tantalize" (Nick Gilder, James McCulloch) 4:00
9. "If Wishes Were Horses" (Martin Shaer) 3:48
10. "Pushin' & Shovin'" (Adams, Marr) 2:55
11. "No. 5243605 Smith" (Shaer, Dan Gaudin) 5:10

Personnel

• Bryan Adams: Vocals
• Skip Prest: Guitar
• Dan Gaudin: Keyboards
• Budd Marr: Bass
• John Booth: Drums

References