Not every hit from Sports was loud. If This Is It, released as a single in 1984, was quieter, more reflective and more intimate than the album bigger rock tracks. It reached number six on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, and it also reached number one on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, which showed how broadly the band appeal had grown. The song asked a simple question: if this feeling is love, what should the singer do next? That question, sung in Huey Lewis warm and unhurried voice, gave Sports a moment of tenderness in the middle of its energetic run.
A Softer Side of Sports
Sports is often remembered for its driving singles, but its success depended on variety. If This Is It provided a change of pace. Its tempo was slower, its arrangement was gentler, and its vocal was closer to a conversation than a shout. That contrast made the album feel complete. Listeners who enjoyed the rock tracks could also find a song that spoke to quieter moments in a relationship. The band understood that a hit album needed both energy and emotion, and If This Is It supplied the emotion. It showed that Huey Lewis and the News were not only a party band. They were also capable of nuance.
Written by Huey Lewis and Johnny Colla
The song was written by Huey Lewis and Johnny Colla, continuing the band internal songwriting partnership that had already produced The Heart of Rock and Roll. Their writing for this track favoured simplicity. The melody moved in a natural, singable way, and the lyric avoided unnecessary decoration. The verses set up a situation, and the chorus asked the central question, repeating it in a way that felt like a genuine search for an answer. That structure suited Lewis vocal style, which was always at its best when it sounded like a person thinking aloud rather than a performer showing off technique.
What the Lyric Asks
At its centre, If This Is It is about uncertainty in love. The singer feels something strong, but he is not sure what it means or where it will lead. He asks whether this is love, and whether the other person feels the same way. That uncertainty is relatable, because many relationships begin with a period of not knowing. The song does not resolve the question with a dramatic declaration. Instead, it stays with the feeling, allowing the listener to sit inside it. That restraint is part of its charm. It treats love as a question to be explored, not as a problem to be solved in three minutes.
The Sound: Warmth and Restraint
Musically, the track is built around keyboards, a gentle rhythm and a vocal that leads the arrangement. The horns are used sparingly, and the guitar does not dominate. The production keeps the sound soft and clear, which helped the song reach adult contemporary radio as well as pop radio. That dual appeal was important for the band, because it expanded their audience beyond rock listeners. A song that could be played on different formats at the same time had a longer chart life and reached more people. If This Is It achieved that because its sound was welcoming rather than aggressive.
Chart Success on Two Charts
The single reached number six on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. That combination was significant. It showed that Huey Lewis and the News were not only a rock band for younger listeners, but also a band whose songs appealed to adult audiences. The adult contemporary success also reflected the song subject and tone. It was a mature song about feelings, sung by a mature voice, and it fitted a format that valued melody and lyric clarity. For the band, that breadth helped Sports remain one of the most successful albums of the decade.
A Video of Performance, Not Spectacle
The music video for If This Is It matched the song tone. It focused on the band performing, with Lewis singing directly to the camera in a relaxed and sincere way. There was no need for a complicated story, because the song itself was the story. That approach suited the band image. They were presented as musicians, not as actors in a fantasy. In the video era, when many clips relied on elaborate concepts, a simple performance video could stand out by feeling honest. For this song, honesty was the right choice, because the lyric itself was about being honest about feelings.
Why It Still Resonates
Today, If This Is It is remembered as one of the most emotionally direct songs in the band catalogue. It does not rely on a famous hook from a film or on a catchy slogan. It relies on a question that many listeners have asked themselves. That universality gives it staying power. It also shows a different side of 1980s pop: not every hit had to be loud, fast or ironic. Some hits worked because they were gentle and sincere. If This Is It belongs to that group, and it continues to appear on soft rock and 1980s playlists because its feeling has not dated.
Where It Fits in the Band Story
Within the story of Huey Lewis and the News, If This Is It represents the moment when the band proved it could succeed with a ballad as well as with rock singles. That versatility was important for the albums that followed, especially Fore, which also balanced up-tempo hits with slower, more reflective songs. For new listeners, If This Is It is a good way to hear the band beyond its biggest anthems. For long-time fans, it remains a favourite because it captures a quieter truth about love: that the most important moments are often the ones when we are not sure what to say next, and we ask the question anyway.
A Note on Listening Today
Listening to If This Is It today, it is easy to hear why it worked on both pop and adult contemporary radio. The melody is calm, the vocal is clear, and the question at the centre of the lyric remains familiar to anyone who has wondered whether a new feeling is really love. That combination of craft and honesty is what keeps the song in rotation, and it is a useful reminder that Sports was a varied album, not just a collection of up-tempo hits.