If I Could Turn Back the Hands of Time
1999 single by R. Kelly
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"If I Could Turn Back the Hands of Time" is a song by American singer R. Kelly, released as the fifth single from his third album, R. (1998).[1] The song is a ballad about a man wishing he could go back in time and repair his relationship with his girlfriend.[citation needed] The song peaked at number 12 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and became a top-10 hit across Europe, peaking at number one in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Switzerland.
- 6:17 (album and single version)
- 4:56 (radio edit)
| "If I Could Turn Back the Hands of Time" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||
| Single by R. Kelly | ||||
| from the album R. | ||||
| Released | July 27, 1999 | |||
| Length |
| |||
| Label | Jive | |||
| Songwriter | Robert Kelly | |||
| Producer | R. Kelly | |||
| R. Kelly singles chronology | ||||
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Success and legacy
The song has sold 660,000 copies in the United Kingdom and is one of R. Kelly's biggest international hits, In Belgium, the song peaked at number one in both Flanders and Wallonia and is certified triple platinum for selling over 150,000 copies. The song was certified gold in the United States in October 2001.[2]
The song has been covered by several musicians, including Ed Sheeran and talent show contestants.[3] Rapper Mims sampled the song for his 2007 debut album Music Is My Savior on the track "I Did You Wrong".[4][unreliable source?]
Live performances
Kelly did not perform this song very often. His first live performance was on the UK television show Top of the Pops.[5]
Charts and certifications
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
Decade-end charts
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Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Austria (IFPI Austria)[53] | Gold | 25,000* |
| Belgium (BRMA)[54] | 3× Platinum | 150,000* |
| France (SNEP)[55] | Gold | 250,000* |
| Germany (BVMI)[56] | Platinum | 500,000^ |
| Netherlands (NVPI)[57] | Platinum | 75,000^ |
| Sweden (GLF)[58] | Platinum | 30,000^ |
| Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[59] | Gold | 25,000^ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[60] | Platinum | 660,000[61] |
| United States (RIAA)[2] | Gold | 500,000[62] |
|
* Sales figures based on certification alone. | ||