While You See a Chance

1981 single by Steve Winwood

"While You See a Chance"

UK 7-inch vinyl single

Single by Steve Winwood

from the album Arc of a Diver

B-side

"Vacant Chair"

Released

1 February 1981^[1]

Recorded

1980

Genre

Pop^[2]
pop rock^[3]
synth-rock^[4]
electropop^[5]

Length

5:15 (album)
3:55 (single)

Label

Island

Songwriter(s)

Steve Winwood
Will Jennings

Producer(s)

Steve Winwood

Steve Winwood singles chronology

"Time Is Running Out"
(1977)

"While You See a Chance"
(1981)

"Arc of a Diver"
(1981)

"While You See a Chance" is a song performed by Steve Winwood in 1980,^[6] written by Winwood and Will Jennings.^[7] It was released on his album Arc of a Diver^[7] and peaked at number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 in April 1981^[6] and number 68 on the Billboard Top 100 for 1981.^[8]

The song was a bigger hit in Canada, where it peaked at number 3.^[9] It reached number 45 in the UK.

The song's well-known introduction primarily features the organ – apparently, the other instrumentation was accidentally erased.^[10]

Personnel

Steve Winwood – lead and backing vocals, acoustic piano, organ, synthesizers, drums, tambourine, congas

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1981)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)	16
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[11]	8
Canada Top Singles (RPM)^[9]	3
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[12]	10
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[13]	21
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[14]	28
UK Singles (OCC)^[15]	45
US Billboard Hot 100^[16]	7
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)^[17]	17
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)^[18]	2
US Cash Box Top 100 ^[19]	10

Year-end charts

Chart (1981)	Position
Canada Top Singles (RPM)^[20]	23
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[21]	96
US Billboard Hot 100^[22]	68
US Cash Box ^[23]	72

Covers

In 1984, DTV set the original Steve Winwood version of the song to The Sword in the Stone.
Joe Cocker covered the song on his 1999 album No Ordinary World.
Petula Clark on 2016's From Now On.^[24]

References

^ Lyrics to "While You See a Chance" on genius.com
^ Evans, Paul (2004). "Steve Winwood". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 882–883. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
^ https://singersroom.com/best-steve-winwood-songs-of-all-time/
^ https://www.classicrockreview.com/2020/12/1980-steve-winwood-arc-of-diver/
^ Horton, Matthew (2015). "Steve Winwood - "While You See a Chance". In Dimery, Robert (ed.). 1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die. New York: Universe. p. 461.
^ ^a ^b "Steve Winwood". Billboard. Archived from the original on 1 July 2014.
^ ^a ^b Palmer, Robert (21 January 1981). "Arc of a Diver, Steve Winwood". New York Times. Retrieved 3 August 2012.
^ "Top 100 Hits of 1981/Top 100 Songs of 1981". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
^ ^a ^b "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 16 May 1981. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
^ "Steve Winwood – things you didn't know". Ultimate Classic Rock.
^ "Steve Winwood – While You See a Chance" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 9, 1981" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
^ "Steve Winwood – While You See a Chance" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
^ "Steve Winwood – While You See a Chance". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
^ "Steve Winwood: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
^ "Steve Winwood Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
^ "Steve Winwood Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
^ "Steve Winwood Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
^ "Top 100 1981-04-25". Cashbox Magazine. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
^ "Top 100 Singles of 1981". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 20 October 2012. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
^ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1981". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
^ "Top 100 Hits of 1981/Top 100 Songs of 1981". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
^ "Top 100 Year End Charts: 1981". Cashbox Magazine. Retrieved 4 October 2015.
^ "Petula Clark – From Now On". Discogs. Retrieved 4 February 2019.