If Not for You

"If Not for You" is a song by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan from his October 1970 album New Morning. It was issued as the A-side of a single in Europe in early 1971. The song is a love song to Dylan's first wife, Sara Dylan. He recorded it several times in 1970; the session for the released version took place in New York in August. He also recorded the song with George Harrison on May 1, soon after the break-up of the Beatles, a session that attracted much speculation in the music press. The May recording remained unreleased until its inclusion on The Bootleg Series Volumes 1–3 (Rare & Unreleased) in 1991.

In November 1970, Harrison released a version of "If Not for You" on his triple album All Things Must Pass. Another well-known cover was recorded by Olivia Newton-John in 1971, using Harrison's arrangement of the song. Newton-John's version became her first hit single, peaking at number 7 on the UK Singles Chart, as well as the title track to her debut album, If Not for You. That same year, Harrison and Dylan rehearsed the song for possible inclusion in the Concert for Bangladesh shows at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Footage of this rehearsal appeared early in the 1972 documentary film The Concert for Bangladesh and the complete performance was included in the 2005 DVD release.