Composition and Critical Reception
According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Alfred Music Publishing, the song is set in common time with a "moderately slow" tempo of 76 beats per minute. It is composed in the key of C major with Wade's vocal range spanning from the low-note of D4 to the high-note of G5. The song has a basic chord progression of C/F–C/G–C/F–C/G.
"Whatever It Takes" was described as an adult alternative/pop rock song. It was described as a "power ballad" by John DiBiase of Jesus Freak Hideout, who also noted that there was "growth in songwriting and artistry to keep Lifehouse a band well worth following".
Alex Lai of Contactmusic.com described the song as "brooding " that features "a huge chorus" and noted how the ballads on the album, including "Whatever It Takes", were "amongst the best the band has produced".
Russ Breimeier of Christianity Today felt that the song was "commendable for showing the need to remain committed and open to sustain a relationship".
Paul Schultz of The Trades described the song as having "some dandy harmony vocals" and noted how the lyrics of "She said like it or not it's the way it's gotta be / You gotta love yourself if you can ever love me" talked about how people try to work out relationships.
Read more about this topic: Whatever It Takes (Lifehouse Song)
Famous quotes containing the words composition, critical and/or reception:
“Boswell, when he speaks of his Life of Johnson, calls it my magnum opus, but it may more properly be called his opera, for it is truly a composition founded on a true story, in which there is a hero with a number of subordinate characters, and an alternate succession of recitative and airs of various tone and effect, all however in delightful animation.”
—James Boswell (1740–1795)
“The critical spirit never knows when to stop meddling.”
—Mason Cooley (b. 1927)
“To the United States the Third World often takes the form of a black woman who has been made pregnant in a moment of passion and who shows up one day in the reception room on the forty-ninth floor threatening to make a scene. The lawyers pay the woman off; sometimes uniformed guards accompany her to the elevators.”
—Lewis H. Lapham (b. 1935)