The song was released as the second single from their fourth studio album, The Madding Crowd (2000), in August 2000.
In September 2000, Nine Days guitarist explained the meaning of "If I Am" in an interview with MTV Radio: "[The song] is about having patience...It's about two people in a relationship and one person wants all these things, like marriage, commitment, the whole nine yards.
"[2]The single's music video, which was directed by German director Ulf Buddensieck, was filmed in September 2000.
[2] In the video, John Hampson is shown following a woman (presumably his girlfriend) through their shared apartment, into an elevator, through their building's lobby, across a busy street, and through a restaurant, before she gets onto a motorcycle, and they eventually end up back at the apartment.
Interspersed are scenes of the band performing the song in a vacant store.