I Can Only Imagine (MercyMe song)

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"I Can Only Imagine"
Song
A-side"Word of God Speak"

"I Can Only Imagine" is a single recorded by contemporary Christian and Christian rock band MercyMe. Written by Bart Millard and produced by Pete Kipely,[1] the song, based around a main piano track, was inspired by the death of Millard's father and considers what it would be like in Heaven and to be standing before God.

In 1999 it was first issued as a track on The Worship Project by MercyMe on an independent record label. The song was re-recorded and included on their 2001 major-label debut album Almost There. "I Can Only Imagine" was released in 2001 as the album's lead single. During 2001, it gained significant airplay on Christian radio formats before crossing over to mainstream formats in late 2003 and into 2004. In 2003, a double A-side physical single combined with "Word of God Speak" was released. On the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart it peaked at No. 5, and it peaked at No. 71 on the Hot 100. "I Can Only Imagine" was certified platinum by the RIAA for sales of over one million digital downloads. It also won two GMA Dove Awards in 2002; "Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year" and "Song of the Year".

Background

"I Can Only Imagine" was the debut single for United States contemporary Christian and Christian rock band MercyMe. When the band's vocalist, Bart Millard, was 18 his father died from cancer in 1991.[1][2] Millard began writing the words "I can only imagine" on items when he was thinking about his father.[3] During the recording of the band's 1999 independent album The Worship Project, MercyMe needed one more song to fill out the album.[4] Millard, alone on a bus in the middle of the night, finally wrote the lyrics to the song by drawing on his thoughts and personal faith about what one would experience standing before God in Heaven. Millard attests that "it ['I Can Only Imagine'] is one of the only songs I have ever written where there wasn't any mistakes, it was just written the way it is and left at that",[4] and estimated that it took him only ten minutes to write the lyrics.[3]

In writing the music for the song, however, the band faced more difficulty; Millard noted that "at first it was a fast song... it was all these random ideas".[4] Keyboardist Jim Bryson noted that "we were literally tearing down the stuff... [Millard] and I were talking about arranging it differently and doing a slower version, so we just tried out a piano intro... it was literally the first thing I played. It wasn't anything to do with me, I think it was just a guide thing. [Millard] said 'here it is, this is what's going to happen', and we laid the song down in about five minutes."[4] This version of the song was included on The Worship Project[2][5] (and, later, was included in the 'Platinum Edition' of Almost There).[6]

Composition

Bart Millard and drummer Robby Shaffer in 2008

"I Can Only Imagine" is a ballad with a length of four minutes and eight seconds.[7] The song is set in the key of E major and has a moderately slow tempo of 80 beats per minute[8], with a vocal range spanning from B3–G♯5.[9] The song opens up with only a piano, and builds up to include guitar and drums.[10]

The lyrics to the song are based around the narrator wondering what it will be like in Heaven and to be standing before God.[7] Regarding this theme, Millard explained to Fox News that "I was always told that if he could choose, he would rather be in Heaven than here with me. As a Christian I believed that, but as an 18-year-old it was a little hard to swallow. So the questions in the song came from me asking God what was so great about Him that my dad would rather be there."[1]

Release and promotion

"I Can Only Imagine" was re-recorded for their major-label debut record Almost There and released as its lead single in 2001.[11] The album was recorded in various locations: Ivy Park, The Indigo Room, Paradise Sound and IBC Studios.[nb 1] The single gained radio airplay on some contemporary Christian formats; by November, it peaked at number-one on the Radio & Records Christian AC format and in the top twenty of the Radio & Records Christian CHR chart.[12][13]

In 2003, a Dallas mainstream radio station, 100.3 Wild-FM, first played the song on its morning show, The Fitz Radio Program.[2][14][15] They had responded to a caller's repeated requests and the urgings of the program's producer, Tony Russell.[1][3] The song immediately became the most requested[15] and most played song on the station.[4] After hearing the song played on the station, Millard called-in and spoke with the crew; MercyMe then came in and played the song live[15]

As other stations around the country caught on,[15] MercyMe's label, INO Records, partnered with Curb Records to market the single to wider audiences[16][17] such as Top 40 radio.[18] In September, INO and Curb also released a double A-side physical single, "I Can Only Imagine/Word of God Speak".[11] Eventually, the song cracked into secular charts, including the Billboard Hot 100[19] and the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks charts.[20]

Music video

Background

Bart Millard holding a photograph of his father in the music video

A music video was released for "I Can Only Imagine".[21][22] Millard recalled the inspiration for the video was "I just kept seeing all these people holding picture frames [at MercyMe concerts] that are empty because we all carry these people with us in some way. I've had so many people after a show pull out a picture of someone they've lost. These people embrace these photos and I just thought how can we tap into that".[22] The video features everyday people as well as several music artists including Michael Tait, Tammy Trent, Bob Herdman, and Jesse Katina, each holding an empty picture frame to signify their loss of a loved one; as the video progresses, they are holding pictures of their loved ones.[22]

Synposis

The video opens with a shot of an empty room and a chair, shifting to show a young boy climbing up a flight of stairs. The camera then shifts to the band before returning to the boy, now in an attic which is filled with many empty picture frames. The video alternates between shots of the boy and the band before shifting to individual shots of other people, each holding an empty picture frame. As the other instruments join in, the camera comes back to the band, focusing on them before returning to shots of the people, whose picture frames now contain pictures of deceased relatives. At the end of the video, the camera returns to the boy, now running down a street with an empty frame, climaxing with him lying down in a field with the empty frame.

Reception

Critical response

Critical reception for "I Can Only Imagine" was positive. Steve Losey of Allmusic commented that "[the song] is a passionate piano-driven ballad. The tune begs the question what it would be like to be in the presence of God. Delivered with conviction, the song is emotionally compelling".[7] Jesus Freak Hideout's reviewer Kevin Chamberlin felt "The lyrics for the song are amazing. If you haven't listened to the lyrics, because you're afraid of hearing pop music, get over it and listen to it."[23] Kevin McNeese of NewReleaseTuesday commented that "The definite highlight on [Almost There] is the worship/ballad 'I Can Only Imagine'... The song starts out with just piano that instantly invokes chills and builds dynamically into a powerful display of drums and guitar. But what makes the song are the lyrics, penned by Bart Millard himself. The song speaks about that day that we all dream about when we finally meet Jesus... It's a song that can't be listened to with eyes open".[10]

Chart performance

"I Can Only Imagine" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 for the chart week of October 11, 2003 at No. 76.[19] The song peaked at No. 71 for two weeks and spent a total of spent sixteen non-consecutive weeks on the Hot 100.[12][19] On the Adult Contemporary chart, "I Can Only Imagine" debuted at No. 29 for the chart week of May 23, 2003, with an eventual peak of No. 5 for the chart week of September 8, 2003; in all, "I Can Only Imagine" spent thirty weeks on the chart.[12][20] In April 2010, it was certified Platinum by the RIAA, signifying sales of over 1,000,000 digital downloads.[24]

On the Adult Top 40 chart, "I Can Only Imagine" debuted at No. 39 for the chart week of August 9, 2003[25] and reached a peak position of No. 27, holding that spot for three consecutive weeks;[25] in all, the song spent twenty-six weeks on the chart.[12][25] On the Mainstream Top 40 chart, the song debuted at No. 37 for the chart week of July 12, 2003,[26] reaching an eventual peak of No. 33.[12][26] On the Hot Country Songs chart, the song debuted at No. 58 for the chart week of December 27, 2003,[27] reaching an eventual peak of No. 52, which it held for two weeks.[27] "I Can Only Imagine" also peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Sales chart for ten weeks[12][13], No. 1 on the Radio & Records Christian AC chart for two weeks,[12][13] and No. 15 on the Christian CHR chart.[12]

Other versions

The original version of "I Can Only Imagine" was a track on MercyMe's 1999 independent release The Worship Project.[5] In August 2006, both an acoustic and live version (as well as the original 1999 version) were included in the 'Platinum edition' of Almost There.[28] MercyMe recorded a version of the song for their iTunes Originals album.[29][30] In 2009, two further variants were included on their compilation album 10; a 'symphony version' featuring the London Symphony Orchestra, and a live version.[31]

[32][33] Carson's version peaked at No. 50 on the Country Songs chart.[34]

"I Can Only Imagine" has also been covered by several artists. Amy Grant released a reworked version of the song (paired with "Sing the Wondrous Love of Jesus") on her 2002 album, Legacy...Hymns and Faith.[32] In 2003, Jeff Carson and Kathryn Scott each issued variants of the song.[32][33] Carson's version peaked at No. 50 on the Country Songs chart.[34]

In 2005 Wynonna Judd issued her form of the song;.[32] while in 2007 Emerson Drive provided theirs.[35]

Track listing

2003 CD release[11][36]
  1. "I Can Only Imagine" – 4:08
  2. "Word of God Speak" – 3:07

Release history

Date Territory Label Format
2001[11] United States INO Airplay
September 23, 2003[11] INO/Curb CD
January 4, 2005[24] INO/Epic Digital

Charts and certifications

Awards

"I Can Only Imagine" earned two Dove Awards in 2002; "Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year" and "Song of the Year".[41][42]

Popular culture

References

Notes
  1. ^ According to the inner liner notes of the album.
Footnotes
  1. ^ a b c d Adams, Ramsay (6 July 2003). "Christian Rock Crosses Over". Fox News. Retrieved 11 April 2009.
  2. ^ a b c Jenison, David. "A Severe Mercy". TodaysChristianMusic. CCM Magazine. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
  3. ^ a b c Correa, Karen (Fall 2003). "The Quality of MercyMe". ASCAP. Retrieved 11 April 2009.
  4. ^ a b c d e MercyMe (2007). Faith & Fame - MercyMe. United States: INO Records/Columbia Records. {{cite AV media}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  5. ^ a b "The Worship Project - MercyMe". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
  6. ^ "iTunes - Music - Almost There (Platinum Edition) by MercyMe". iTunes. Apple Inc. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  7. ^ a b c Losey, Steve. "Almost There - MercyMe (Review)". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 9 August 2011.
  8. ^ "MercyMe - I Can Only Imagine Guitar Tab". Musicnotes.com. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
  9. ^ "MercyMe - I Can Only Imagine Sheet Music". Musicnotes.com. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
  10. ^ a b McNeese, Kevin (30 January 2008). "Almost There by MercyMe (Review)". NewReleaseTuesday.com. NRT Media. Retrieved 29 September 2011.
  11. ^ a b c d e "I Can Only Imagine/Word of God Speak, MercyMe, Music CD Single - Barnes & Noble". Barnes & Noble. Retrieved 21 August 2011.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Billboard Charted Singles" (PDF). Mikecurb.com. Curb Records. Retrieved 21 August 2011.
  13. ^ a b c d "Number One Records" (PDF). Mikecurb.com. Curb Records. Retrieved 21 August 2011.
  14. ^ Ferris, Christina (September 2003). ""I Can Only Imagine" Is Still The Little Song That Could" (PDF). CCM Magazine. 26 (3). Salem Publishing: 9. Retrieved 17 September 2011.
  15. ^ a b c d Gillespie, Natalie Nichols (2 June 2003). "I Can Only Imagine Impacts Mainstream Radio". Crosswalk.com. Salem Web Network. p. 1. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
  16. ^ Cusic, Don (2010). "Curb, Mike". In Cusic, Don (ed.). Encyclopedia of contemporary Christian music: pop, rock, and worship. ABC-CLIO. pp. 97–98. ISBN 9780313344251. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  17. ^ Price, Deborah Evans (25 October 2003). "A Yearning For More Meaning". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media: 76. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  18. ^ Bronson, Fred. "Chart Beat Chat". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 17 September 2011.
  19. ^ a b c d "MercyMe Album & Song Chart History - Hot 100". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 12 August 2011.
  20. ^ a b c "MercyMe Album & Song Chart History - Adult Contemporary Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 12 August 2011.
  21. ^ "I Can Only Imagine - MercyMe (VEVO)". Vevo. Retrieved 15 September 2011.
  22. ^ a b c Nentwig, Wendy Lee (23 September 2003). "Song Story: "I Can Only Imagine"". Crosswalk.com. Salem Web Network. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
  23. ^ Chamberlin, Kevin (9 September 2002). "Almost There". Jesus Freak Hideout. Retrieved 9 August 2011.
  24. ^ a b c "RIAA Gold and Platinum". RIAA. Retrieved 21 October 2011.
  25. ^ a b c d "MercyMe Album & Song Chart History - Adult Pop Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 12 August 2011.
  26. ^ a b c "MercyMe Album & Song Chart History - Pop Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 12 August 2011.
  27. ^ a b c "MercyMe Album & Song Chart History - Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 12 August 2011.
  28. ^ "Almost There (Platinum Edition) by MercyMe". iTunes. Retrieved 13 August 2011.
  29. ^ Johnson, Matt (8 June 2008). "MercyMe, "iTunes Originals" Review". Jesus Freak Hideout. Retrieved 13 August 2011.
  30. ^ "iTunes Originals - MercyMe by MercyMe". iTunes. Retrieved 13 August 2011.
  31. ^ Johnson, Matt (7 April 2009). "MercyMe, "10" Review". Jesus Freak Hideout. Retrieved 13 August 2011.
  32. ^ a b c Jones, Kim. "Who Sings "I Can Only Imagine?"". About.com. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  33. ^ Breimeier, Russ. "Satisfy, Christian Music Reviews". The Fish. Christianity Today International. Retrieved 14 September 2011.
  34. ^ "Jeff Carson Album & Song History". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
  35. ^ "Emerson Drive". Emerson Drive. 14 August 2011. Retrieved 14 September 2011.
  36. ^ "Amazon.com I Can Only Imagine/Word of God Speak". Retrieved 9 August 2011.
  37. ^ "Billboard Magazine Archives (12/27/03)". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 27 December 2011. Retrieved 7 September 2011.
  38. ^ "Billboard.biz Year-end chart Archives (AC)". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 12 September 2011.
  39. ^ "Billboard.biz Year-end chart archives (Singles sales)". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 12 September 2011.
  40. ^ "Billboard.biz Year-end chart archives (Digital songs)". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 12 September 2011.
  41. ^ "Dove Awards History". GMA Dove Award. Gospel Music Association. Retrieved 12 September 2011.
  42. ^ Losey, Steven Douglas (26 December 2002). "Real People, Real Worship". CCM Magazine. Salem Publishing. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
  43. ^ "STS-129 Wakeup Calls". NASA. Retrieved 12 August 2011.

External links

MercyMe "I Can Only Imagine" music video at Vevo.com

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