Find a Way

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

“Find a Way”
“Find a Way” cover
Single by Amy Grant
from the album Unguarded
Released 1985
Format 7" single
Genre CCM, Adult Contemporary, Pop
Length 3:28
Label A&M Records
Writer(s) Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith
Producer Brown Bannister
Amy Grant singles chronology
Tennessee Christmas
(1983)
Find a Way
(1985)
Wise Up
(1985)

"Find a Way" is a 1985 single by Christian music singer Amy Grant. It was released as the first single from her Unguarded album. Also, "Find A Way" was Grant's first major single release, as it was issued in secular outlets by A&M Records along with the album. Although the single was released in both the United States and the United Kingdom with "It's Not A Song" as a B-side, it only charted in America.

"Find a Way" is an uptempo, inspirational song in which Grant encourages her listener, an "angry young woman," to persevere and stay optimistic despite life's trials, because "love will surely find a way."

Contents

[edit] Background

Between 1982 and 1984, Amy Grant had become one of the most popular contemporary Christian singers ever. Her album Age to Age had become the best-selling Christian album up to that point; it became the first Christian album by a solo artist to be certified gold in 1983.

Although Grant never made public her intentions to become a secular artist during this period, her success might have hinted at future decisions. When she penetrated into the country charts in late 1983 with the holiday single "Tennessee Christmas," she managed to be nominated for an ACM award for Best New Female Vocalist. In 1985 she continued her success when she performed "Angels," a song from her 1984 album Straight Ahead, on the nationally televised Grammy Awards.

At this point, her record company had become convinced that she would be equally successful as a mainstream artist. They soon began negotiations with the major independent label A&M to distribute their catalogue in secular outlets. The deal went into effect in January 1985 when A&M reissued Straight Ahead in secular outlets. Although it only peaked at #133 on the Billboard 200, it did go gold and was a bigger success than most Christian artists had at the time, and so she and her management decided to record a crossover album.

[edit] Chart Success

"Find A Way" was released commercially in mainstream record shops in 1985 by A&M. Word chose not to issue it commercially in Christian outlets, since most Christian singles at the time were released solely to radio stations.

Due to the extensive synthesizers and keyboards in the song, "Find A Way" was a mainstream hit. It reached the Top Ten of the Adult Contemporary chart and the Top Forty of the pop chart. The album was fairly successful on the pop chart as well, reaching #35. In spite of accusations by longtime Christian fans that Grant had "crossed over" into pop[1], "Find A Way" was also the singer's fifth number-one Christian single.

[edit] Charts

Year Single Chart Position
1985 "Find a Way" Billboard Christian 1
1985 "Find a Way" Adult Contemporary 7
1985 "Find a Way" Billboard Hot 100 29
1985 "Find a Way" Billboard Hot 100 Airplay 28

[edit] Music sample

"Find a Way"

Problems listening to the file? See media help.