| "Between You And Me" | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by DC Talk | ||||||
| from the album Jesus Freak | ||||||
| Released | 1996 | |||||
| Format | CD | |||||
| Recorded | 1995 | |||||
| Genre | CCM, Christian alternative rock | |||||
| Length | 3:47 (Radio Edit) | |||||
| Label | ForeFront/Virgin | |||||
| Writer(s) | Toby McKeehan, Mark Heimermann[1] | |||||
| DC Talk singles chronology | ||||||
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"Between You And Me" (also labeled as "Just Between You and Me" on the single cover) is a song by the American contemporary Christian music group DC Talk. Released in 1996, it was the second radio and commercial single released from the group's fourth album, Jesus Freak.
After the unexpected success of the grunge rock single "Jesus Freak," "Between You and Me" helped to bring DC Talk to a new level of success and solidify them as mainstream artists.
"Between You and Me" was a commercial success. The song later earned DC Talk a GMA Dove Award. "Between You and Me" is, to this day, the only DC Talk single to have charted on the Billboard Hot 100.
Contents |
Lyrically, “Between You and Me” stresses the importance of seeking forgiveness from a friend.[2] In addition, the bridge of the song addresses the need for confessing one's sins to God.[3] DC Talk member Toby McKeehan, co-writer of the song, said that the lyrics simply describe the way relationships work.[4]
In contrast to many of the DC Talk's other singles, the Christian message of "Between You and Me" - the importance of forgiveness and confession - is heavily implied, although isn't blatantly stated in terms of any specific religion.[5] The only mention of God is featured during the breakdown of the song, which is absent in the radio edit.[6]
"Between You And Me" is built around acoustic strumming and synthesized drums, courtesy of Scott Williamson.[7] "Between You And Me" features a chorus that is in a different key than its verses.[6] The song begins with acoustic strumming in the key of G major.[6] The song then moves into the key of E major during the verses, before reverting back to G major during the choruses.[6] During the verses, Michael Tait, Kevin Max, and Toby McKeehan take turns singing lead. The second chorus is followed by a melodic breakdown featuring minimalistic guitar and whispered vocals. The song then repeats the line "It's my way to freedom" and "I've got something to say" until the end.[6]
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic | [1] |
The song was released as a the second single for Jesus Freak in 1996 and, compared to the glowing reception of "Jesus Freak," was largely critically ignored by Christian radio. Due to its wide appeal, however, the song was extensively played on many non-Christian stations, leading the single to become a major hit.
The song's surprising rise on the Billboard's charts was a result of the partnership with Virgin Records. Phil Quartararo, then-CEO of Virgin Records said that, "["Between You and Me"] was identified early in the game as a very radio-friendly cut."[4]
In addition to "Jesus Freak" and "Colored People," "Between You and Me" was considered instrumental in breaking DC Talk into the mainstream.[8] Commercially, the song was a smash hit. The song remains DC Talk's highest-charting single on mainstream radio, peaking at number 29 on the Billboard Hot 100 single chart.[9]
"Between You and Me" was successful when it came to the GMA Dove Awards. In 1997, the song won an award for the best Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year.[10]
The music video for the song features Michael Tait, Kevin Max, and Toby McKeehan performing the song in a laundromat. Interspersed is footage of a man carrying a package and running from two men. Near the end, he runs into the laundromat where DC Talk are singing and deposits the box in a trash can before leaving. Tait, Max, and McKeehan then reach into the trash can to investigate the contents of the box. Just as the box is opened, the video ends.
Many fans have speculated that the box represents sins, and the man running placed the box in the trash can for the world to see, metaphorically confessing his sins to the public, and making amends.[5]
The video for "Between You and Me" received regular airtime on MTV and VH1.[11]
Various version of "Between You and Me" have appeared on several DC Talk official releases, including the band's greatest hits album Intermission.[12] Interestingly, a live version of "Between You and Me" is not included on the 1997 live release Welcome to the Freak Show.[13] This is due to the fact that "Between You and Me" was not played until the last dates of the tour, after which the recording had already taken place. "Between You and Me" also appears on the compilation album WOW 1997.
The song was covered by both Relient K and the team-up of Paul Wright and Ayiesha Woods for the tribute album Freaked!.[14]
US Radio Promo
UK Commercial Single
European Commercial Single
| Chart (1996) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100[15] | 29 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks[15] | 11 |
| U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary[15] | 24 |
| U.S. Billboard Top 40 Mainstream[15] | 15 |
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