| You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs | ||||
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| Studio album by LeAnn Rimes | ||||
| Released | September 9, 1997 | |||
| Recorded | 1997 | |||
| Genre | Country/Pop/Gospel | |||
| Length | 43:33 | |||
| Label | Curb | |||
| Producer |
Wilbur C. Rimes
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| LeAnn Rimes chronology | ||||
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| Singles from You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs | ||||
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You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs is the third album by American country singer LeAnn Rimes, released in the United States by Curb Records on September 9, 1997, when Rimes was 15 years old. The album was hugely successful but many critics thought that much of the material did not do Rimes' talent justice. The album has been certified 4× Platinum by the RIAA. It is the only album to ever debut number one on the Billboard 200, Top Country Albums, and Contemporary Christian charts at the same time.
Contents |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "You Light Up My Life" | Joe Brooks | 3:37 |
| 2. | "The Rose" | Amanda McBroom | 3:33 |
| 3. | "Bridge Over Troubled Waters" | Paul Simon | 4:40 |
| 4. | "I Believe" | Ervin Drake, Irvin Graham, Jimmy Shirl, Al Stillman | 2:22 |
| 5. | "Ten Thousand Angels Cried" | Dave Patillo | 3:59 |
| 6. | "Clinging to a Saving Hand" | Bill Mack | 2:44 |
| 7. | "On the Side of Angels" | Gary Burr, Gerry House | 3:49 |
| 8. | "I Know Who Holds Tomorrow" | Ira Stanphill | 4:41 |
| 9. | "God Bless America" | Irving Berlin | 3:06 |
| 10. | "How Do I Live" (Extended Mix) | Diane Warren | 4:57 |
| 11. | "Amazing Grace" (Traditional) | John Newton | 4:06 |
| 12. | "National Anthem" (Traditional) | Francis Scott Key | 1:59 |
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic | [1] |
As the official sequel to Blue (Unchained Melody: The Early Years was a collection of early recordings), You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs carried a lot of expectations. It was a record that should have consolidated LeAnn Rimes' status as contemporary country's brightest new star, but instead it does a curious thing—it positions her as an adult contemporary crossover artist. You Light Up My Life has as much pop as country, relying on such easy listening standards as the title track, "The Rose," and "God Bless America." As a result, the album has a bit of a bland, homogenous quality—it certainly could have used a bit of country grit. Rimes sings well throughout You Light Up My Life, but she often doesn't seem to connect completely with the material—it's telling that a remix of her previous hit "How Do I Live" stands out as one of the finest cuts here. You Light Up My Life is far from disastrous—Rimes has too much natural talent to be sunk by poorly chosen material—but it isn't the great leap forward it could have been.[1]
Two singles were released from the album, "You Light Up My Life" is the first single released from the album, it peaked at number 34 and was certified gold in the United States. The second and final single released from the album is "On the Side of Angels" which peaked at number 4 on the US Country Chart.
You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs debuted at number one on Billboard 200 with 186,000 copies sold in its first week,[2] the album dropped to number two in its second week but with a 10% increase with sales of 204,500. It returned to one in its sixth week with 131,500 copies sold. The album spent 13 weeks in the top 5, 17 weeks in the top 10 and a total of 55 weeks in Billboard 200. You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs was certified 4× Platinum by RIAA, denoting shipments of over 4 million copies. It is the only album in history to debut at number one on three separate charts at the same time, the three charts being the Billboard 200, the Billboard Top Country Albums, and the Billboard Contemporary Christian.
Peak Positions
End of decade chart
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Year-End Charts
Sales
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| Preceded by Ghetto D by Master P Evolution by Boyz II Men The Velvet Rope by Janet Jackson |
Billboard 200 number-one album September 27, 1997 – October 3, 1997 October 18, 1997 – October 24, 1997 November 1, 1997 – November 7, 1997 |
Succeeded by Butterfly by Mariah Carey The Velvet Rope by Janet Jackson The Album by The Firm |
| Preceded by (Songbook) A Collection of Hits by Trisha Yearwood Sevens by Garth Brooks |
Top Country Albums number-one album September 27, 1997 – November 21, 1997 February 7, 1998 – February 13, 1998 |
Succeeded by Come On Over by Shania Twain Come On Over by Shania Twain |
| Preceded by (Songbook) A Collection of Hits by Trisha Yearwood |
RPM Country Albums number-one album October 13, 1997 – October 26, 1997 |
Succeeded by The Greatest Hits Collection by Brooks & Dunn |
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