"Find a Way" by Amy Grant

Song#:  2324
Date:  05/18/1985
Debut:  85
Peak:  29
Weeks:  16
Genre:  Pop, Contemporary Christian



Pop Bits:  Grant quickly became a Christian music star following the release of her self-titled debut album in 1977. She was only seventeen, but by the time she graduated high school she had three Top 10 hits to her name on the Contemporary Christian chart. More hits would follow with her next three studio albums all reaching #1 at CC. Her 1982 album Age to Age would become a major hit that began to attract a broader audience. It would be the first CC-based album to go gold and platinum and it earned Grant her first Grammy for Best Gospel Performance, Contemporary or Inspirational. That landmark album helped her next one, Straight Ahead, make an appearance on the Pop Album chart. With a growing fan base, Grant decided she wanted expand it even further by incorporating more mainstream pop into her CC music. The resulting album, Unguarded, was marketed to both Pop and Christian audiences and this first single, co-written by Grant, was sent to radio. The upbeat tune with slight Christian overtones got the job done by hitting the Pop Top 30, #7 AC, and spent 14 weeks at #1 on the CC songs chart. It was a major breakthrough for Grant that kept her star rising.

ReduxReview:  Before this song came out, I knew that Amy Grant was a big deal in the CC market. I even remember looking at the Age to Age album at the record store and contemplated buying it, but since I wasn't a religious person I didn't think I could relate to it and skipped it. Then this little burst of fresh air came over the airwaves and I changed my mind. Granted, the material on Unguarded is just shaded Christian and not as overt as some of Grant's earlier CC hits like "Sing Your Praise to the Lord" or "El Shaddai," but I enjoyed her songs and became a fan. I had hoped this song would do better at Pop as it's a good little jam steeped in 80s production, but the Top 30 showing certainly demonstrated that Grant had the goods to become a legit pop star.

ReduxRating:  8/10

Trivia:  Grant's decision to move in a more mainstream direction with Unguarded wasn't greeted well by some folks in the CC community. Not much was publicized about the album prior to its release, so her updated sound and vaguely Christian lyrics came as a surprise to many fans. While some called foul, others embraced the album and it became her fifth #1 at CC while becoming her second to go platinum. Although there have been a few Christian or religious-themed pop hits over the years, Grant's "Find a Way" has been considered the first CC song to break into the Pop Top 40. It would end up being a game changer that would later allow CC acts like Michael W. Smith, Stryper, DC Talk, and Jars of Clay to cross over onto the Pop chart.

_________________________________________________________________________________