Spoken For (song)
Encyclopedia
"Spoken For" is a song by contemporary Christian
band MercyMe
. Written by Bart Millard, Nathan Cochran, Mike Scheuchzer, Jim Bryson, Robby Shaffer, and Pete Kipley, "Spoken For" has been described as "haunting", and as having a "strong lyrical hook".
Spoken For was released in 2002 as the lead single
from MercyMe's 2002 album of the same title
. It attained success on Christian radio, peaking atop the Radio & Records
Christian AC and INPSO charts, as well as at No. 6 on the Radio & Records Christian CHR chart. It was nominated for Song of the Year
at the 34th GMA Dove Awards.
, Indigo Room in Franklin, Tennessee, HydeAway Sound Lab in Jeckyll Island, Georgia
, The Scwoodio in Greenville, Texas
, Mountain View Recorders in Glorieta, New Mexico
, and Playground Recording in Wylie, Texas
. It was mastered by Richard Dodd at Vital Recordings, and mixed by F. Reid Shippen
at Recording Arts in Nashville, Tennessee
.
song with a length of four minutes and nine seconds. The song is set in the key of C major
and has a tempo
of 80 beats per minute, with a vocal range spanning from A3-F5
The verse for "Spoken For" (“Take this world from me/I don’t need it anymore/I am finally free/My heart is spoken for”) has been described as "memorable", while the song itself has been described as "haunting". The song's lyrical hook has been described as "strong".
commented that the song is "worshipful", also commenting that "MercyMe is destined for another big hit with ["Spoken For"]... I don't think it'll have the same impact as their signature hit, but it's enough to firmly establish MercyMe's popularity". Tony Cummings of Cross Rhythms
opined in his review of the album that "I particularly liked the haunting “Spoken For”".
"Spoken For" was nominated for Song of the Year
at the 34th GMA Dove Awards.
Christian AC chart, holding that spot for a total of seven weeks. In all, it spent thirty-six weeks on the chart. On the Radio & Records INSPO chart, "Spoken For" held the top spot for six weeks, and spent a total of twenty-one weeks on the chart. On the Radio & Records Christian CHR chart, "Spoken For" peaked at No. 6, spending a total of twenty-eight weeks on the chart.
MercyMe
Additional performers
Technical/Misc.
Contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
band MercyMe
MercyMe
MercyMe is an American Christian rock band founded in Greenville, Texas. The band consists of vocalist Bart Millard, keyboardist James Bryson, percussionist Robby Shaffer, bassist Nathan Cochran and guitarists Michael Scheuchzer and Barry Graul....
. Written by Bart Millard, Nathan Cochran, Mike Scheuchzer, Jim Bryson, Robby Shaffer, and Pete Kipley, "Spoken For" has been described as "haunting", and as having a "strong lyrical hook".
Spoken For was released in 2002 as the lead single
Lead single
A lead single is usually the first single released by a musician or a band before the release of its home album.During the era of the grammophone record, all music arrived in the marketplace as what is now termed a single, one potential hit song backed by an additional song of generally less...
from MercyMe's 2002 album of the same title
Spoken For
Spoken For is the second major label, full-length studio album from Contemporary Christian band MercyMe. Released on October 1, 2002, Spoken For sold 28,000 copies in its first week, debuting at No. 41 on the Billboard 200; it also peaked at No. 2 on the Christian Albums chart and No. 6 on the Top...
. It attained success on Christian radio, peaking atop the Radio & Records
Radio & Records
Radio & Records was a trade publication providing news and airplay information for the radio and music industries. It originally started out as an independent trade from 1973 to 2006 until VNU Media took over in 2006, up until its final issue in 2009.-History:The company was founded in 1973 and...
Christian AC and INPSO charts, as well as at No. 6 on the Radio & Records Christian CHR chart. It was nominated for Song of the Year
Dove Award for Song of the Year
The following is a list of recipients of the GMA Dove Award for Song of the Year:* 2011 "Sometimes I Cry" * 2010 "By Your Side" * 2009 "Give Me Your Eyes" * 2008 "East to West"...
at the 34th GMA Dove Awards.
Background
"Spoken For" was written by Bart Millard, Nathan Cochran, Mike Scheuchzer, Jim Bryson, Robby Shaffer, and Pete Kipley; it was also produced by Kipley. The song was recorded in several locations; Luminous Sound in Dallas, Texas, The Sound Kitchen in Franklin, TennesseeFranklin, Tennessee
Franklin is a city within and the county seat of Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 62,487 as of the 2010 census Franklin is located approximately south of downtown Nashville.-History:...
, Indigo Room in Franklin, Tennessee, HydeAway Sound Lab in Jeckyll Island, Georgia
Jekyll Island
Jekyll Island is an island off the coast of the U.S. state of Georgia, in Glynn County; it is one of the Sea Islands and one of the Golden Isles of Georgia. The city of Brunswick, Georgia, the Marshes of Glynn, and several other islands, including the larger St. Simons Island, are nearby...
, The Scwoodio in Greenville, Texas
Greenville, Texas
Greenville is the county seat, and the largest city, of Hunt County, Texas, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 25,557....
, Mountain View Recorders in Glorieta, New Mexico
Glorieta, New Mexico
Glorieta is a census-designated place in Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States. It is part of the Santa Fe, New Mexico Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 859 at the 2000 census...
, and Playground Recording in Wylie, Texas
Wylie, Texas
Not to be confused with the unincorporated area of Wylie, Texas just outside Abilene, Texas.Wylie is a city in Collin, Dallas, and Rockwall Counties in the U.S. state of Texas, and a suburb of Dallas. At the 2000 Census, the population was 15,132; 2004 estimates pegged it at 25,850...
. It was mastered by Richard Dodd at Vital Recordings, and mixed by F. Reid Shippen
F. Reid Shippen
F. Reid Shippen is a six-time Grammy Award-winning music mixer, engineer, and producer, currently based in Nashville, TN.-Biography:Growing up in Fair Haven, NJ, F. Reid Shippen performed in bands and eventually decided that he wanted to pursue a career in music. He attended , where he graduated...
at Recording Arts in Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
.
Composition
"Spoken For" is a contemporary ChristianContemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
song with a length of four minutes and nine seconds. The song is set in the key of C major
C major
C major is a musical major scale based on C, with pitches C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. Its key signature has no flats/sharps.Its relative minor is A minor, and its parallel minor is C minor....
and has a tempo
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
of 80 beats per minute, with a vocal range spanning from A3-F5
The verse for "Spoken For" (“Take this world from me/I don’t need it anymore/I am finally free/My heart is spoken for”) has been described as "memorable", while the song itself has been described as "haunting". The song's lyrical hook has been described as "strong".
Critical reception
"Spoken For" received generally positive reviews from critics. Kevin McNeese of New Release Tuesday commented that "["Spoken For"] ...reminds us of the importance and adoration that God places on us". Russ Breimeier of Christianity TodayChristianity Today
Christianity Today is an Evangelical Christian periodical based in Carol Stream, Illinois. It is the flagship publication of its parent company Christianity Today International, claiming circulation figures of 140,000 and readership of 290,000...
commented that the song is "worshipful", also commenting that "MercyMe is destined for another big hit with ["Spoken For"]... I don't think it'll have the same impact as their signature hit, but it's enough to firmly establish MercyMe's popularity". Tony Cummings of Cross Rhythms
Cross Rhythms
Cross Rhythms is a Christian media organisation based in Stoke-on-Trent, England.-History:The roots of what was to become Cross Rhythms go back to two separate sources which merged in 1991. In 1983, broadcaster Chris Cole started a 30-minute weekly Christian music radio show on Plymouth Sound FM, a...
opined in his review of the album that "I particularly liked the haunting “Spoken For”".
"Spoken For" was nominated for Song of the Year
Dove Award for Song of the Year
The following is a list of recipients of the GMA Dove Award for Song of the Year:* 2011 "Sometimes I Cry" * 2010 "By Your Side" * 2009 "Give Me Your Eyes" * 2008 "East to West"...
at the 34th GMA Dove Awards.
Chart performance
"Spoken For" peaked at No. 1 on the Radio & RecordsRadio & Records
Radio & Records was a trade publication providing news and airplay information for the radio and music industries. It originally started out as an independent trade from 1973 to 2006 until VNU Media took over in 2006, up until its final issue in 2009.-History:The company was founded in 1973 and...
Christian AC chart, holding that spot for a total of seven weeks. In all, it spent thirty-six weeks on the chart. On the Radio & Records INSPO chart, "Spoken For" held the top spot for six weeks, and spent a total of twenty-one weeks on the chart. On the Radio & Records Christian CHR chart, "Spoken For" peaked at No. 6, spending a total of twenty-eight weeks on the chart.
Charts
| Chart (2002-2003) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. R&R Radio & Records Radio & Records was a trade publication providing news and airplay information for the radio and music industries. It originally started out as an independent trade from 1973 to 2006 until VNU Media took over in 2006, up until its final issue in 2009.-History:The company was founded in 1973 and... Christian AC |
1 |
| U.S. R&R INSPO | 1 |
| U.S. R&R Christian CHR | 6 |
Personnel
(Credits lifted from the album liner notes)The band members' instruments are not credited on the album's liner notes, aside from Bryson's role in recording. Their primary instruments are listed based on their de facto primary roles in the group.MercyMe
MercyMe
MercyMe is an American Christian rock band founded in Greenville, Texas. The band consists of vocalist Bart Millard, keyboardist James Bryson, percussionist Robby Shaffer, bassist Nathan Cochran and guitarists Michael Scheuchzer and Barry Graul....
- Bart Millard – lead vocals, background vocals
- Jim Bryson – keys, recording
- Robby Shaffer – drums
- Mike Scheuchzer – guitars
- Nathan Cochran – bass guitar
Additional performers
- Travis CottrellTravis CottrellTravis Cottrell is an American contemporary Christian music artist, songwriter, and worship leader.- Biography :Cottrell was raised in Boone, North Carolina. In 1990, he moved to Nashville, Tennessee to study at Belmont University. After graduating in 1992 with a degree in music, Cottrell...
- background vocals - Will Owsley - background vocals
- Roy G. Biv String Vibe - strings
Technical/Misc.
- Csaba Petozz - recording
- J. R. McNeely - recording
- Lee Bridges - recording
- Richard Dodd - mastering
- F. Reid ShippenF. Reid ShippenF. Reid Shippen is a six-time Grammy Award-winning music mixer, engineer, and producer, currently based in Nashville, TN.-Biography:Growing up in Fair Haven, NJ, F. Reid Shippen performed in bands and eventually decided that he wanted to pursue a career in music. He attended , where he graduated...
- mixing