Word of God Speak
Encyclopedia
"Word of God Speak" is a song by contemporary Christian/Christian Rock
band MercyMe
. Written by Bart Millard and Pete Kipley, the song uses sparse instrumentation, featuring only piano
and strings
to accompany Millard's vocals. The lyrics to "Word of God Speak" reflect on the idea that it is impossible to speak of an infinite God with a limited vocabulary.
Released as the second single from MercyMe's 2002 album Spoken For
, "Word of God Speak" attained massive success on Christian radio, spending twenty-three weeks atop the Christian Songs chart, a record for that chart; it spent a total of seventy-six weeks on that chart. It also topped the Hot Christian AC, Christian AC, and INSPO charts, and peaked at No. 25 on the Christian CHR chart. Billboard
magazine ranked "Word of God Speak" at the top spot on their 2000s decade-end Christian Songs and Hot Christian AC charts. It won the Dove Awards for Song of the Year
and Pop/Contemporary Song of the Year at the 35th GMA Dove Awards.
". The travel was exhausting, and Millard commented that, one of the nights on tour, he "went to bed just really frustrated... It started feeling like everything I was saying was the same. I just thought, I have nothing else to say. So I went to bed with that on my mind". After falling asleep, Millard woke up early in the morning and wrote several lines to the song in his journal before going back to sleep. Several weeks later, he was searching through his journal and found the notes again; when he went to the band's studio, he showed the notes to his producer, Pete Kipley. The two finished the lyrics to the song in less than thirty minutes, and recorded the piano the same night; they also brought in someone to compose a string track for the song. Millard wanted the song to contain only piano, avoiding the big production that could assure the song success on the radio, as he felt the simple production would mirror the lyrics.
"Spoken For" was written by Bart Millard 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, Tennessee
, 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 Salvo at Salvo Mix.
song with a length of three minutes and seven seconds. It is set in the key of C major
and has a tempo
of 69 beats per minute, with a vocal range spanning from C4-F5.
The music to "Word of God Speak" is simple, featuring piano and vocals; a string
track is also present. The simple production was intended to mirror the lyrics of the song, which reflect on the idea that it is impossible to speak of an infinite God with a limited vocabulary. A critic also noted the song reminds that "prayer and worship are not flowery orations".
, Russ Breimeier commented that "I particularly liked the brief "Word of God Speak," which simply reminds us that prayer and worship aren't about flowery orations... This song is to prayer what "Heart of Worship" is to worship".
"Word of God Speak" won the awards for Song of the Year
and Pop/Contemporary Song of the Year at the 35th GMA Dove Awards.
Christian Songs chart, spending a record twenty-three weeks atop the chart; the song spent a total of seventy-six weeks on the chart. On the Billboard Hot Christian AC chart, the song spent twenty-one weeks atop the chart, and spent sixty-one weeks on the chart in total. On the Radio & Records
Christian AC chart, "Word of God Speak" spent ten weeks at the top, and stayed on the chart for forty-six weeks in total; on the Radio & Records INSPO chart, the song spent nine weeks atop the chart, and spent twenty-one weeks on the chart in total. Additionally, the song peaked at No. 25 on the Radio & Records Christian CHR chart, and spent twelve weeks on that chart in total.
"Word of God Speak" ranked at No. 5 on the 2004 year-end Billboard Hot Christian Singles & Tracks Titles chart, and at No. 9 on the 2004 year-end Billboard Hot Christian Adult Contemporary Titles chart. It ranked at No. 1 on both the 2000s decade-end Christian Songs chart and the 2000s decade-end Hot Christian AC chart.
covered the song on her 2005 album As I Am
. Christian rock
band Kutless
recorded a version of the song on their 2005 album Strong Tower
. Contemporary Christian band Big Daddy Weave
recorded a version of the song that was included on the 2004 compilation album WOW Worship: Red.
Year-end charts
Decade-end charts
roles in the group are credited.
MercyMe
Additional performers
Technical/Misc.
Christian rock
Christian rock is a form of rock music played by individuals and bands whose members are Christians and who often focus the lyrics on matters concerned with the Christian faith. The extent to which their lyrics are explicitly Christian varies between bands...
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 and Pete Kipley, the song uses sparse instrumentation, featuring only piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
and strings
String section
The string section is the largest body of the standard orchestra and consists of bowed string instruments of the violin family.It normally comprises five sections: the first violins, the second violins, the violas, the cellos, and the double basses...
to accompany Millard's vocals. The lyrics to "Word of God Speak" reflect on the idea that it is impossible to speak of an infinite God with a limited vocabulary.
Released as the second single from MercyMe's 2002 album Spoken For
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...
, "Word of God Speak" attained massive success on Christian radio, spending twenty-three weeks atop the Christian Songs chart, a record for that chart; it spent a total of seventy-six weeks on that chart. It also topped the Hot Christian AC, Christian AC, and INSPO charts, and peaked at No. 25 on the Christian CHR chart. Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
magazine ranked "Word of God Speak" at the top spot on their 2000s decade-end Christian Songs and Hot Christian AC charts. It won the Dove Awards 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"...
and Pop/Contemporary Song of the Year at the 35th GMA Dove Awards.
Background
MercyMe's lead singer Bart Millard wrote "Word of God Speak" while touring in support of their single "I Can Only ImagineI Can Only Imagine
"I Can Only Imagine" is a single recorded by contemporary Christian and Christian rock band MercyMe. Written and composed by Bart Millard, the song, based around a main piano track, was inspired by the death of Millard's father and considers what it would be like in Heaven and to be standing...
". The travel was exhausting, and Millard commented that, one of the nights on tour, he "went to bed just really frustrated... It started feeling like everything I was saying was the same. I just thought, I have nothing else to say. So I went to bed with that on my mind". After falling asleep, Millard woke up early in the morning and wrote several lines to the song in his journal before going back to sleep. Several weeks later, he was searching through his journal and found the notes again; when he went to the band's studio, he showed the notes to his producer, Pete Kipley. The two finished the lyrics to the song in less than thirty minutes, and recorded the piano the same night; they also brought in someone to compose a string track for the song. Millard wanted the song to contain only piano, avoiding the big production that could assure the song success on the radio, as he felt the simple production would mirror the lyrics.
"Spoken For" was written by Bart Millard 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, Tennessee
Franklin, 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 Salvo at Salvo Mix.
Composition
"Word of God Speak" 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 three minutes and seven seconds. It 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 69 beats per minute, with a vocal range spanning from C4-F5.
The music to "Word of God Speak" is simple, featuring piano and vocals; a string
String section
The string section is the largest body of the standard orchestra and consists of bowed string instruments of the violin family.It normally comprises five sections: the first violins, the second violins, the violas, the cellos, and the double basses...
track is also present. The simple production was intended to mirror the lyrics of the song, which reflect on the idea that it is impossible to speak of an infinite God with a limited vocabulary. A critic also noted the song reminds that "prayer and worship are not flowery orations".
Critical reception
On his review of Spoken ForSpoken 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...
, Russ Breimeier commented that "I particularly liked the brief "Word of God Speak," which simply reminds us that prayer and worship aren't about flowery orations... This song is to prayer what "Heart of Worship" is to worship".
"Word of God Speak" won the awards 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"...
and Pop/Contemporary Song of the Year at the 35th GMA Dove Awards.
Chart performance
"Word of God Speak" had tremendous success as a single. The song peaked at number one on the BillboardBillboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Christian Songs chart, spending a record twenty-three weeks atop the chart; the song spent a total of seventy-six weeks on the chart. On the Billboard Hot Christian AC chart, the song spent twenty-one weeks atop the chart, and spent sixty-one weeks on the chart in total. On 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 chart, "Word of God Speak" spent ten weeks at the top, and stayed on the chart for forty-six weeks in total; on the Radio & Records INSPO chart, the song spent nine weeks atop the chart, and spent twenty-one weeks on the chart in total. Additionally, the song peaked at No. 25 on the Radio & Records Christian CHR chart, and spent twelve weeks on that chart in total.
"Word of God Speak" ranked at No. 5 on the 2004 year-end Billboard Hot Christian Singles & Tracks Titles chart, and at No. 9 on the 2004 year-end Billboard Hot Christian Adult Contemporary Titles chart. It ranked at No. 1 on both the 2000s decade-end Christian Songs chart and the 2000s decade-end Hot Christian AC chart.
Cover versions
"Word of God Speak" has been covered by several artists. Actress Kristin ChenowethKristin Chenoweth
Kristin Chenoweth is an American singer and actress, with credits in musical theatre, film and television. She is best known on Broadway for her performance as Sally Brown in You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown , for which she won a Tony Award, and for originating the role of Glinda in the musical...
covered the song on her 2005 album As I Am
As I Am (Kristin Chenoweth album)
-Track listing:# It Will Be Me - 3:57# Word of God Speak - 3:15# Because He Lives - 4:56# Abide in Me - 5:09# Borrowed Angels - 4:02# There Will Never Be Another - 3:59# Poor, Wayfaring Stranger - 5:09# Joyful, Joyful - 3:29# The Song Remembers When - 3:55...
. Christian rock
Christian rock
Christian rock is a form of rock music played by individuals and bands whose members are Christians and who often focus the lyrics on matters concerned with the Christian faith. The extent to which their lyrics are explicitly Christian varies between bands...
band Kutless
Kutless
Kutless is a Christian rock band from Portland, Oregon formed in 1999. Since their formation, they have released six studio albums including their latest, It Is Well. The band has also released a live album, Live from Portland. Currently, they have sold almost 2 million records.-Biography:Formed in...
recorded a version of the song on their 2005 album Strong Tower
Strong Tower
Strong Tower is a worship album released by the Christian rock group, Kutless, and it is also their third studio album. An enhanced Deluxe Edition of this album was released on March 20, 2007. The additional tracks included on the Deluxe Edition are "My Savior and My God", "We Exalt Thee", and...
. Contemporary Christian band Big Daddy Weave
Big Daddy Weave
Big Daddy Weave is a contemporary Christian band composed of Mike Weaver , Jay Weaver, Jeremy Redmon, and Joe Shirk. Their popular songs include: "Every Time I Breathe", "Audience of One", "In Christ", "Fields of Grace", "Without You", and "What Life Would Be Like". They are signed to Fervent...
recorded a version of the song that was included on the 2004 compilation album WOW Worship: Red.
Track listing
CD release- "I Can Only Imagine" – 4:08 (Bart Millard)
- "Word of God Speak" – 3:07 (Peter Kipley, Millard)
Charts
Weekly charts| Chart (2003-2004) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... Christian Songs |
1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Christian AC | 1 |
| 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 | 25 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (2004) | Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... Hot Christian Singles & Tracks Titles |
5 |
| U.S. Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... Hot Christian Adult Contemporary Titles |
9 |
Decade-end charts
| Chart (2000s) | Position |
|---|---|
| Billboard Hot Christian Songs Hot Christian Songs Christian Songs is a Billboard chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.... |
1 |
| Billboard Hot Christian AC | 1 |
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. As only piano and strings are present in the song, only Bryson and Millard's de factoDe facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
roles in the group are credited.
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
- Jim Bryson – keys, recording
Additional performers
- Roy G. Biv String Vibe - strings
Technical/Misc.
- Csaba Petozz - recording
- J. R. McNeely - recording
- Lee Bridges - recording
- Richard Dodd - mastering
- Salvo - mixing