Speechless (Steven Curtis Chapman album)

Speechless
Studio album by Steven Curtis Chapman
Released	June 3, 1999
Recorded	1998
Studio	The Sound Kitchen (Franklin, Tennessee) Abbey Road London, England)
Genre	CCM
Length	55:25
Label	Sparrow
Producer	Brown Bannister Steven Curtis Chapman
Steven Curtis Chapman chronology
Greatest Hits (1997) Speechless (1999) Declaration (2001)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Jesus Freak Hideout	[2]

Speechless is the ninth studio album by American contemporary Christian music singer and songwriter Steven Curtis Chapman. It was released on June 3, 1999, by Sparrow Records.

It was certified platinum by the RIAA on November 27, 2000. Chapman received the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album and Dove Awards for Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year and Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year (for "Dive").

The album provided more No. 1 chart singles (seven) on Christian contemporary radio than any of Chapman's other albums: "The Change", "Fingerprints of God", "The Invitation", "Great Expectations", "Be Still and Know", "Dive" and the title song "Speechless". The album is considered one of Chapman's greater works by many and is recognized by many as being one of the best Christian albums of all time. ^[3]

The concert tour in support of Speechless featured Chapman's longtime friend and co-writer Geoff Moore.

Marking the twenty-fifth anniversary of the album, Chapman launched the Speechless '25 tour with La Vie Quartet in September 2025. ^[4]

Track listing

All songs were written by Steven Curtis Chapman, except where noted.

1. "Dive" – 3:57
2. "Speechless" (Chapman, Geoff Moore) – 5:06
3. "The Change" (Chapman, James Issac Elliot) – 3:46
4. "Great Expectations" – 5:02
5. "Next 5 Minutes" (Adam Anders, Chapman) – 4:19
6. "Fingerprints of God" – 4:02
7. "The Invitation" (Chapman, Moore) – 4:57
8. "Whatever" – 4:01
9. "I Do Believe" – 4:01
10. "What I Really Want to Say" – 4:22
11. "With Hope" – 5:12
12. "The Journey" (Chapman, J.A.C. Redford) – 3:05
13. "Be Still and Know" – 3:19

Track information

• Chapman dedicated the song "Fingerprints of God" to his daughter Emily who, at the time had turned 13. ^[5]
• "With Hope" was written for a family, the Mullicans (friends of the Chapmans), who lost a child. It was later sung in honor of the victims of the 1997 Heath High School shooting in Paducah, Kentucky, Chapman's alma mater . ^[6]
• "What I Really Want to Say" is dedicated to Chapman's wife, Mary Beth.

Personnel

Musicians

• Steven Curtis Chapman – lead vocals, backing vocals (1–6, 8, 9), acoustic guitar (1, 2, 4–11), electric guitar (1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9–11), dobro (1, 5, 8), "Papoose" guitar (2, 3), mandolin (2, 7), synth solo (8), track arrangements
• Randy Pearce – electric guitar (1–11), track arrangement (5), acoustic guitar (7)
• Scott Sheriff – backing vocals (1, 3, 6, 8), acoustic piano (4), Hammond B3 organ (6)
• Shane Keister – acoustic piano (2, 13)
• Hardy Hemphill – acoustic piano (11)
• Adam Anders – programming (1–4, 8–10), bass (1–11), track arrangement (1, 3–5, 9, 10)
• Will Denton – drum loops (1), drums (2, 3, 5–8, 10, 11), track arrangement (5)
• Eric Darken – percussion (2, 8, 10)
• The London Session Orchestra – strings (2–4, 7, 10, 12, 13)
• Gavyn Wright – concertmaster (2–4, 7, 10, 12, 13)
• J.A.C. Redford – orchestral arrangements (2, 4, 7, 12, 13)
• Carl Marsh – orchestral arrangements (3, 10)
• Chris Eaton – backing vocals (9)

Choir on "Speechless"

• Marvin Copaus, Shari Davis, Teresa Easterling, Rhonda Hampton, Hardy Hemphill, Stacy Jeanette, Scott Sheriff, Mark Smeby, Layde Love Smith, Andy Sperry, Scot Tyler and Tina Tyler

Scripture reading on "The Change"

• Emily Chapman, Caleb Chapman and Will Franklin Chapman

Handclaps on "Fingerprints of God"

• Steve Bishir, Steven Curtis Chapman, Ray Mullican, Hank Nirider and David Trask

Production

• Dan Raines – executive producer
• Peter York – executive producer
• Brown Bannister – producer
• Steven Curtis Chapman – producer
• Steve Bishir – recording, mixing
• Hank Nirider – recording assistant, mix assistant, additional engineer
• Jed Hackett – recording assistant
• Melissa Mattey – recording assistant
• James "JB" Baird – additional engineer
• Patrick Kelly – additional engineer
• Gary Paczosa – additional engineer
• Aaron Swihart – additional engineeri
• Shane D. Wilson – additional engineer
• Mark Tucker – orchestra recording
• Andrew Dudman – orchestra recording assistant
• Ted Jensen – mastering at Sterling Sound (New York City, New York)
• Traci Sterling Bishir – production manager
• Wayne Brezinka – art direction, design
• Jan Cook – art direction
• Christiév Carothers – creative director
• Robert Fleischauer – photography
• Gino Tanabe – stylist
• Catherine Furness – grooming

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for Speechless Chart (1999) Peak position US Billboard 200 [7] 31 US Christian Albums (Billboard) [8] 1

Year-end charts Year-end chart performance for Speechless Chart (1999) Position US Billboard 200 [9] 182

Certifications

Certifications for Speechless

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [10]	Platinum	1,000,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

1. Speechless at AllMusic
2. "Steven Curtis Chapman, "Speechless" Review". Jesus Freak Hideout. June 15, 1999. Retrieved May 6, 2014.
3. #1 Radio History Archived November 12, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
4. "Steven Curtis Chapman, the most awarded artist in Christian music history, will celebrate the 25th anniversary of his album Speechless with the "Speechless '25" tour". Jesus Freak Hideout. May 9, 2025. Retrieved May 13, 2025.
5. Connection Magazine (November 2000). "Story Behind Song".
6. Connection Magazine. "Curtis Chapman".
7. "Steven Curtis Chapman Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
8. "Steven Curtis Chapman Chart History (Christian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
9. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1999". Billboard. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
10. "American album certifications – Steven Curtis Chapman – Speechless". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved January 22, 2021.