Straight Ahead (Amy Grant album)

Last updated

Straight Ahead
Straight Ahead.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedApril 6, 1984
Recorded1983–1984
Studio
Genre Contemporary Christian music
Length38:36
Label Myrrh
Producer Brown Bannister
Amy Grant chronology
A Christmas Album
(1983)
Straight Ahead
(1984)
Unguarded
(1985)
Singles from Straight Ahead
  1. "Angels"
    Released: 1984
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [1]
Cross Rhythms Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [2]

Straight Ahead is the sixth studio album by Christian music artist Amy Grant, released in 1984.

Contents

Straight Ahead was the follow-up to Grant's ground-breaking 1982 album Age to Age . Containing songs that were more aggressive than the ones found on Age to Age, Straight Ahead was not as commercially successful as its predecessor. Nonetheless, it still topped Billboard's Christian album chart for 61 weeks, knocking Age to Age from the number-one position. The song "Angels" was also a No. 1 Christian radio hit for 13 weeks, and won a Grammy Award for "Best Gospel Performance, Female." Straight Ahead would be certified gold in 1985. The song "Thy Word" is based on Psalm 119:105. [3]

In 2007, Straight Ahead was reissued and digitally remastered by Grant's new record label, EMI/Sparrow Records. The remastered edition is labeled with a "Digitally Remastered" logo in the 'gutter' on the CD front. [4]

Straight Ahead was the first Christian album to chart on the Billboard 200 chart. A&M reissued it in 1985, just as Grant was appearing on the Grammy Awards performing "Angels".

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Where Do You Hide Your Heart" Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith 3:57
2."Jehovah"Geoffrey P. Thurman5:57
3."Angels"Grant, Brown Bannister, Gary Chapman, Smith4:10
4."Straight Ahead"Grant, Chapman, Smith3:47
5."Thy Word"Grant, Smith3:19
6."It's Not a Song"Robbie Buchanan, Chapman3:27
7."Open Arms"Grant, Chapman, Bruce Hibbard3:22
8."Doubly Good to You" Rich Mullins 3:12
9."Tomorrow"Grant, Chapman, Hibbard3:24
10."The Now and the Not Yet" Pam Mark Hall 3:36

Personnel

Production

Music videos

Music videos were released for "Angels" in 1984 and "It's Not a Song" in 1985.

Charts

Weekly charts

YearChartPosition
1984Top Contemporary Christian1
1985The Billboard 200133
Cash Box Top Albums161

Year-end charts

YearChartPosition
1984U.S. Billboard Inspirational Albums3
19851
19868

End-of-decade charts

Chart (1980-1989)Rank
US Billboard Top Contemporary Christian [5] 11

Certifications and sales

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada) [6] Gold50,000^
United States (RIAA) [7] Gold500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Accolades

GMA Dove Awards

YearWinnerCategory
1985Straight AheadPop/Contemporary Album of the Year

Grammy Awards

YearWinnerCategory
1985"Angels" Best Gospel Performance, Female

References

  1. Straight Ahead at AllMusic
  2. "Amy Grant - Straight Ahead (re-issue) | CROSS RHYTHMS REVIEW". Crossrhythms.co.uk. Retrieved September 17, 2011.
  3. "Thy Word Songfacts". Songfacts.com. Retrieved September 17, 2011.
  4. Sparrow Records News [ dead link ]
  5. "Top Christian Albums - 1980's" . Retrieved February 27, 2014.
  6. "Canadian album certifications – Amy Grant – Straight Ahead". Music Canada . Retrieved June 29, 2019.
  7. "American album certifications – Amy Grant – Straight Ahead". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved June 29, 2019.