Unguarded (Amy Grant album)

Last updated

Unguarded
Unguarded.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedMay 15, 1985
Recorded1984–85
Studio
Genre Contemporary Christian music
Length43:33
Label Myrrh, A&M, Word
Producer Brown Bannister
Amy Grant chronology
Straight Ahead
(1984)
Unguarded
(1985)
The Collection
(1986)
Singles from Unguarded
  1. "Find a Way"
    Released: 1985
  2. "Everywhere I Go"
    Released: 1985
  3. "Wise Up"
    Released: 1985
  4. "Sharayah"
    Released: 1985
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]

Unguarded is the seventh studio album by Christian and Pop singer Amy Grant, released in 1985 on A&M Records. It is Grant's first album released by A&M.

Contents

When Unguarded was released in 1985, Grant was perhaps the most popular star in contemporary Christian music, recording songs with religious lyrics in the pop/rock style of the day. With this album, however, the religious content of the lyrics was scaled back as compared with her two previous regular studio albums, Age to Age and Straight Ahead . The album track "I Love You" was Grant's first secular love song from her own pen. Despite this, the album's lead-off single, "Find a Way", was a number one hit on the Christian radio charts. Four other singles from the album were also Top Ten Christian radio hits.

The aggressive mainstream style of the songs on Unguarded, combined with a heavy promotional campaign on the part of the album's distributor in secular outlets, A&M Records, helped three of its singles reach the mainstream charts. "Find a Way" was a Top Ten hit on the Adult Contemporary chart and peaked at No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100, while "Everywhere I Go" was a Top Thirty AC single and "Wise Up" was a minor charting single on the Hot 100. Unguarded would be certified gold in September 1985, and platinum in June 1986.

This was the final album to be recorded at Caribou Ranch, which was owned by former Chicago producer/manager James William Guercio before the infamous March 1985 fire that destroyed the studio's control room.

In 2007, Unguarded 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. [3]

On October 16, 2020, in celebration of the album's 35th anniversary, it was reissued on limited edition white vinyl, with the original 10-song album along with a bonus LP of live tracks and audio commentary from Grant, with an alternate album cover featuring all four of the W-O-R-D album covers. This version was later released digitally on October 30, for streaming services only. [4]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Love of Another Kind" Amy Grant, Gary Chapman, Wayne Kirkpatrick, Rich Mullins 3:22
2."Find a Way"Grant, Michael W. Smith 3:28
3."Everywhere I Go"Mary Lee Kortes4:12
4."I Love You"Grant, Dann Huff, Smith4:25
5."Stepping In Your Shoes"Grant, Chris Eaton 4:37
6."Fight"Grant, Chapman, Huff4:42
7."Wise Up"Kirkpatrick, Billy Simon3:51
8."Who to Listen to"Chapman, Tim Marsh, Mark Wright4:22
9."Sharayah"Grant, Eaton4:53
10."The Prodigal (I'll Be Waiting)"Grant, Chapman, Robbie Buchanan5:10
35th Anniversary Edition bonus tracks (limited edition vinyl and streaming services) [5]
No.TitleLength
1."Love of Another Kind" (live)4:22
2."Find a Way" (live)4:57
3."Wise Up" (live)4:59
4."Fight" (live)5:10
5."All the Burners" (commentary)1:54
6."Caribou" (commentary)2:19
7."Chip Up" (commentary)1:56
8."There's a Time to Dance" (commentary)1:42
9."Giant Figure-Eight" (commentary)3:20

Personnel

Production

Album cover

To further heighten Grant's visual appeal, A&M released Unguarded with four different covers, respectively labeled W, O, R, and D. When the album was issued on compact disc, the 'D' variation became the standard version for the cover.

Charts

Weekly charts

YearChartPosition
198520035
Australia (Kent Music Report) [6] 59
Top Contemporary Christian1

Year-end charts

YearChartPosition
1985U.S. Billboard Inspirational Albums6
19861
198711

End-of-decade charts

Chart (1980-1989)Rank
US Billboard Top Contemporary Christian [7] 6

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada) [8] Gold50,000^
United States (RIAA) [9] Platinum1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Awards

GMA Dove Awards

YearWinnerCategory
1986UnguardedRecorded Music Packaging of the Year

Grammy Awards

YearWinnerCategory
1986Unguarded Best Gospel Performance, Female

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References

  1. William Ruhlmann. "Unguarded" . Retrieved July 8, 2013.
  2. "Amy Grant - Unguarded (re-issue) | CROSS RHYTHMS REVIEW". Crossrhythms.co.uk. Retrieved September 17, 2011.
  3. Sparrow Records News [ dead link ]
  4. Jessica Nicholson (October 1, 2020). "Amy Grant To Celebrate 'Unguarded' Album's 35th Anniversary With Limited Edition Vinyl". Music Row. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  5. NEWS SOURCE: The Media Collective (September 30, 2020). "SIX-TIME GRAMMY WINNER AMY GRANT CELEBRATES 35TH ANNIVERSARY OF "UNGUARDED" DOUBLE DISC, WHITE VINYL LIMITED EDITION, AVAILABLE OCTOBER 16". Jesus Freak Hideout. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  6. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 129. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  7. "Top Christian Albums - 1980's" . Retrieved February 27, 2014.
  8. "Canadian album certifications – Amy Grant – Unguarded". Music Canada . Retrieved June 29, 2019.
  9. "American album certifications – Amy Grant – Unguarded". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved June 29, 2019.