Amazed
"Amazed" | ||||
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Single by Lonestar | ||||
from the album Lonely Grill | ||||
B-side | "Tell Her" | |||
Released | March 22, 1999 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length |
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Label | BNA | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) |
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Lonestar singles chronology | ||||
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Alternate cover | ||||
![]() Alternate US pop cover | ||||
Music video | ||||
"Amazed" on YouTube |
"Amazed" is a song by American country music group Lonestar, released on March 22, 1999, for country radio as the second single from their third studio album Lonely Grill (1999).[2] The power ballad[1] is the band's longest-lasting number one single and biggest hit, spending eight weeks at the top of the Billboard country chart. The song was written by Marv Green, Aimee Mayo, and Chris Lindsey. A pop remix of the song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and number two on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks charts in 2000. The song has sold over 1,650,000 digital copies in the US as of February 2016.[3]
Only five years after Lonestar's "Amazed" topped the Billboard Hot 100 did another country song top the chart, as Carrie Underwood's "Inside Your Heaven" debuted at number one on the Hot 100 in 2005, making it one of just two songs to top the Hot 100 since 2000.
Since the release of the original, the song has been covered by Bonnie Tyler, Duncan James, and Fady Maalouf, all of whom have released their respective versions as singles. Ben Mills, Boyz II Men and Shane Filan of Westlife have included covers in their respective albums. On The Sing-Off (season 4, episode 3), judge Shawn Stockman, of Boyz II Men fame, mentioned that the song had been offered to them first, and they decided to turn it down.
Content[edit]
The song was written by songwriters Marv Green, Aimee Mayo, and Chris Lindsey. At the time of the songwriting, Mayo and Lindsey had begun dating and drew inspiration from their romance for the song. Mayo said "Our feelings for each other just started coming out as we were writing."[4] "Amazed" was then given to Lonestar for their 1999 album Lonely Grill and released as the album's lead single. The song is in the key of A♭ major with a vocal range from F3 to A♭4.[5] The intro, verses, solo and outro are in A♭ major, the pre-choruses are in B major, and the main choruses are in D♭ major.[citation needed]
The song reached number one on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks and remained there for eight consecutive weeks until it was knocked off by "Single White Female" by Chely Wright. With this accomplishment, it set a record for the longest run at number one on the country chart since Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems was initiated in 1990. This run was later tied by Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffett's 2003 single "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere", which spent eight non-consecutive weeks at number one. "Amazed" spent 41 weeks on the country singles chart,[6] giving it the second-longest chart run of any country single in the 1990s.[7] In addition, the single crossed over into the pop airwaves entering the Billboard Hot 100 at number 81. It peaked at number 24 before falling off the Hot 100.
The song was then remixed for pop radio (a tactic commonly used to present country-leaning songs to mainstream audiences) by Brian Tankersley, who redid the entire backing track with session musicians and added a new key change to D major for the final chorus and A minor for the outro; also having lead singer Richie McDonald re-record his vocals for the final portion of the remix in the new key.[8] The new mix's popularity prompted the single to re-enter the Hot 100 at number 45. On this second chart run, it hit number one on March 4, 2000. In doing so, it became the first power ballad to top the chart since Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" in 1998, as well as the first new country song to top the pop charts since Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton's 1983 duet "Islands in the Stream".[9] It also made Lonestar the first country band to place a song in the top ten of the Hot 100 year-end countdown. All remixes of the song made the single spend a combined total of 55 weeks in the Hot 100, and 41 weeks on Hot Country Singles & Tracks. It had sold 1,628,000 digital copies in the US as of December 2015.[3]
Only five years after "Amazed" topped the Billboard Hot 100 did another country song top the chart, as Carrie Underwood's "Inside Your Heaven" debuted at number one on the Hot 100, in June 2005.[10] "Amazed" and "Inside Your Heaven" are the only country songs in the 2000s decade to hit number one on the Hot 100.[11]
In the United Kingdom, "Amazed" reached a peak of number 21 and spent 22 weeks in the charts. It spent 17 weeks in the top 40 without ever breaking into the top 20.
Critical reception[edit]
A review in Billboard was mostly favorable, praising Richie McDonald's lead vocals for "perfectly convey[ing] the tenderness and wonder felt in a loving relationship" but saying that some of the lyrics were "a little too clichéd".[12]
Music video[edit]
Trey Fanjoy directed the music video for Lonestar's rendition. It premiered on CMT on July 20, 1999. It features the band performing the song in a dark room, and a model making seductive poses. The model is portrayed by Sunny Mabrey. This was the first video that Lonestar members do not wear cowboy hats, and Keech Rainwater no longer has long hair. The original music video uses the album version for country channels; a second video was created from the footage for the song's pop remix and served to international and pop stations.
Track listings[edit]
US CD and cassette single[13][14]
US 7-inch single 1[15]
US 7-inch single 2[16]
Australian CD single[17]
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UK CD1 and cassette single[18][19]
UK CD2[20]
European CD single[21]
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Charts[edit]
Weekly charts[edit]
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Year-end charts[edit]
All-time charts[edit]
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Release history[edit]
Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
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United States | March 22, 1999 | Country radio | BNA | [53] |
February 8, 2000 |
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[54] | ||
United Kingdom | March 27, 2000 |
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[55] |
Certifications[edit]
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Australia (ARIA)[56] | Gold | 35,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[57] | Platinum | 600,000![]() |
United States (RIAA)[59] (physical) |
Gold | 500,000[58] |
United States (RIAA)[59] (digital) |
Gold | 1,650,000[3] |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Duncan James version[edit]
"Amazed" | ||||
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Single by Duncan James | ||||
from the album Future Past | ||||
B-side | "Save This Moment for Me" | |||
Released | September 29, 2006 | |||
Recorded | 2006 | |||
Genre | Pop | |||
Length | 3:58 | |||
Label | Innocent | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | Matt Prime | |||
Duncan James singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Amazed" on YouTube |
"Amazed" was the third and final single released from Future Past, the debut album of Duncan James, member of the English boy band Blue. It was released in the UK on March 12, 2007, but was withdrawn just days later, following James' being dropped from his record label due to poor sales of his previous singles and album. The single was also released in some European countries, such as Germany, where it peaked at number 181 on the German Singles Chart.
Track listings[edit]
UK CD single
- "Amazed" (radio edit) – 3:57
- "Save This Moment for Me" – 4:42
Germany CD1
- "Amazed" (radio edit) – 3:57
- "Part Time Love" – 4:01
Germany CD2
- "Amazed" (radio edit) – 3:57
- "You Can" – 3:55
- "Part Time Love" – 4:01
- "Amazed" (video clip) – 3:57
Charts[edit]
Chart (2007) | Peak position |
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German Singles Chart | 181 |
Italian Singles Chart[60] | 41 |
Turkish Singles Chart | 214 |
Fady Maalouf version[edit]
"Amazed" | ||||
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Single by Fady Maalouf | ||||
from the album Blessed | ||||
Released | 2008 | |||
Recorded | 2008 | |||
Genre | Pop | |||
Label | Columbia Deutschland | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Fady Maalouf singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Amazed" on YouTube |
In 2008, the runner up of the fifth season of Deutschland sucht den Superstar, the German version of Pop Idol, the Lebanese-German singer Fady Maalouf released a cover version of the song as his second single release immediately after the big success of his debut single "Blessed". The song also appears in his debut Blessed album's double CD rerelease, titled Blessed: New Edition.
Maalouf's version was a hit in Germany where it reached number 26[61] in the German Singles Chart. It was also released in Austria, reaching number 52 in the Austrian Singles Chart.
Track listings[edit]
CD single
- "Amazed" – (3:58)
- "Vole mon ame" – (3:42)
CD maxi
- "Amazed" – (3:58)
- "Vole mon ame" – (3:42)
- "Show Me Your Love" (Dance version) – (4:31)
- "Amazed" (Instrumental) – (3:58)
- "Amazed" (Video)
Charts[edit]
Chart (2009) | Peak position |
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Austrian Singles Chart | 52 |
German Singles Chart | 26 |
References in other media[edit]
In 2014, country music duo Haley & Michaels co-wrote their debut single "Just Another Love Song" with Lonestar lead vocalist Richie McDonald. The song makes lyrical reference to "Amazed", and features McDonald singing its chorus.[62]
References[edit]
- ^ a b "Official Charts Flashback 2000: Craig David – Fill Me In". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 7, 2020.
American band Lonestar landed inside the Top 40 with their country power ballad Amazed
- ^ Bjorke, Matt. "Lonestar - Lonely Grill CD Review". about.com. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
- ^ a b c Bjorke, Matt (February 23, 2016). "The Top 30 Digital Singles: February 22, 2016". Roughstock.
- ^ "The Story of... 'Amazed' by Lonestar".
- ^ Contemporary Country (1 ed.). Hal Leonard Corporation. 1999. pp. 4–8. The sheet music is in A major, with a note that the song is recorded a semitone lower than written.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. p. 244. ISBN 978-0-89820-177-2.
- ^ Whitburn, p. 644
- ^ "Nashville Recording".
- ^ Bronson, Fred (2003). Billboard's Hottest Hot 100 Hits. Billboard Books. p. 396. ISBN 978-0-8230-7738-0.
- ^ "Carrie Underwood's 'Inside Your Heaven' Debuts as Best Selling Song in the Nation and Breaks Chart History". PRNewswire. June 23, 2005.
- ^ "Hot 100 55th Anniversary: Every No. 1 Song (1958-2013) - 2000-2013". Billboard. August 2, 2013. Retrieved August 10, 2013.
- ^ "Singles". Billboard. April 17, 1999. p. 16.
- ^ Amazed (US CD single liner notes). Lonestar. BNA Records. 1999. BNA07863-65957-2.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Amazed (US cassette single sleeve). Lonestar. BNA Records. 1999. BNA07863-65957-4.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Amazed (US 7-inch single vinyl disc). Lonestar. BNA Records. 1999. BNA 07863 65755-7.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Amazed (US 7-inch single vinyl disc). Lonestar. BNA Records. 1999. BNA 07863 65906-7.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Amazed (Australian CD single liner notes). Lonestar. BNA Records, BMG. 2000. 74321 76462 2.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Amazed (UK CD1 liner notes). Lonestar. BNA Records, BMG. 2000. 74321742582.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Amazed (UK cassette single sleeve). Lonestar. BNA Records, BMG. 2000. 74321 74258 4.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Amazed (UK CD2 liner notes). Lonestar. BNA Records, BMG. 2000. 74321759432.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Amazed (European CD single liner notes). Lonestar. BNA Records, BMG. 2000. 74321 76462 2.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ "Lonestar – Amazed". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
- ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 9902." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. April 17, 2000. Retrieved July 7, 2013.
- ^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 9910." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. April 17, 2000. Retrieved July 7, 2013.
- ^ "Top RPM Country Tracks: Issue 8397." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. July 19, 1999. Retrieved July 7, 2013.
- ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 17, no. 26. June 24, 2000. p. 11. Retrieved September 7, 2020.
- ^ "Lonestar – Amazed" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
- ^ "Íslenski Listinn Sætin 21 til 40 (09.3– 16.3 2000)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). March 10, 2000. p. 12. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
- ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Amazed". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
- ^ "Lonestar – Amazed". Top 40 Singles.
- ^ "Lonestar – Amazed". VG-lista.
- ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
- ^ "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company.
- ^ "Lonestar Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ^ "Lonestar Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
- ^ "Lonestar Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard.
- ^ "Lonestar Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
- ^ "Lonestar Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard.
- ^ "RPM 1999 Top 100 Country Tracks". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. December 13, 1999. Retrieved November 14, 2018.
- ^ "Billboard Top 100 – 1999". Archived from the original on July 9, 2009. Retrieved August 28, 2010.
- ^ "Year End Charts – Year-end Singles – Hot Country Songs". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 11, 2007. Retrieved August 31, 2009.
- ^ "ARIA Top 100 Singles for 2000". ARIA. Retrieved September 7, 2020.
- ^ "Top 100 of 2000". Raidió Teilifís Éireann. Archived from the original on June 2, 2004. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
- ^ "End of Year Charts 2000". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
- ^ "Best Sellers of 2000: Singles Top 100". Music Week. January 20, 2001. p. 25.
- ^ "Billboard Top 100 – 2000". Retrieved August 31, 2010.
- ^ "Most Played Adult Contemporary Songs" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 8, no. 51. December 22, 2000. p. 50. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
- ^ "Most Played Adult Top 40 Songs of 2000" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 8, no. 51. December 22, 2000. p. 48. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
- ^ "Most Played Mainstream Top 40 Songs of 2000" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 8, no. 51. December 22, 2000. p. 54. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
- ^ "2001 The Year in Music". Billboard. Vol. 113, no. 52. December 29, 2001. p. YE-81. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
- ^ "Billboard Hot 100 60th Anniversary Interactive Chart". Billboard. Retrieved February 14, 2020.
- ^ "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1291. March 19, 1999. p. 58. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
- ^ Pietroluongo, Silvio (February 12, 2000). "Hot 100 Spotlight" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 112, no. 7. p. 71. Retrieved October 5, 2020.
- ^ "News". Music Week. March 4, 2000. p. 3.
[Amazed] is lined up to be released in the UK on March 27...
- ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2000 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
- ^ "British single certifications – Lonestar – Amazed". British Phonographic Industry.
- ^ "Best-Selling Records of 2000". Billboard. Vol. 113, no. 6. BPI Communications Inc. February 10, 2001. p. 64. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
- ^ a b "American single certifications – Lonestar – Amazed". Recording Industry Association of America.
- ^ "italiancharts.com - Italian charts portal". Italiancharts.com. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
- ^ "Amazed by Fady Maalouf - Music Charts". Acharts.co. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
- ^ Dukes, Billy (May 8, 2015). "Haley & Michaels, Lonestar's Richie McDonald Share Story Behind 'Just Another Love Song' – Exclusive Video Read More: Haley & Michaels Share Story Behind 'Just Another Love Song'". Taste of Country. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- 1990s ballads
- 1999 singles
- 1999 songs
- Bertelsmann Music Group singles
- Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles
- Billboard Hot Country Songs number-one singles of the year
- BNA Records singles
- Bonnie Tyler songs
- Columbia Records singles
- Country ballads
- Duncan James songs
- Fady Maalouf songs
- Innocent Records singles
- Lonestar songs
- Music videos directed by Trey Fanjoy
- RPM Country Tracks number-one singles of the year
- Song recordings produced by Dann Huff
- Songs written by Aimee Mayo
- Songs written by Chris Lindsey
- Songs written by Marv Green