Day 486 - Amy Grant - Sharayah

486. Amy Grant - Sharayah
From the album Unguarded
(A&M, 1985)

"Unguarded is a gutsy, dramatic move for Amy Grant. She could have sold another million copies of an Age to Age clone. Instead, she chose to work toward a tougher, leaner sound, something more akin to Cyndi Lauper than Jamie Owens-Collins.

At the sane time, Unguarded reflects a different lyric outlook – more personal, more reflective. And while songs like Fat Baby (from Age to Age) were written by Christians for other Christians who know the jargon, the songs on Unguarded are for a broader audience. I realize it’s a controversial stance, but I don’t see this as a watered-down message. Instead, it’s a message from one Christian to the world.

Old-time fans will feel more comfortable with Sharayah, a bit of catchy, immaculately crafted pop that’s closer to some of the tunes off Straight Ahead than anything else on Unguarded.

I really think that, given half a chance, Unguarded will make a significant impact in the mainstream market and expose contemporary Christian music to a whole new audience. And for those who say she selling out, it’s a matter of direction. Are we in this business to stroke the body or to take the message to a dying world? With Unguarded, Amy Grant takes the message where it’s needed most. Unguarded is a gutsy, dramatic move for Amy Grant." (source: Today'sChristianMusic.com)

Here is the original album version of the song: