From the album Butterfly Kisses (Shades of Grace) (Diadem Records, 1997)
Before Butterfly Kisses became the biggest hit of his career, Bob Carlisle was best known (and not very well known at that) as the former lead singer and guitar player for the 80's Christian rock band Allies, which he formed with Randy Thomas of Sweet Comfort Band. Songs from both those groups will appear much later on in this list. Few people know that this was actually Bob's second big hit song. He also wrote Why'd You come in Here Looking Like That? which became a #1 country hit for Dolly Parton.
The song was originally recorded as a gift for Carlisle's daughter, Brooke's 16th birthday. He hadn't planned on releasing it at the time and only included it on his album after his wife had urged him to do so. "I was shy about it," Carlisle said, adding that he had to leave the room when he played it for his producers. When he returned the men were in tears.
The song, which just happened to be released around Father's Day, became a big hit after Diadem was purchased by Zomba Recording Group. The parent label's Chariman, Clive Calder discovered it when he was familiarizing himself with the new music his company had just acquired. He believed the song would strike a chord among fathers and daughters and urged his promotion people to push for airplay on top 40 and adult contemporary radio stations.
Around that time a New York Deejay started playing it after he heard that the phone lines lit up every time a deejay in Tampa played it.
According to Barry Weiss, president of Jive, another label owned by Zomba, "When WPLJ in New York started playing it, it turned into an overnight phenomenon. I mean, people were pulling over to the side of the New Jersey Turnpike and crying in their cars when they heard this song."
The song peaked at #1 on the Adult Contemporary Chart, 10 on the US Radio Songs Chart, 13 on the Adult mainstream chart, 16 on the US Pop Chart and 45 on the Country chart. Another version recorded by the Raybon Brothers hit #22 on the Hot 100 chart and 37 on the Country Songs chart. It earned Carlisle a Grammy Award for Country Song of the Year (as the songwriter) and three Dove awards for Inspirational recorded song of the Year, Song of the year and Southern Gospel Song of the year (also as songwriter).
The song was originally recorded as a gift for Carlisle's daughter, Brooke's 16th birthday. He hadn't planned on releasing it at the time and only included it on his album after his wife had urged him to do so. "I was shy about it," Carlisle said, adding that he had to leave the room when he played it for his producers. When he returned the men were in tears.
Bob Carlisle |
Around that time a New York Deejay started playing it after he heard that the phone lines lit up every time a deejay in Tampa played it.
According to Barry Weiss, president of Jive, another label owned by Zomba, "When WPLJ in New York started playing it, it turned into an overnight phenomenon. I mean, people were pulling over to the side of the New Jersey Turnpike and crying in their cars when they heard this song."
The song peaked at #1 on the Adult Contemporary Chart, 10 on the US Radio Songs Chart, 13 on the Adult mainstream chart, 16 on the US Pop Chart and 45 on the Country chart. Another version recorded by the Raybon Brothers hit #22 on the Hot 100 chart and 37 on the Country Songs chart. It earned Carlisle a Grammy Award for Country Song of the Year (as the songwriter) and three Dove awards for Inspirational recorded song of the Year, Song of the year and Southern Gospel Song of the year (also as songwriter).
Here is the original album version of the song.
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