B-side "Ten Pound Hammer" Format CD single, 45 RPM Genre Country | Released February 1995 Recorded September 1994 Length 3:52 | |
"Cain's Blood" is a song written by Michael Johnson and Jack Sundrud, and recorded by American country music group 4 Runner. It was released in February 1995 as the first single from the album 4 Runner. The song reached number 26 on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.
Contents
Content
The song is about "the tug and pull [between good and evil] that goes on inside each and every one of us", according to Polydor Records then-president Steve Miller. It uses the Biblical story of Cain and Abel to represent the narrator's struggle between good and evil. Co-writer Michael Johnson said that the idea for the chorus came to him while he was in jail for driving under the influence.
Music video
The music video premiered in February 1995. It was filmed at the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
Critical reception
"Cain's Blood" generally received positive reception for its Southern gospel sound. The single was also compared to the sound of The Oak Ridge Boys due to the use of four-part vocal harmony. Brian Wahlert of Country Standard Time wrote that the song is a "dark and moody testament to life's daily battle between good and evil in which the four voices become completely integrated into an eerie, foreboding whole."
Chart performance
"Cain's Blood" debuted at number 74 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks for the week of March 18, 1995.