Released February 18, 1995 Recorded 1994 Writer(s) Eliot Sloan | Format CD, cassette Length 4:27 "Let Me Be the One"(1995) "I Believe"(1995) | |
"I Believe" is a single by the American alternative rock band Blessid Union of Souls from their 1995 debut album Home. It is one of their most popular songs, and their highest-charting in the United States, reaching number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Contents
The song was written after vocalist Eliot Sloan's girlfriend "Lisa" was forced by her father to stop dating Sloan.
On the third verse of the edited version, the word "Nigger" is replaced with "Brother."
History
According to the "I Believe Story" from Blessid Union of Souls's compilation album Almost Acoustic (Volume 1), the song was written by vocalist Eliot Sloan in the early morning when he imagined the main piano sample which would be used in the song and then played it.
Eliot Sloan stated in an interview with The Celebrity Cafe that he wrote the song about his relationship with "Lisa", a girl he once dated. Lisa's father allegedly threatened to cut off her college tuition if she continued to see Eliot. They said good-bye and went their separate ways. He said that he still very much missed her, and placed a message in the liner notes of Home: "Lisa, give me a call sometime just to say hello, my number is still the same."
Meaning
The song is about the lack of love in the world. In an interview with thecelebritycafe.com, Eliot Sloan said "when I sing 'Love will find a way,' I mean 'God will find a way,'" and that he has always believed that "God is love." While the song uses fairly subtle Christian themes, as do many of the band's songs, they tried to make it not sound too preachy.
Music video
A music video was made for "I Believe". It shows the band members singing the song, interspersed with footage representing the ideas of the song.
Critical reception
In a review of Home by Allmusic, staff writer Tom Demalon said that the song "revealed the band to have more of a social conscience than similar acts such as Hootie & the Blowfish through the spiritually tinged lyrics." In a review by Rolling Stone, staff writer Paul Evans called the song "all righteous, wide-eyed affirmation".
Track listing
UK CD Single
- I Believe (Radio Mix) - 3:45
- Heaven - 4:33
- I Believe (Original Version) - 3:45
- I Believe (Blessid Q Mix) - 4:02
US Cassette Single
Side A
- I Believe (Original Mix) - 4:37
Side B
- I Believe (Album Mix) - 4:17
- Heaven - 4:33