Format CD single Length 3:16 | Recorded 1999 Label Columbia | |
Released December 1999 (U.S.)
February 1, 2000 (U.S. re-issue) Genre Urban gospel, R&B, Dance-pop | ||
"Shackles (Praise You)" is the debut single by American gospel singer-songwriter duo Mary Mary, released in 1999. It is considered the group's signature song. Stan North of GospelFlava.com deemed it one of the pioneer songs of urban gospel music. The song was originally recorded and released in December 1999 upon Mary Mary's signing with Columbia Records and was re-released one month later as a promotional single for their upcoming debut album, Thankful. They both feature the same track listing but different album covers, the second using a picture of the duo. Mary Mary later shot a music video for the song. The song contains a sample of the Dennis Edwards' 1984 hit song "Don't Look Any Further".
Contents
Crossover success
"Shackles (Praise You)" became a crossover hit, being popular with gospel, R&B, and pop audiences. It was a Top 10 R&B and Top 40 pop hit, and peaked at #28 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It became the first gospel song in five years to crack the R&B top ten and gained wide exposure on the MTV video cable channel. In addition, "Shackles" was one of the few gospel songs to receive significant airplay on many CCM stations and appeared on many compilation CDs (including WOW Hits).
It was also a worldwide hit and reached number 5 in the United Kingdom and number 17 in Ireland.
Criticism
Like many contemporary gospel songs, "Shackles" was not without its criticism; many cited the song as being too modern and not staying true to its gospel roots. Mary Mary responded by saying:
However, the hip hop lines on many subsequent Mary Mary songs only added to the criticism. With the advent of more urban gospel songs, a new fan base was introduced.
Track listing
- "Shackles (Praise You)" (album version)
- "Shackles (Praise You)" (Maurice's Carnival 2000 Mix)
- "Shackles (Praise You)" (Maurice's New Year's Eve Dub)