God Only Knows (For King & Country song)

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"God Only Knows"
Single by For King & Country
from the album Burn the Ships
Released11 January 2019 (2019-01-11)
Recorded2017–2018
Length3:49[1]
LabelWord Entertainment
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
For King & Country singles chronology
"Joy"
(2018) 		"God Only Knows"
(2019) 		"Burn the Ships"
(2019)
Music video
"God Only Knows" on YouTube
Remix cover
Dolly Parton remix cover
Dolly Parton singles chronology
"I Will Always Love You"
(2019) 		"God Only Knows"
(2019) 		"There Was Jesus"
(2019)
Music video
"God Only Knows" (with Dolly Parton) on YouTube

"God Only Knows" is the second single by Christian alternative rock duo For King & Country for their third studio album, Burn the Ships (2018).[2] It was originally released as the third promotional single on 27 July 2018.[3] It impacted Christian radio on 11 January 2019.[4] The song peaked at No. 2 on the US Hot Christian Songs chart, becoming their tenth top-ten single. It also peaked at No. 94 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the duo's first song to reach the chart. The song is played in a B minor key, and 144 beats per minute.

Background[edit]

"God Only Knows" was released as the third promotional single from Burn the Ships on 27 July 2018; the duo also released the song's music video.[3] On 11 January 2019, "God Only Knows" was released to Christian radio as the second single from the album.[5] In an interview with Free CCM, the duo explained the message behind the song:[6]

"God Only Knows" is one of those songs that you know... there are inward songs that were written about specific circumstances and you hope someone else resonates with them. This was a song looking out. There seems to be a lot of you saying this, you did this, how dare you. The song is a question mark of well, first of all, do we understand each other fully? Our histories, our family heritages, the struggles in life, the things that have been done to us that no one knows about. The shame that we carry. Some of it we've done to ourselves, that's self-sabotage. Some of it other people have done to us. You're just seeing a brief moment in time of that person. What if we pulled the lens back? Even if we did, there are some things that God does only know. We've got our shame, we've got our troubles, we've got our prejudice, we've got our judgements. God knows your heart and in turn, the flip of that is, God also carries this love that is sort of the superman of all love. We kind of are image bearers and so we emulate it, but it's just this wonderful superhuman love that if we lean into it'd be a beautiful thing. But so often we don't understand because we're stuck in a human variation of it.

Composition[edit]

"God Only Knows" is originally in the key of B minor, with a tempo of 144 beats per minute. Written in common time, Smallbone's vocal range spans from A2 to G4 during the song.[4]

Commercial performance[edit]

It debuted at No. 20 on the Hot Christian Songs chart, despite not being an official single.[7] The song left the chart after reaching twenty weeks.[8] After being released as a single, the song re-entered the chart at No. 19 on the issue week of 12 January 2019.[9] The song reached the Top 10 after twenty-three weeks.[10] It went on to peak at No. 2, where it stayed there for a record nineteen weeks. It became their longest charting single at 60 weeks. It debuted at No. 24 on the Billboard Christian Airplay chart on the issue week of 19 January 2019.[11] It reached the top ten on its sixth week.[12][13] It became their fifth leader, staying there for ten weeks.[14][15]

The song debuted on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart, at No. 25. The song re-entered the chart at No. 6, after the Timbaland remix. The song finally debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 94, boosted by a Dolly Parton remix.[16]

Critical reception[edit]

"God Only Knows" was described as an "emotional track full of hope,"[17] that tackles depression and suicide,[18] which could "easily be paired with Imagine Dragons or Fun[.] any day."[19]

Accolades[edit]

Year Organization Award Result Ref.
2019 We Love Christian Music Awards Music Video of the Year Won [20][21]
2020 Grammy Awards Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song Won [22]
Billboard Music Awards Top Christian Song Won [23]

Music video[edit]

The music video of "God Only Knows" features a young woman (played by an actress Masey McLain) who is found in dark desperation and believes suicide is the answer.[24] "Circumstantially things are good, she's an attractive woman, she lives in a beautiful home and life is sort of looking good. Yet there are these things, these underlying insecurities that are shifting the way she perceives life and people perceive her," band member Joel Smallbone revealed in the behind the scenes video.[25] The music video shows the woman presumably committing suicide by jumping off a bridge. The video then explains what could have happened if a friend she confronted that day might have been there for her at her worst point. The friend's care results in a different ending to the day.[26] "The power of someone interacting, showing a small act of kindness, a hug, a smile, and how that just changes the trajectory of her life [on] this one particular day, which was a very crucial day in this young lady's life," Smallbone followed up his previous comment. It ends with the number for the National Suicide Prevention Line.[27]

Track listing[edit]

CD release[28]

  1. "God Only Knows" – 3:49
  2. "God Only Knows" (Lead Sheet (Medium Key) – 3:49
  3. "God Only Knows" (Vocal Demonstration) – 3:47
  4. "God Only Knows" (High Key With Background Vocals) – 3:47
  5. "God Only Knows" (High Key Without Background Vocals) – 3:47
  6. "God Only Knows" (Medium Key With Background Vocals) – 3:47
  7. "God Only Knows" (Medium Key Without Background Vocals) – 3:47
  8. "God Only Knows" (Low Key With Background Vocals) – 3:47
  9. "God Only Knows" (Low Key Without Background Vocals) – 3:47

Charts[edit]

Certifications[edit]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[44] 2× Platinum 2,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "God Only Knows - For King & Country on Spotify". Spotify. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  2. ^ "Burn The Ships by for KING & COUNTRY on Apple Music". Apple Music. United States. Apple Inc. 5 October 2018. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  3. ^ a b Long, Herb (28 July 2018). "For KING & COUNTRY Debuts Emotional New Song "God Only Knows"". The Christian Beat. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
  4. ^ a b @4kingandcountry (11 January 2019). ""'God Only Knows' released to radio today, which couldn't have come at a better time as it's" (Tweet). Retrieved 12 January 2019 – via Twitter.
  5. ^ @4kingandcountry (11 January 2019). ""'God Only Knows' released to radio today, which couldn't have come at a better time as it's" (Tweet). Retrieved 12 January 2019 – via Twitter.
  6. ^ Young, Abby (22 January 2019). "Behind The Song: for KING & COUNTRY Shares The Heart Behind Their Single "God Only Knows"". FreeCCM. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  7. ^ "Music: Christian Music Chart - Billboard Chart". billboard.com. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  8. ^ "Music: Christian Music Chart - Billboard Chart". billboard.com. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  9. ^ "Music: Christian Music Chart - Billboard Chart". billboard.com. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  10. ^ "Music: Christian Music Chart - Billboard Chart". billboard.com. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  11. ^ "Music: Christian Music Chart - Billboard Chart". billboard.com. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  12. ^ "Music: Christian Music Chart - Billboard Chart". billboard.com. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  13. ^ "for King & Country, Kirk Franklin Add Top 10s on Christian, Gospel Charts". billboard.com. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
  14. ^ "for KING & COUNTRY - God Only Knows Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  15. ^ "For King & Country 'Knows' Hits No. 1 on Christian Airplay Chart". billboard.com. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  16. ^ "For King & Country's 'God Only Knows' Surges On Hot Christian Songs Chart, Debuts On Hot 100". billboard.com. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
  17. ^ Caroline, Emily (4 October 2018). "For KING & COUNTRY Uses Personal Experience To Share God's Promises With 'Burn the Ships'". The Christian Beat. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  18. ^ Weaver, Michael (5 October 2018). "Jesusfreakhideout.com: for KING & COUNTRY, "Burn the Ships" Review". Jesusfreakhideout.com. Jesus Freak Hideout. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  19. ^ Callies, Brandon (11 October 2018). "For King & Country "Burn The Ships" Album Review - ON TOUR MONTHLY". On Tour Monthly. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  20. ^ "We Love Christian Music Awards - 7th Annual 2018". NewReleaseToday. NRT Media, Inc. 3 December 2018. Retrieved 7 December 2018.
  21. ^ "The 7th Annual We Love Christian Music Awards Announces Winners, Hosts Live Celebration Event". NewReleaseToday. NRT Media, Inc. 27 February 2019. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  22. ^ "2020 GRAMMY Awards: Complete Nominees List". GRAMMY.com. 18 November 2019. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  23. ^ "Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish Among 2020 Billboard Music Awards Nominees". Entertainment Tonight. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
  24. ^ "for KING & COUNTRY - God Only Knows (Official Music Video)". YouTube. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  25. ^ "for KING & COUNTRY - God Only Knows (Music Video) Behind The Scenes". YouTube. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  26. ^ "for King & Country Tackles Suicide in New Music Video 'God Only Knows'". The Christian Post. 3 August 2018. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  27. ^ McCormack, Larry (27 September 2018). "For King & Country 'Burn the Ships,' confront suicide and anxiety". The Tennessean. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  28. ^ "God Only Knows For King & Country, Daywind". DayWind.com. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  29. ^ "For King Country Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 10 September 2019.
  30. ^ "For King Country Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  31. ^ "For King Country Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  32. ^ "For King Country Chart History (Hot Christian Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
  33. ^ "For King Country Chart History (Christian Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 8 April 2019.
  34. ^ "Dolly Parton Chart History (Christian Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  35. ^ "Hot Christian Songs – Year-End 2018". Billboard. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  36. ^ "Hot Christian Songs – Year-End 2019". Billboard. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  37. ^ "Christian Airplay Songs – Year-End 2019". Billboard. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  38. ^ "Hot Christian Pop Songs – Year-End 2019". Billboard. Archived from the original on 6 June 2020. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  39. ^ "Hot Christian AC Songs – Year-End 2019". Billboard. Archived from the original on 8 December 2019. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  40. ^ "Adult Contemporary Songs – Year-End 2020". Billboard. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  41. ^ "Christian Digital Song Sales - Year-End | Billboard". Billboard. Billboard-Hollywood. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  42. ^ "Christian Streaming Songs - Year-End | Billboard". Billboard. Billboard-Hollywood. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  43. ^ "Hot Christian Songs – Decade-End 2010s". Billboard. Archived from the original on 31 October 2019. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  44. ^ "American single certifications – For King & Country – God Only Knows". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
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