I Saw God Today

"I Saw God Today" is a song written by Rodney Clawson, Monty Criswell and Wade Kirby, and recorded by American country music artist George Strait. It was released in February 2008 as the lead single from his album Troubadour. The song debuted at number 19 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, giving Strait the highest chart debut of his career, as well as his 43rd Billboard Number One.

"I Saw God Today"
Single by George Strait
from the album Troubadour
ReleasedFebruary 4, 2008 (2008-02-04)[1]
Genre
Length3:22
LabelMCA Nashville
Songwriter(s)Rodney Clawson
Monty Criswell
Wade Kirby
Producer(s)Tony Brown
George Strait[2]
George Strait singles chronology
"Shiftwork"
(2007)		 "I Saw God Today"
(2008)		 "Troubadour"
(2008)

"I Saw God Today" won Single of the Year at the 2008 CMA Awards.

Content

The song is a ballad in which the lead character is walking down the sidewalk after his wife has just had a baby, meanwhile noticing such things as a flower growing out of a crack in the sidewalk, a couple who are expecting a baby and the colors of a sunset. Finally, the song ends with the central character in the nursery of a hospital, looking at his own newborn baby girl. He cites each thing that he sees along the way — the flower, the couple, the sunset and his newborn daughter — as examples of how he saw God that day.

According to Clawson, the idea for the song came from Criswell, who said that after unsuccessful hunting trips, he would often say that he "caught a glimpse of God today" despite not seeing any animals. [3]

Critical reception

Matt C., a critic for Engine 145, gave "I Saw God Today" a thumbs-up rating. He said that although it was "similar to the [songs] that countless failed nineties hat acts used to 'launch' their short careers", that Strait's vocal performance nonetheless "makes the song listenable and the country pop lyric's contrast to the country-western material that comprises much of Strait's catalog actually makes this single more memorable than some stronger songs in his hits catalog."[4]

Chart performance

Having reached number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts dated for the week of May 3, 2008, "I Saw God Today" is Strait's 43rd Billboard Number One hit. Counting the Number Ones that he has had on other U.S. trade charts (Mediabase, Radio & Records before its merger with Billboard, and Gavin Report), "I Saw God Today" is Strait's 56th overall Number One hit, succeeding a record previously held by Conway Twitty for the most Number Ones by any country music artist.[5]

Chart (2008) Peak
position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[6] 1
US Billboard Hot 100[7] 33
US Billboard Pop 100 65
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[8] 60

Year-end charts
End of year chart (2008) Position
U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs[9] 2
Canada Country (Billboard)[10] 8

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[11] Platinum 1,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Awards

The song was nominated for a Dove Award for Country Recorded Song of the Year at the 40th GMA Dove Awards.[12]

References
  1. "George Strait's Record-Setting Debut". Great American Country. 2008-02-14. Retrieved 2008-02-15.
  2. Troubadour (CD booklet). George Strait. MCA Records Nashville. 2008. B0010826-02.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  3. "ROW WRITERS: Rodney Clawson". May 2009.
  4. C., Matt (2008-02-13). "George Strait - "I Saw God Today"". Engine 145. Archived from the original on 2014-08-22. Retrieved 2008-09-03.
  5. "George Strait Celebrates His 56th Chart-Topper, "I Saw God Today"". Universal Music Group Nashville. 2008-04-21. Retrieved 2008-09-03.
  6. "George Strait Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  7. "George Strait Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  8. "George Strait Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard.
  9. "Billboard Year-End chart for Hot Country Songs, 2008". Billboard. Retrieved 31 August 2010.
  10. "Top Canada Country Songs". R&R. December 12, 2008. p. 62.
  11. "American album certifications – George Strait – I Saw God Today". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  12. Nominations Announced for 40th GMA Dove Awards at CBN.com
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