Unguarded (Amy Grant album)

Unguarded is the seventh studio album by Christian and Pop singer Amy Grant, released in 1985 on A&M Records. It is Grant's first album released by A&M.

Unguarded
Studio album by
Amy Grant
ReleasedMay 15, 1985
Recorded1984–85
Studio
GenreContemporary Christian music
Length43:33
LabelMyrrh, A&M, Word
ProducerBrown Bannister
Amy Grant chronology
Straight Ahead
(1984)		 Unguarded
(1985)		 The Collection
(1986)
Singles from Unguarded
  1. "Find a Way"
    Released: 1985
  2. "Everywhere I Go"
    Released: 1985
  3. "Wise Up"
    Released: 1985
  4. "Sharayah"
    Released: 1985
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]
Cross Rhythms[2]

When Unguarded was released in 1985, Grant was perhaps the most popular star in contemporary Christian music, recording songs with religious lyrics in the pop/rock style of the day. With this album, however, the religious content of the lyrics was scaled back as compared with her two previous regular studio albums, Age to Age and Straight Ahead. The album track "I Love You" was Grant's first secular love song from her own pen. Despite this, the album's lead-off single, "Find a Way", was a number one hit on the Christian radio charts. Four other singles from the album were also Top Ten Christian radio hits.

The aggressive mainstream style of the songs on Unguarded, combined with a heavy promotional campaign on the part of the album's distributor in secular outlets, A&M Records, helped three of its singles reach the mainstream charts. "Find a Way" was a Top Ten hit on the Adult Contemporary chart and peaked at No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100, while "Everywhere I Go" was a Top Thirty AC single and "Wise Up" was a minor charting single on the Hot 100. Unguarded would be certified gold in September 1985, and platinum in June 1986.

This was the final album to be recorded at Caribou Ranch, which was owned by former Chicago producer/manager James William Guercio before the infamous March 1985 fire that destroyed the studio's control room.

In 2007, Unguarded was reissued and digitally remastered by Grant's new record label, EMI/Sparrow Records. The remastered edition is labeled with a "Digitally Remastered" logo in the 'gutter' on the CD front.[3]

On October 16, 2020, in celebration of the album's 35th anniversary, it was reissued on limited edition white vinyl, with the original 10-song album along with a bonus LP of live tracks and audio commentary from Grant, with an alternate album cover featuring all four of the W-O-R-D album covers. This version was later released digitally on October 30, for streaming services only.[4]

Track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Love of Another Kind"Amy Grant, Gary Chapman, Wayne Kirkpatrick, Rich Mullins3:22
2."Find a Way"Grant, Michael W. Smith3:28
3."Everywhere I Go"Mary Lee Kortes4:12
4."I Love You"Grant, Dann Huff, Smith4:25
5."Stepping In Your Shoes"Grant, Chris Eaton4:37
6."Fight"Grant, Chapman, Huff4:42
7."Wise Up"Kirkpatrick, Billy Simon3:51
8."Who to Listen to"Chapman, Tim Marsh, Mark Wright4:22
9."Sharayah"Grant, Eaton4:53
10."The Prodigal (I'll Be Waiting)"Grant, Chapman, Robbie Buchanan5:10
35th Anniversary Edition bonus tracks (limited edition vinyl and streaming services)[5]
No.TitleLength
1."Love of Another Kind" (live)4:22
2."Find a Way" (live)4:57
3."Wise Up" (live)4:59
4."Fight" (live)5:10
5."All the Burners" (commentary)1:54
6."Caribou" (commentary)2:19
7."Chip Up" (commentary)1:56
8."There's a Time to Dance" (commentary)1:42
9."Giant Figure-Eight" (commentary)3:20

Personnel
  • Amy Grant – lead vocals, backing vocals (2, 3)
  • Robbie Buchanan – Roland Jupiter 8 (1), synthesizers (1, 4–7, 10), synthesizer bass (1), sound effects (4), drum programming (4), synthesizer programming (5), Yamaha DX7 (8), acoustic piano (10), track arrangement (10)
  • Shane Keister – synthesizers (1, 7, 9), acoustic piano (1), explosion (2), synthesizer programming (3), Yamaha GS1 (3, 8), Fender Rhodes (5), Memorymoog (6), Fairlight (8)
  • Michael W. Smith – Yamaha GS2 (2, 3, 8), Memorymoog (3)
  • Larry Williams – synthesizer (7), saxophone (7)
  • Dann Huff – electric guitars (1-10), guitar solo (4, 5)
  • Jon Goin – electric guitars (2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9), acoustic guitar (10)
  • Michael Landau – electric guitars (2, 4, 7, 9), guitar solo (10)
  • Paul Jackson Jr. – electric guitars (7)
  • Mike Brignardello – bass (2–9)
  • Paul Leim – drums (1, 2, 3, 5–10), drum programming (4), drum overdubs (4), LinnDrum programming (7)
  • Lenny Castro – percussion (2, 6, 8, 10)
  • Bill Champlin – backing vocals (1, 7)
  • Gary Chapman – backing vocals (1, 3, 6, 8)
  • Tommy Funderburk – backing vocals (1, 2, 6, 7)
  • Diana Hanna – backing vocals (1, 3, 8)
  • Chris Harris – screams (1), backing vocals (8)
  • Gary Pigg – screams (1), backing vocals (8)
  • Kathy Burdick – screams (1)
  • Tom Kelly – backing vocals (2 ,4, 6, 9)
  • Steve George – backing vocals (4, 9)
  • Richard Page – backing vocals (4, 9)
  • Chris Eaton – backing vocals (5)
  • Kim Fleming – backing vocals (8)
  • Donna McElroy – backing vocals (8)

Production
  • Brown Bannister – producer
  • Michael Blanton – executive producer
  • Dan Harrell – executive producer
  • Gary Chapman – executive producer
  • Jack Joseph Puig – engineer, mixing
  • Kevin Burns – assistant engineer
  • Steven Ford – assistant engineer
  • Dan Garcia – assistant engineer
  • Alan Henry – assistant engineer
  • J.T. – assistant engineer
  • Richard Markowitz – assistant engineer
  • Mike Ross – assistant engineer
  • Clark Schleicher – assistant engineer
  • Doug Sax – mastering at The Mastering Lab (Los Angeles, California)
  • Kent Hunter – art direction, design
  • Mark Tucker – photography
  • Julie Miller – stylist

Album cover

To further heighten Grant's visual appeal, A&M released Unguarded with four different covers, respectively labeled W, O, R, and D. When the album was issued on compact disc, the 'D' variation became the standard version for the cover.

  • W
    W
  • O
    O
  • R
    R
  • D
    D

Charts

Weekly charts
Year Chart Position
1985 200 35
Australia (Kent Music Report)[6] 59
Top Contemporary Christian 1

Year-end charts
Year Chart Position
1985 U.S. Billboard Inspirational Albums 6
1986 1
1987 11

End-of-decade charts
Chart (1980-1989) Rank
US Billboard Top Contemporary Christian[7] 6

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[8] Gold 50,000^
United States (RIAA)[9] Platinum 1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Awards

GMA Dove Awards

Year Winner Category
1986 Unguarded Recorded Music Packaging of the Year

Grammy Awards

Year Winner Category
1986 Unguarded Best Gospel Performance, Female

References
  1. William Ruhlmann. "Unguarded". Retrieved July 8, 2013.
  2. "Amy Grant - Unguarded (re-issue) | CROSS RHYTHMS REVIEW". Crossrhythms.co.uk. Retrieved September 17, 2011.
  3. Sparrow Records News
  4. Jessica Nicholson (October 1, 2020). "Amy Grant To Celebrate 'Unguarded' Album's 35th Anniversary With Limited Edition Vinyl". Music Row. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  5. NEWS SOURCE: The Media Collective (September 30, 2020). "SIX-TIME GRAMMY WINNER AMY GRANT CELEBRATES 35TH ANNIVERSARY OF "UNGUARDED" DOUBLE DISC, WHITE VINYL LIMITED EDITION, AVAILABLE OCTOBER 16". Jesus Freak Hideout. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  6. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 129. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  7. "Top Christian Albums - 1980's". Retrieved February 27, 2014.
  8. "Canadian album certifications – Amy Grant – Unguarded". Music Canada. Retrieved June 29, 2019.
  9. "American album certifications – Amy Grant – Unguarded". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved June 29, 2019.
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