Between You and Me (DC Talk song)

{{listen

|pos=left

| filename = Just Between You And Me.ogg

| title = "Between You and Me"

| description = A 30 second sample from DC Talk's "Between You and Me"

| format = Ogg

}}

Lyrically, the song stresses the importance of forgiveness.{{cite web|url=http://www.the-trades.com/article.php?id=5091|title=Music Review: dc Talk, 'Jesus Freak' (10th Anniversary Special Edition)|first=Paul|last=Schultz|publisher=The Trades|date=December 26, 2006|access-date=October 13, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080424003649/http://www.the-trades.com/article.php?id=5091|archive-date=April 24, 2008|url-status=dead}} In addition, the bridge of the song addresses the need for confessing one's sins to God.{{cite web |url=http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/cdReviews/JesusFreak.asp |title=DC Talk, 'Jesus Freak' Review |author=Gibson, Jeremy |author2=DiBiase, John |author3=Taylor, Josh |author3-link=Blimey Cow#Josh Taylor |date=February 6, 2003 |access-date=October 28, 2008|publisher=Jesus Freak Hideout}} DC Talk member Toby McKeehan, co-writer of the song, said that the lyrics simply describe the way relationships work.{{Cite news | last = Price | first = Deborah | title = Virgin to Take DC Talk Mainstream | newspaper = Billboard | pages = 105 | date = November 23, 1996 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=ugkEAAAAMBAJ&q=dc+talk+Between+You+and+Me+Billboard&pg=PA105 | access-date = July 21, 2010}} McKeehan later elaborated in an interview that the song came from his relationship with fellow band members Michael Tait and Kevin Max.{{cite interview |last=McKeehan |first=Toby |subject-link=TobyMac |title=Tobymac Talks About 'Between You And Me' |access-date=October 14, 2012 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUT00AAphlA| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211116/hUT00AAphlA| archive-date=2021-11-16 | url-status=live}}{{cbignore}}

In contrast to many of the DC Talk's other singles, the Christian message – the importance of forgiveness and confession – is heavily implied, although it is not blatantly stated in terms of any specific religion. The only mention of God is featured during the breakdown of the song, which is absent in the radio edit. This removal of God from the song caused some fans of the band to wonder if the group's record label made a "conscious effort to remove any overt Christian content from the song."Howard and Streck (2004), p. 193

The song is built around acoustic strumming and synthesized drums, courtesy of Scott Williamson. The song begins with acoustic strumming in the key of G major.DC Talk (2001), p. 29. The song then moves into the key of E major during the verses. It features a chorus that is in the key of G major; in addition, the chorus is composed of "boyish lead vocals", "sweet harmonies", and "whirling organs". During the verses, Michael Tait, Kevin Max, and Toby McKeehan take turns singing lead. The second chorus is followed by a melodic breakdown featuring minimalistic guitar and whispered vocals. The song then repeats the line "It's my way to freedom" and "I've got something to say" until the end.DC Talk (2001), p. 37.

The music video for the song features Michael Tait, Kevin Max, and Toby McKeehan performing the song in a laundromat. Interspersed is footage of a man carrying a package while running from two other men. Near the end, he runs into the laundromat where DC Talk are singing and deposits the box in a trash can before leaving. Tait, Max, and McKeehan then reach into the trash can to investigate the contents of the box. Just as the box is opened, the video ends.{{cite video | people=DC Talk | title=Between You and Me | medium=Music Video| publisher=Forefront Records|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kXJdshVNq0}}

The song's video received regular airtime on MTV and VH1.McNeil (2005), pg. 99 While the video was popular, however, the band found it more and more difficult to get airplay on MTV for what they perceived as a bias against the Christian music scene. McKeehan explained that with "Between You and Me", the group was able to "sneak one past the goalie", but afterwards the DJs realized that "this group's from the Christian market".Alfonso (2002), p. 70

{{Album reviews

| rev1 = AllMusic

|rev1Score = {{Rating|2.5|5}}

| rev2 = Billboard

|rev2Score = (Positive)

}}

The song was released as the second single for Jesus Freak in 1996. Due to its wide appeal, however, the song was extensively played on many non-Christian stations, leading the single to become a major crossover hit. The song's surprising rise on the Billboard's charts was a result of the partnership with Virgin Records. Phil Quartararo, then-CEO of Virgin Records said the song was "identified early in the game as a very radio-friendly cut." In addition to "Jesus Freak" and "Colored People", this song was considered instrumental in breaking DC Talk into the mainstream.{{Cite news | title = Jars and Butterflies: The Joys of Mainstreaming | newspaper = Billboard | pages = 38–40 | date = April 25, 1998 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=aQ0EAAAAMBAJ&q=dc+talk+Between+You+and+Me+Billboard&pg=PA38 | access-date = July 21, 2010}}

Commercially, the song was a top 40 hit. The song remains DC Talk's highest-charting single on mainstream radio, peaking at No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100 single chart.{{cite web | url= {{BillboardURLbyName|artist=dc talk|chart=all}} | title = Between You and Me – DC Talk | access-date = July 19, 2010 | work= Billboard.com}} The single was also a Christian radio success. It peaked at No. 1 on both the Christian Adult Contemporary and Christian Contemporary Hit Radio CCM Magazine charts. The fact that the band was able to achieve success impressed many fans and individuals in the music industry. Jay R. Howard and John M. Streck, in their book Apostles of Rock: The Splintered World of Contemporary Christian Music, called it "a significant validation of the music".Howard and Streck (2004), p. 200

Critically, the song was also a success. Billboard magazine gave the single an extremely positive review and noted that the song and band were helping to shatter the myth that "Christian pop has to be heavy-handed or steeping power-ballad syrup". The magazine also praised the song for "lyrics [that] remain subtle but forthright in the song's positive message".{{cite magazine|last=Flick|first=Larry|title=Reviews and Previews|magazine=Billboard|date=September 28, 1996|volume=108|issue=39|page=108}} Michael Mehle of the Rocky Mountain News positively noted that the song possessed "Seal-like R&B" qualities.{{cite news|last=Mehle|first=Michael|title=Christian Band Between Rock and a Hard Place|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-67777803.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140629104637/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-67777803.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 29, 2014|access-date=October 14, 2012|publisher=E. W. Scripps Company|newspaper=Rocky Mountain News|date=May 3, 1996}} AllMusic awarded the single two-and-a-half stars out of five. The song was successful when it came to the GMA Dove Awards. In 1997, the song won an award for the best Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year.{{Cite web | title = Dove Awards History Artist: DC Talk | publisher = GMA Dover Awards | url = http://doveawards.com/history.php?x=artist | access-date = July 20, 2010 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110323103415/http://www.doveawards.com/history.php?x=artist | archive-date = March 23, 2011 }}

A live version is not included on the 1997 live release Welcome to the Freak Show{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/welcome-to-the-freak-show-live-in-concert-mw0000026051 |title=Welcome to the Freak Show |publisher=Rovi|work=Allmusic |access-date=July 22, 2010 |author=Batdorf, Rodney}} as it was not played until the last dates of the tour, after the recording had already taken place. The music video, however, was included on the DVD release of the album.{{cite AV media notes| title= Welcome to the Freak Show| title-link= Welcome to the Freak Show| others= DC Talk| year= 2003| type= liner notes| publisher= ForeFront Records/Virgin Records| location= California, USA}} "Between You and Me" also appears on the compilation album WOW 1997{{cite web|title=Wow 1997: The Year's 30 Top Christian Artists & Songs [ECD]|website=Amazon |year=1996 |url=https://www.amazon.com/Wow-1997-Years-Christian-Artists/dp/B000000V54|access-date=October 15, 2012}} and was covered by both Relient K and the team-up of Paul Wright and Ayiesha Woods for the tribute album Freaked!{{cite web |url=http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/cdreviews/FreakedAGoteeTributeTodcTalksJesusFreak.asp | title=Freaked! A Gotee Tribute to DC Talk's 'Jesus Freak' |publisher=Jesus Freak Hideout |author=John DiBiase |date=July 20, 2010}}

US Commercial Single{{cite AV media notes |title='Between You and Me' US CD single |others=DC Talk |year=1996 |type=liner notes |publisher=Forefront Records/Virgin Records |location=London, England}}

1. "Between You and Me" (Radio Edit) – 3:47
2. "So Help Me God" – 4:39

European Commercial Single{{cite AV media notes |title='Between You and Me' European CD single |others=DC Talk |year=1996 |type=liner notes |publisher=Forefront Records/Virgin Records |location=London, England |url=http://s.discogss.com/image/R-3803579-1345046332-9277.jpeg |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130506032419/http://s.discogss.com/image/R-3803579-1345046332-9277.jpeg |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 6, 2013 }}

1. "Between You and Me" (radio edit) – 3:47
2. "So Help Me God" – 4:39
3. "The Hardway" – 5:18
4. "Between You and Me" (album version) – 4:59

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-end}}

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

Personnel{{cite AV media notes| title= Jesus Freak| title-link= Jesus Freak (album)| others= DC Talk| year= 1995| type= liner| publisher= ForeFront Records/Virgin Records| location= California}}

• Toby McKeehan – vocals
• Michael Tait – vocals
• Kevin Max Smith – vocals
• Dann Huff – guitar
• Otto Price – bass guitar
• Scott Williamson – hat and fills
• Todd Collins – Conga, Cabasa
• Mark Heimermann – double bass, Hammond B-3

{{col-2}}

Production

• Toby McKeehan – producer
• Mark Heimermann – programming, producer
• Todd Collins – programming

{{col-end}}

{{Reflist}}

{{refbegin}}

• {{cite book|last=Alfonso|first=Barry|title=The Billboard Guide to Contemporary Christian Music|year=2002|publisher=Random House|isbn=9780823077182|ref=Alfonso}}
• {{cite book|last=Brothers|first=Jeffery Lee|title=Hot Hits: Adult Contemporary Charts|date=2003|edition=1|pages=72|publisher=AuthorHouse |isbn=1410732940|ref=lee}}
• {{citation

| ref=refdctalk

|last=DC Talk

|title=Intermission: The Greatest Hits (Piano/Vocal/Guitar Artist Songbook)

|publisher=Hal Leonard Corporation

|year=2001

|isbn=0634030434

|display-authors=etal}}

• {{cite book|last=Howard|first=Jay|title=Apostles of Rock: The Splintered World of Contemporary Christian Music|title-link=Apostles of Rock: The Splintered World of Contemporary Christian Music|year=2004|publisher=University Press of Kentucky|isbn=9780813190860|author2=Streck, John|ref=Howard}}
• {{cite book|last=McNeil, W. K. |title=Encyclopedia of American Gospel Music|publisher=Routledge|year=2005|isbn=0415941792|ref=McNeil}}

{{refend}}

• {{YouTube|6kXJdshVNq0|"Between You and Me" music video}}
• [{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r308879|pure_url=yes}} Allmusic page for "Just Between You and Me" single]

{{Dc Talk}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Between You And Me}}

Category:DC Talk songs

Category:Virgin Records singles

Category:Songs written by TobyMac

Category:ForeFront Records singles