I Am Blessed
{{Short description|1995 single by Eternal}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2011}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Infobox song
| name = I Am Blessed
| cover = CD Single Cover for Eternal I Am Blessed CD1.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Eternal
| album = Power of a Woman
| released = 27 November 1995
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre =
| length = 4:21
| label =
| writer =
- Mark Mueller
- Marsha Malamet
| producer =
- Ronnie Wilson
- Dennis Charles
| prev_title = Power of a Woman
| prev_year = 1995
| next_title = Good Thing
| next_year = 1996
| misc = {{Extra album cover
| header = Alternative cover
| type = single
| cover = Eternal_I_Am_Blessed.jpg
| border =
| alt =
| caption = UK CD2
}}
}}
"I Am Blessed" is a song by British girl group Eternal written by hit songwriter Mark Mueller and Marsha Malamet. An R&B and gospel ballad, it was released as the second single from the group's second studio album, Power of a Woman (1995), and peaked at number seven on the UK Singles Chart. It was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for shipments over 200,000 copies in the UK. It also reached number seven in Ireland, becoming the group's second top-10 hit in that country. Eternal performed "I Am Blessed" for Pope John Paul II at the Vatican in 1995.{{cite web|url=http://wedoitfortheloveofmusic.com/go-eternal/|title=Where Did They Go: Eternal|last=Malatji|first=Malla|website=wedoitfortheloveofmusic.com|date=3 December 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170103165343/http://wedoitfortheloveofmusic.com/go-eternal/|archive-date=3 January 2017|access-date=9 October 2022}}
Critical reception
James Masterton for Dotmusic described the song as one of the group's "softer, slushier records".{{cite web|last=Masterton|first=James|title=Week Ending December 9th 1995|url=https://chart-watch.uk/archives/1995/week-ending-december-9th-1995|website=Chart Watch UK|date=3 December 1995|accessdate=3 October 2021|author-link=James Masterton}} Pan-European magazine Music & Media wrote, "Another possible chart-buster from the creme of British R&B. The religious undertones are very suitable for the Christmas season, just like the extra track Oh Happy Day, a wonderfully updated version of the gospel traditional with a jazzy rhythm guitar and a midtempo beat."{{cite magazine|title= New Releases: Singles |magazine= Music & Media |date= 23 December 1995 |page= 7 |accessdate= 19 May 2021 |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1995/MM-1995-12-23.pdf}} A reviewer from Music Week rated it three out of five, adding that "this silky smooth ballad has hints of I Will Always Love You, with Easther living up to Houston's standards. A hit, but not a monster."{{cite magazine|title= Reviews: Singles |magazine= Music Week |date= 11 November 1995 |page= 10 |accessdate= 15 May 2021 |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1995/Music-Week-1995-11-11.pdf}}
Track listings
{{col-begin|width=74%}}
{{col-2}}
UK CD1 and Australian CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=I Am Blessed|others=Eternal|year=1995|type=UK CD1 liner notes|publisher=EMI United Kingdom, 1st Avenue Records|id=CDEM 408, 7243 8 82573 2 9}}{{cite AV media notes|title=I Am Blessed|others=Eternal|year=1995|type=Australian CD single liner notes|publisher=EMI Records, 1st Avenue Records|id=8825732}}
- "I Am Blessed"
- "Oh Happy Day"
- "Stay" (1995 D.A.R.C. R&B remix)
- "Faith in Love"
- "I Am Blessed" (Spiritual mix)
- "Faith in Love"
- "Power of a Woman" (Fathers of Sound vocal mix)
{{col-2}}
- "I Am Blessed"
- "Faith in Love"
- "I Am Blessed"
- "Oh Happy Day"
- "Power of a Woman" (Nightcrawlers mix)
- "Faith in Love"
{{col-end}}
Credits and personnel
Credits are adapted from the Power of a Woman album booklet.{{cite AV media notes|title=Power of a Woman|title-link=Power of a Woman|others=Eternal|year=1995|type=UK CD album booklet|publisher=EMI United Kingdom, 1st Avenue Records|id=CDEMD 1090, 7243 8 36354 2 9}}
Studio
- Mastered at The Master Room (London, England)
Personnel
{{div col}}
- Mark Mueller – writing
- Marsha Malamet – writing
- Clem Clempson – guitar
- Dave Phillips – keyboards
- Peter Oxendale – keyboards
- Nick Ingman – string arrangements
- Ronnie Wilson – production
- Dennis Charles – production
- Simon Climie – additional production and remix
- Nick Hopkins – recording engineer
- Andy Bradfield – mix engineering
- Ashley Alexander – assistant engineering
- Paul Meehan – programming
- Sam Noel – technician
- Arun Chakraverty – mastering
{{div col end}}
Charts
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{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!Chart (1995–1996) !Peak |
| scope="row"{{single chart|Australia|14|artist=Eternal|song=I Am Blessed}} |
|---|
| scope="row"|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1995/MM-1995-12-23.pdf|title=Eurochart Hot 100 Singles|magazine=Music & Media|volume=12|issue=51/52|page=9|date=23 December 1995|access-date=12 September 2020}}
|31 |
| scope="row"|Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40){{cite news|url=https://timarit.is/page/2935577#page/n27/mode/2up|title=Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (6.1. '96 – 12.1. '96)|newspaper=Dagblaðið Vísir|language=is|page=32|date=6 January 1996|access-date=2 October 2019}}
|40 |
| scope="row"{{single chart|Ireland2|7|artist=Eternal}} |
| scope="row"{{single chart|Dutch40|29|year=1996|week=8|accessdate=2 October 2019}} |
| scope="row"{{single chart|Dutch100|26|artist=Eternal|song=I Am Blessed}} |
| scope="row"{{single chart|New Zealand|31|artist=Eternal|song=I Am Blessed}} |
| scope="row"{{single chart|Scotland|6|artist=Eternal|song=I Am Blessed|date=19960113}} |
| scope="row"{{single chart|UKsinglesbyname|7|artist=Eternal|song=I Am Blessed|artistid=27722}} |
| scope="row"{{single chart|UKrandb|2|artist=Eternal|song=I Am Blessed|date=19960113}} |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!Chart (1995) !Position |
| scope="row"|UK Singles (OCC){{cite magazine|title=Top 100 Singles 1995|magazine=Music Week|page=9|date=13 January 1996}}
|65 |
|---|
{{col-end}}
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Eternal|title=I Am Blessed|award=Silver|relyear=1996|certyear=1996|id=3064-124-1|access-date=26 March 2021}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true}}