God Bless the Child (Shania Twain song)

Single infobox
Name = God Bless the Child

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Artist = Shania Twain
from Album = The Woman in Me
Released = October 29, 1996
Format = Radio single
Maxi single
5" CD single
7" vinyl single
Recorded = 1994 (Album Version)
1996 (Single Version)
Genre = Country
Length = 3:49
Label = Mercury Nashville
Writer = Robert John "Mutt" Lange,
Shania Twain
Producer = Robert John "Mutt" Lange
Last single = "Home Ain't Where His Heart Is (Anymore)"
(1996)
This single = "God Bless the Child"
(1996)
Next single = "Love Gets Me Every Time"
(1997)"God Bless the Child" is a song by Canadian singer Shania Twain. It was the eighth and final single released from her 1995 album "The Woman in Me". The song was written by Twain and an extended version cowritten by Mutt Lange. The song became Twain's first single off "The Woman in Me" to not hit the top 40 at country radio. The original album version is more a poem than a song, done completely a cappella. For radio airplay, the song had to be expanded lyrically and musically. It was originally released to radio in October of 1996. "God Bless the Child" was included on Twain's Come on Over Tour usually accompanied by a local choir, but was not included on her 2004 "Greatest Hits" release. All singles sales from the United States were donated to Second Harvest/Kids Cafe, and from Canada to Breakfast for Learning. Twain performed the song at the 1996 Country Music Awards.

Critical reception

"Entertainment Weekly" gave the song a fairly favorable review, giving it a B grade and saying "while her sentiments are pretty naive, her pipes sound plenty experienced" and that Twain gives "enough passion to make us temporarily forget her pinup looks". [ [http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,286636,00.html God Bless the Child | Music Review | Entertainment Weekly ] ]

Music video

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Chart performance

"God Bless the Child" debuted on the "Billboard" Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart the week of November 30 1996 at number 74. The song spent 9 weeks on the chart and climbed to a peak position of number 48 on January 11 1997, where it remained for one week. The single became Twain's second consecutive song from "The Woman in Me" to miss the top twenty. It did however, top the Country Singles Sales chart for one week. Despite failure at country radio, "God Bless the Child" became Twain's third appearance on the Billboard Hot 100 where it peaked at number 75, it also reached number 50 on the Hot 100 Singles Sales chart. In Canada the song hit number-one for eight weeks. It was also her first single to make the Canadian Singles Chart.

Official versions

*Album Version (1:30)
*Single Mix (With Banjo) (3:48)
*Single Mix (Without Banjo) / Alternate Version (3:48)

Charts

Notes