Behind the Talk

Shocking. Romantic. Optimistic. None of these terms apply to Amy's latest album, Behind the Eyes. Instead, it is placid and contemplative. There are its wild moments; there are times when she rambles on. But let's take a deeper look into her life.

"Stuff you hear is seldom true." It's true that Amy Grant and her husband, Gary Chapman, had marriage problems. So now rumors have multiplied and people cry out, "Is it true that Amy is going through a divorce right now?" They tend to get dramatic and point to the Heart in Motion video for solid evidence. She was kissing someone other than her husband! Sigh. I saw the video. Yeah, you might have a case, but this is six years later. Things have changed.

Behind the Eyes is a simple album to describe: teary, assuring, anticipating, reaching. The tone is that everything is different, and it hits you all of a sudden.

Nobody Home "Knowing what once was here just makes me want to cry." Isn't it weird how things change? This first track was written by Glen Ballard and Siedah Garrett. No, Amy never met them. Lisa Cochran sings background vocals. She blends in nicely.

I Will Be Your Friend "I'll help you to find your smile again." Great follow up to the first track. This is the sad album, yet "I Will Be Your Friend" is so much more promising and uplifting than "I Will Remember You" or "Lucky One." The production done by Keith Thomas is superb.

Like I Love You "What sad memory of yesterday; what terrible scar keeps you gathering pieces of your shattering heart?" Mistakes happen and human love sometimes "fades away," as Amy puts it. But you're going to love this song. It's probably my favorite.

Takes a Little Time "Baby you're not going down." The first single. My mom likes this song and she doesn't like Amy Grant in general. It has been described as something Alanis Morisette would sing. Okay, so she says "baby" on this album too. At least I admitted it. Listen to the honest words. It took quite a while for them to get the Titanic turned back around.

Cry a River "I hope you'll think of me when tender winds blow; sit on the shores of love and just let it go." Short and sweet. It's on the sad side.

Turn This World Around "The shelter of each other in the storm." "I don't want some naïve, 'Come on let's all get in there and we can do something [type of song],' " Amy said to her producer. But she recorded it and really believed in it. In April, I heard her perform this song in Nashville. People literally started to walk away. I'll confess that it was a free concert, but "Turn This World Around" really has to grow on you. It's very serious.

Curious Thing "You never know just what tomorrow may bring." The odds are against you and you can overcome them. Everything goes your way and suddenly, the world you know falls around you. A country feel. Amy actually likes country music and this particular song mirrors her interest in this genre.

Every Road "Here I go mixing mortar for another wall to build." This is song is really cool and serene.

Leave It All Behind "I'm not saying what is right or what is wrong." So don't pay to close attention to the lyrics. I think she is trying to make a point, though. Sometimes we get too caught up in our busy lives and need to relax. Change. And Tommy Sims, the guy who came up with the idea of Eric Clapton's song, "Change the World," plays bass and acoustic guitar. All these elements really make this song whole.

Missing You "I'm living out the life that I've been given." Slow and reflective. It's-hard-to-have-the-life-of-a-singer type of song. Christine Dentè sings the background vocals.

The Feeling I Had "Words are cheap and sometimes cruel." This is a very simple song. It's okay.

Somewhere Down the Road "The one thing that you held so dear is slipping from your hands...You will find Mighty Arms reaching for you." Pessimistic verses. Hopeful chorus. We keep learning things from life. It wraps up the album nicely.

So don't believe everything you hear. Take a listen to Behind the Eyes. Oh and if you're thinking of buying it, go ahead. It's not even slightly controversial as was Heart in Motion or House of Love. No one will be offended. If you get it at Target, you will receive an extra two track CD. It features "Say" and "What Kind of Love." "What Kind of Love" is gorgeous, straight out of the Bible. Check out 1 Corinthians 13. I'm serious. It tops anything she did in the entire decade.

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