House of Love (Amy Grant album)
House of Love is the ninth studio album, and fourteenth album by singer-songwriter Amy Grant, released in 1994.
House of Love was Amy's follow-up to her quintuple-platinum 1991 release Heart in Motion. Although House of Love sold less than half of what its predecessor sold, it similarly combines pop music with Christian values. "Lucky One" was the album's biggest hit at No. 18 Pop and No. 2 Adult Contemporary in the U.S., followed by the title song and a remake of Joni Mitchell's "Big Yellow Taxi". "Say You'll Be Mine" also was a UK Top 50 hit. When it was released in 1994, House of Love was the biggest initial release in Christian music history, shipping almost a half million copies on its first day alone.
Copies of this album sold in Europe, Australia, and Japan feature the additional track "Politics of Kissing". Some of the album's other tracks garnered more notice later on when covered by other artists. "The Power" is featured on Cher's 1998 album Believe, and Vanessa L. Williams had an AC hit with her version of "Oh How the Years Go By".
In 2007, House of Love 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.
Track listing
US version
- "Lucky One" – 4:11
- "Say You'll Be Mine" – 4:04
- "Whatever It Takes" – 4:10
- "House of Love " – 4:38
- "The Power" – 3:54
- "Oh How the Years Go By" – 5:12
- "Big Yellow Taxi" – 3:01
- "Helping Hand" – 4:39
- "Love Has a Hold On Me" – 3:55
- "Our Love" – 5:08
- "Children of the World" – 5:16
UK version
- "Lucky One" – 4:11
- "Say You'll Be Mine" – 4:04
- "Whatever It Takes" – 4:10
- "House of Love " – 4:38
- "The Power" – 3:54
- "Oh How the Years Go By" – 5:12
- "Big Yellow Taxi" – 3:01
- "Helping Hand" – 4:39
- "Politics of Kissing" – 4:17
- "Love Has a Hold On Me" – 3:55
- "Our Love" – 5:08
- "Children of the World" – 5:16
- "Say You'll Be Mine " – 3:57
Personnel
- Amy Grant – lead vocals, background vocals
- Keith Thomas – acoustic piano, synthesizers, bass programming, drum programming, electric piano, additional synthesizer programming, percussion programming
- Phil Madeira – Hammond B3 organ
- Michael Omartian – keyboards, drum sequencing, horn arrangements
- Tom Hemby – keyboards, guitars, drum programming
- Jerry McPherson – electric guitars, guitars
- Scott Denté – acoustic guitars
- Will Owsley – acoustic guitars
- Dann Huff – electric guitars, guitars, acoustic guitar
- Kenny Greenberg – acoustic guitars, electric guitars
- Jerry Douglas – dobro
- Brent Rowan – guitars, mandolin
- Gary Chapman – lap steel guitar, background vocals
- Tommy Sims – bass guitar, synthesizers, bass programming, drum programming, background vocals
- Danny O'Lannerghty – bass guitar
- Mark Hammond – drum programming, drums
- Chad Cromwell – drums
- Chris McHugh – drums
- Terry McMillan – percussion
- Eric Darken – percussion
- Mark Douthit – saxophone, soprano saxophone
- Doug Moffett – saxophone
- Mike Haynes – trumpet
- George Tidwell – trumpet
- Mark O'Connor – violin
- Ronn Huff – string arrangements and conductor
- The Nashville String Machine – strings
- Carl Gorodetzsky – contractor
- Lisa Keith – background vocals
- Athena Cage – background vocals
- Ada Dyer – background vocals
- Judson Spence – background vocals, acoustic guitars
- Audrey Wheeler – background vocals
- Vince Gill – guest vocals
- Donna McElroy – background vocals
- Ashley Cleveland – background vocals
- Michael Mellett – background vocals
- Lisa Bevill – background vocals
- Chris Rodriguez – background vocals
- Beverly Darnall – choir contractor
- Leann Albrecht – adult choir
- Jackie Cusic – adult choir
- Beverly Darnall – adult choir
- Lisa Glasgow – adult choir
- Gail Farrell – adult choir
- Sarah Huffman – adult choir
- Ellen Musick – adult choir
- Kristine Stroupe – adult choir
- Leah Taylor – adult choir
- Melodie Tunney – adult choir
- Butch Curry – adult choir
- Rick Gibson – adult choir
- David Holloway – adult choir
- Michael Mellett – adult choir
- Donny Monk – adult choir
- Guy Penrod – adult choir
- Gary Robinson – adult choir
- Beau Stroupe – adult choir
- Scott Williamson – adult choir
- Chris Willis – adult choir
- Katy Dunham – children choir
- Aubrey Hunt – children choir
- Shannon Love – children choir
- Mary Catherine Musick – children choir
- Isaac Darnall – children choir
- Lance High – children choir
- Asher Larrison – children choir
- Trevor Matheison – children choir
- Keith Thomas – producer
- Michael Omartian – producer
- Amy Grant – executive producer
- Michael Blanton – executive producer
- Brown Bannister – executive producer
- Todd Moore – production coordinator
- Suzy Martinez – production coordinator
- Bill Whittington – engineer, mixing
- Terry Christian – engineer, mixing
- Mick Guzauski – mixing
- Shawn McLean – assistant engineer
- Greg Parker – assistant engineer
- Scott Link – assistant engineer
- Keith Robichaux – assistant engineer
- Mark J. Capps – assistant engineer
- John Dickson – assistant engineer
- James Dineen – additional engineering
- Danny Duncan – MIDI assistant
- Stephen Marcussen – mastering
- Norman Moore – art direction, design
- Richard Frankel – art direction
- Albert Sanchez – photography
Charts
| Chart | Position |
| Billboard 200 | 13 |
| Top Contemporary Christian | 1 |
Singles - Billboard/CCM Magazine
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
| 1994 | "Lucky One" | Adult Contemporary | 2 |
| 1994 | "Lucky One" | Billboard Hot 100 | 18 |
| 1994 | "Lucky One" | Top 40 Mainstream | 16 |
| 1994 | "House Of Love" | Adult Contemporary | 5 |
| 1994 | "House Of Love" | Billboard Hot 100 | 37 |
| 1994 | "Children of the World" | Christian Radio–Adult Contemporary | 1 |
| 1994 | "Love Has a Hold On Me" | Christian Radio–Adult Contemporary | 3 |
| 1995 | "Big Yellow Taxi" | Adult Contemporary | 18 |
| 1995 | "Big Yellow Taxi" | Billboard Hot 100 | 67 |
| 1995 | "Big Yellow Taxi" | Adult Top 40 | 28 |
| 1995 | "Helping Hand" | Christian Radio–Adult Contemporary | 4 |
| 1995 | "Oh How the Years Go By" | Christian Radio–Adult Contemporary | 12 |
| 1995 | "House of Love" | Top 40 Adult Recurrents | 10 |
| 1995 | "House of Love" | Adult Top 40 | 31 |
Singles - UK Singles Chart
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
| 1994 | "Lucky One" | UK Singles Chart | 60 |
| 1994 | "Say You'll Be Mine" | UK Singles Chart | 41 |
| 1995 | "Big Yellow Taxi" | UK Singles Chart | 20 |
| 1995 | "House of Love" | UK Singles Chart | 46 |
Year-end charts
| Chart | Position |
| Billboard Top Contemporary Christian Albums | 17 |