imagine song imagine shortened imagine single recorded christian rock band written composed song based main piano track inspired death father considers like heaven standing god song issued track album released independent record label song recorded included major label debut album fifth song album imagine released album lead single gained significant airplay christian radio formats crossing mainstream radio formats adult contemporary late aid promotion markets double physical single combined word god speak released charted formats including peaked hot peaked imagine earned dove awards pop contemporary recorded song year song year earned dove award songwriter year ceremony song certified platinum riaa sales million digital downloads far christian single reach milestone background imagine debut single united_states contemporary christian christian rock band father band vocalist died time began writing words imagine items thinking father recording band independent album needed song fill album bus middle night finally wrote lyrics song drawing thoughts personal faith experience standing god heaven imagine songs written wasn mistakes written way left estimated took minutes write lyrics writing music song band faced difficulty noted fast song random ideas keyboardist noted literally tearing stuff talking arranging differently slower version tried piano intro literally thing played wasn think god thing said going happen laid song minutes time members drums percussion bass guitar guitar line recorded version song included platinum edition composition imagine ballad length minutes seconds song set key major moderately slow tempo beats minute vocal range song opens piano builds include guitar drums credited lyrics music song song produced worked previously artists including lyrics song based narrator wondering like heaven standing god theme explained told choose heaven christian believed year old little hard swallow questions song came asking god great dad release promotion imagine recorded major label debut record released lead single album recorded locations ivy park paradise sound single gained radio airplay contemporary christian formats november peaked number christian format christian chart dallas mainstream radio station wild played song morning responded repeated requests program producer song soon requested played song station hearing song played station called spoke crew came played song live stations country caught label partnered marketed single wider audiences radio september curb released double physical single imagine word god speak track written band producer eventually song cracked secular charts including billboard hot hot adult contemporary tracks charts impact expect imagine gain mainstream success explicit references jesus heaven noted band joked songs cross included imagine list believed radio stations playing song prove succeed mainstream radio song significant effect band musical image interview commented rock band started years ago kind adult contemporary poster child imagine took music video music video released imagine recalled video inspiration kept seeing people holding picture frames concerts carry people way people pull picture lost people embrace photos thought tap video features everyday people music artists including holding picture frame loss loved video progresses holding pictures loved ones including father photograph video opens shot room chair shifting young boy climbing flight stairs camera shifts band returning boy attic filled picture frames video shots boy band shifting individual shots people holding picture frame instruments join camera comes band focusing returning shots people picture frames contain pictures deceased relatives end video camera returns boy running street frame lying field frame reception critical response critical reception imagine positive allmusic commented song passionate piano driven ballad song considers like presence god delivered conviction song emotionally compelling jesus freak hideout reviewer felt lyrics song amazing haven listened lyrics afraid hearing pop music listen commented definite highlight worship ballad song starts piano instantly builds powerful display drums guitar makes song lyrics penned song speaks day dream finally meet jesus song listened eyes open chart performance imagine debuted billboard hot chart week october song peaked weeks spent non consecutive weeks hot adult contemporary chart imagine debuted chart week eventual peak chart week september imagine spent weeks chart adult chart imagine debuted chart week august reached peak position holding spot consecutive weeks song spent weeks chart mainstream chart song debuted chart week july reaching eventual peak country songs chart song debuted chart week december reaching eventual peak held weeks according website imagine peaked billboard hot singles sales chart weeks christian chart weeks christian chart april imagine certified platinum riaa signifying sales digital downloads single artist christian music genre platinum song certified platinum awards accolades imagine earned dove awards pop contemporary recorded song year song year won songwriter year ceremony november song played board atlantis wake versions original version imagine track independent release august acoustic live form original version included platinum edition recorded version song itunes originals album variants included compilation album symphony version featuring live version imagine covered artists released reworked version song titled imagine paired sing love jesus album legacy hymns faith issued variants song version peaked country songs chart issued form song drive provided theirs song covered gospel artist song performed live man struggling disease referred syndrome body repair mechanism replaces muscle bone causing joints permanently frozen place died sang song broadcast accompanied pastor phillips dean footage performance featured finale glass documentary suffer children german version track listing release imagine word god speak release history charts certifications
I Can Only Imagine (MercyMe song)