Forever and Ever, Amen

"Forever and Ever, Amen"
"Forever and Ever, Amen"
	Single cover
Single by Randy Travis
from the album Always & Forever
B-side	"Promises"
Released	March 1987
Recorded	January 1987
Genre	Country, country rock, country pop
Length	3:31
Label	Warner Bros. Nashville 28384
Songwriter(s)	Paul Overstreet; Don Schlitz;
Producer(s)	Kyle Lehning
Randy Travis singles chronology

"Forever and Ever, Amen" is a song written by Paul Overstreet and Don Schlitz, and recorded by American country music artist Randy Travis. It was released in March 1987 as the first single from the album Always & Forever and became Travis's third No. 1 single on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles charts.^[1]

In August 2020, Josh Turner recorded a cover version of "Forever and Ever, Amen" featuring Travis on his album Country State of Mind. Since 2017, Travis, whose singing has been severely limited since a 2013 stroke, has on several occasions contributed the final "Amen" to live performances by other artists when he is in attendance.^[2]^[3]

In February 2021, Ronan Keating and Shania Twain released a version as the fourth single from Keating's eleventh studio album, Twenty Twenty.^[4]^[5]

Background[]

"Forever and Ever, Amen" was penned by songwriters Paul Overstreet and Don Schlitz, both Nashville luminaries with a long pedigree of domestic country hits, including songs by Alabama, Keith Whitley, Kenny Rogers, and the Judds in the 1980s. The idea for the song's title stemmed from Schlitz's son, who, after saying his nightly prayers, would often remark to his mother, "Mommy, I love you forever and ever, amen." Schlitz relayed the sentimental message to Overstreet, and the two wrote the song in a couple of hours. They recorded the demo version of the song the next day, and pitched it to Warner Bros. executive Martha Sharp. Sharp suggested the material best for Travis, for whom Overstreet had previously written "On the Other Hand".

Travis was fond of the song immediately, and abridged its message for the title of his second album: Always and Forever.

Critical reception[]

The single was first released in March 1987. It debuted on Billboard's country charts on April 25, 1987. The song peaked at number one for three weeks on June 13, 1987, the first single to do so on the country charts since Johnny Lee's "Lookin' for Love" seven years prior.

"Forever and Ever, Amen" was heavily lauded in the country community, as well as on a mainstream level. It won a Grammy for Best Country & Western Song at the 30th Annual Grammy Awards in 1988. It also claimed Song of the Year honors from the Academy of Country Music^[6] and the Country Music Association. Nearly three decades past its release, it was certified Gold by the RIAA,^[7] making it Travis' first solo single to earn an RIAA certification. Its digital sales were last estimated at over 966,000 downloads in 2016.^[8]

Charts[]

Weekly charts[]

Chart (1987)	Peak position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)^[9]	1
Canadian RPM Country Tracks	1
Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary Tracks	10
UK Singles Chart	55

Year-end charts[]

Chart (1987)	Position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)^[10]	14

Certifications[]


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)^[7]	Gold	966,000^[8]

References[]

^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 351.
^ Kruh, Nancy (June 2017). "Without Words, Randy Travis Makes Fans' Dreams Come True". People Country. Retrieved January 26, 2019.
^ Hermanson, Wendy. "Randy Travis Celebrates 60th Birthday at Grand Ole Opry". Tasteofcountry.com. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
^ "Forever and Ever, Amen by Ronan Keating and Shania Twain". Apple Music. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
^ "Ronan Keating Releases "Forever And Ever, Amen" with Shania Twain". udiscovermusic. February 2021. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
^ ACMs - Previous Winners - Song of the Year
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b "American single certifications – Randy Travis – Forever and Ever, Amen". Recording Industry Association of America.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b Bjorke, Matt (November 8, 2016). "Top 30 Digital Singles Sales Report: November 8, 2016". Roughstock.
^ "Randy Travis Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
^ "Hot Country Songs – Year-End 1987". Billboard. Retrieved June 29, 2021.

This 1987 country song-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by .

[1] Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 351.

[2] Kruh, Nancy (June 2017). "Without Words, Randy Travis Makes Fans' Dreams Come True". People Country. Retrieved January 26, 2019.

[3] Hermanson, Wendy. "Randy Travis Celebrates 60th Birthday at Grand Ole Opry". Tasteofcountry.com. Retrieved September 29, 2019.

[FaEA-4] "Forever and Ever, Amen by Ronan Keating and Shania Twain". Apple Music. Retrieved February 13, 2021.

[5] "Ronan Keating Releases "Forever And Ever, Amen" with Shania Twain". udiscovermusic. February 2021. Retrieved February 13, 2021.

[6] ACMs - Previous Winners - Song of the Year

[United_StatesRandy_TravisForever_and_Ever,_AmensingleCertRef-7] Jump up to: ^a ^b "American single certifications – Randy Travis – Forever and Ever, Amen". Recording Industry Association of America.

[sales-8] Jump up to: ^a ^b Bjorke, Matt (November 8, 2016). "Top 30 Digital Singles Sales Report: November 8, 2016". Roughstock.

[sc_Billboardcountrysongs_Randy_Travis-9] "Randy Travis Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.

[10] "Hot Country Songs – Year-End 1987". Billboard. Retrieved June 29, 2021.

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show v t Randy Travis
Albums Singles
Studio albums	Storms of Life Always & Forever Old 8×10 No Holdin' Back Heroes & Friends High Lonesome Wind in the Wire This Is Me Full Circle You and You Alone A Man Ain't Made of Stone Inspirational Journey Rise and Shine Worship & Faith Passing Through Glory Train: Songs of Faith, Worship, and Praise Around the Bend Anniversary Celebration Influence Vol. 1: The Man I Am Influence Vol. 2: The Man I Am Precious Memories (Worship & Faith)
Compilation albums	Greatest Hits, Volume One Greatest Hits, Volume Two The Very Best of Randy Travis I Told You So: The Ultimate Hits of Randy Travis Three Wooden Crosses: The Inspirational Hits of Randy Travis
Holiday albums	An Old Time Christmas Songs of the Season
Notable singles	"1982" "On the Other Hand" "Diggin' Up Bones" "No Place Like Home" "Forever and Ever, Amen" "I Won't Need You Anymore (Always and Forever)" "Too Gone Too Long" "I Told You So" "Honky Tonk Moon" "Deeper Than the Holler" "Is It Still Over?" "Promises" "It's Just a Matter of Time" "Hard Rock Bottom of Your Heart" "He Walked on Water" "A Few Ole Country Boys" (with George Jones) "Heroes and Friends" "Point of Light" "Forever Together" "Better Class of Losers" "I'd Surrender All" "If I Didn't Have You" "Look Heart, No Hands" "An Old Pair of Shoes" "Cowboy Boogie" "Before You Kill Us All" "Whisper My Name" "This Is Me" "The Box" "Are We in Trouble Now" "Would I" "Out of My Bones" "The Hole" "Spirit of a Boy, Wisdom of a Man" "Stranger in My Mirror" "A Man Ain't Made of Stone" "Baptism" "Three Wooden Crosses"
Other songs	"Singing the Blues" "Somewhere in My Broken Heart" "She's Got the Rhythm (And I Got the Blues)"

show v t Ronan Keating
Discography
Studio albums	Ronan (2000) Destination (2002) Turn It On (2003) Bring You Home (2006) Fires (2012) Time of My Life (2016) Twenty Twenty (2020)
Cover albums	Songs for My Mother (2009) Winter Songs (2009) Duet (2010) When Ronan Met Burt (2011)
Compilation albums	10 Years of Hits (2004)
Singles	"When You Say Nothing at All" "These Days" "Life Is a Rollercoaster" "The Way You Make Me Feel" "In This Life" "Lovin' Each Day" "If Tomorrow Never Comes" "I Love It When We Do" "We've Got Tonight" "The Long Goodbye" "Lost for Words" "She Believes (In Me)" "Last Thing on My Mind" "I Hope You Dance" "Father and Son" "Baby Can I Hold You" "All Over Again" "Iris" "Time After Time" "This Is Your Song" "Stay" "Believe Again" "What The World Needs Now" "Fires" "Wasted Light" "Summer Wonderland" "Forever and Ever, Amen"
Related articles	Boyzone

show v t Shania Twain
Discography Videography Awards and nominations
Studio albums	Shania Twain The Woman in Me Come On Over Up! Now
Live albums	Still the One: Live from Vegas
Compilation albums	The Complete Limelight Sessions Greatest Hits
Video albums	Shania Twain Live The Platinum Collection The Specials Up! Live in Chicago Up! Close and Personal Still the One: Live from Vegas
Concerts and tours	Come On Over Tour Super Bowl XXXVII halftime show Up! Tour Shania: Still the One Rock This Country Tour Now Tour Let's Go!
Television	Why Not? with Shania Twain
Film	Trading Paint
Related articles	Shania: A Life in Eight Albums Shania Twain Centre Robert John "Mutt" Lange
Category

show v t CMA Single of the Year
1967−1970	"There Goes My Everything" (1967) "Harper Valley PTA" (1968) "A Boy Named Sue" (1969) "Okie from Muskogee" (1970)
1971-1980	"Help Me Make It Through the Night" (1971) "The Happiest Girl in the Whole U.S.A." (1972) "Behind Closed Doors" (1973) "Country Bumpkin" (1974) "Before the Next Teardrop Falls" (1975) "Good Hearted Woman" (1976) "Lucille" (1977) "Heaven's Just a Sin Away" (1978) "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" (1979) "He Stopped Loving Her Today" (1980)
1981-1990	"Elvira" (1981) "Always on My Mind" (1982) "Swingin'" (1983) "A Little Good News" (1984) "Why Not Me" (1985) "Bop" (1986) "Forever and Ever, Amen" (1987) "Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses" (1988) "I'm No Stranger to the Rain" (1989) "When I Call Your Name" (1990)
1991-2000	"Friends in Low Places" (1991) "Achy Breaky Heart" (1992) "Chattahoochee" (1993) "I Swear" (1994) "When You Say Nothing at All" (1995) "Check Yes or No" (1996) "Strawberry Wine" (1997) "Holes in the Floor of Heaven" (1998) "Wide Open Spaces" (1999) "I Hope You Dance" (2000)
2001-2010	"I am a Man Of Constant Sorrow" (2001) "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)" (2002) "Hurt" (2003) "Live Like You Were Dying" (2004) "I May Hate Myself in the Morning" (2005) "Believe" (2006) "Before He Cheats" (2007) "I Saw God Today" (2008) "I Run to You" (2009) "Need You Now" (2010)
2011-2020	"If I Die Young" (2011) "Pontoon" (2012) "Cruise" (2013) "Automatic" (2014) "Girl Crush" (2015) "Die a Happy Man" (2016) "Blue Ain't Your Color" (2017) "Broken Halos" (2018) "God's Country" (2019) "The Bones" (2020)