Footprints
by Sia

Album: This is Acting (2016)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This Is Acting comprises Sia compositions salvaged from the figurative dumpster after being discarded by various A-list stars. This song was a Beyoncé reject that the Aussie wrote when she was in New York. She told Rolling Stone: "We did that in the Hamptons session we did years ago for the most recent album she did. I got 'Pretty Hurts' from that album, but originally I wrote 25 songs for it while we were in the Hamptons and one made the record. Isn't that amazing?"
  • Sia described the experience of writing for Beyoncé, as being "very Frankenstein," as according to the Aussie, Queen B likes to mix bits and pieces from various songwriters. "In the end, she had maybe 25 songs of mine on hold," Sia said, "and I was very excited to get a couple of them back."
  • The lyrics were inspired by the allegorical poem "Footprints"

    I saw only two footprints in the sand
    Thought you'd abandoned me
    Let go of my hand, but you were carrying me
    Carrying me to safety.


    The original poem, whose authorship is disputed, dates back to the nineteenth century. It describes a person walking on a beach with God with the trail representing various stages of their life. Two sets of footprints are left in the sand behind them, but from time to time they dwindle to one. This is because God was carrying the person during the lowest and most hopeless moments of their life.

    Leona Lewis had a #2 hit in the UK with her version of the poem, "Footprints In The Sand."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Joan Armatrading

Joan ArmatradingSongwriter Interviews

The revered singer-songwriter talks inspiration and explains why she put a mahout in "Drop the Pilot."

He Hit Me (And It Felt Like A Kiss): A History Of Abuse Pop

He Hit Me (And It Felt Like A Kiss): A History Of Abuse PopSong Writing

Songs that seem to glorify violence against women are often misinterpreted - but not always.

Gary Lewis

Gary LewisSongwriter Interviews

Gary Lewis and the Playboys had seven Top 10 hits despite competition from The Beatles. Gary talks about the hits, his famous father, and getting drafted.

Church Lyrics

Church LyricsMusic Quiz

Here is the church, here is the steeple - see if you can identify these lyrics that reference church.

Martin Page

Martin PageSongwriter Interviews

With Bernie Taupin, Martin co-wrote the #1 hits "We Built This City" and "These Dreams." After writing the Pretty Woman song for Go West, he had his own hit with "In the House of Stone and Light."

Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake & Palmer

Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake & PalmerSongwriter Interviews

Greg talks about writing songs of "universal truth" for King Crimson and ELP, and tells us about his most memorable stage moment (it involves fireworks).