How Great Thou Art (Until That Day)
by Matt Redman (featuring Chris Tomlin)

Album: released as a single (2024)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • "How Great Thou Art (Until That Day)" is a reworking of the famous hymn "How Great Thou Art," which dates back to the 1800 but was popularized in America in the 1950s when many churches started to perform it. Elvis Presley recorded a famous version in 1967, and Carrie Underwood in 2011. This updated version marks the 75th anniversary of when the song was translated into English in 1949.
  • Sixteen different artists sing on this track, including Matt Redman and Mitch Wong, who wrote a new verse to acknowledge the struggles and injustices in the world while offering hope and faith in God's ultimate plan.

    "We tried to tie into the old verse structure, but with a melodic lift and words saying, 'Hey, we can't avoid or ignore that we live in a broken, warring world, and we have to face that, but we're also going to sing with hope," Redman told Billboard, adding, "It feels like a bit of a weird word, 'War,' to put in a hymn, but that's our reality, whether it's on a personal level or on a national, actual war level, that's the world we live in. I don't want to sing a song that feels escapist or doesn't engage with reality."

    The other artists are:

    Chris Tomlin
    Hillary Scott
    Cody Carnes
    Kari Jobe
    Naomi Raine
    TAYA
    Ryan Ellis
    Jon Reddick
    Blessing Offor
    Brian Johnson
    Jenn Johnson
    Matt Maher
    Pat Barrett
    Benjamin William Hastings
  • The song marks the the 75th anniversary of when "How Great Thou Art" was translated to English in 1949.
  • The project was not just a musical tribute but also a way to raise awareness and funds for The Stuart Hine Trust CIO, a charitable organization providing humanitarian aid in Eastern Europe. All proceeds from the song benefit humanitarian efforts to aid those impacted in the conflict in Ukraine.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Gavin Rossdale of Bush

Gavin Rossdale of BushSongwriter Interviews

On the "schizoid element" of his lyrics, and a famous line from "Everything Zen."

Black Sabbath

Black SabbathFact or Fiction

Dwarfs on stage with an oversize Stonehenge set? Dabbling in Satanism? Find out which Spinal Tap-moments were true for Black Sabbath.

Judas Priest

Judas PriestSongwriter Interviews

Rob Halford, Richie Faulkner and Glenn Tipton talk twin guitar harmonies and explain how they create songs in Judas Priest.

Muhammad Ali: His Musical Legacy and the Songs he Inspired

Muhammad Ali: His Musical Legacy and the Songs he InspiredSong Writing

Before he was the champ, Ali released an album called I Am The Greatest!, but his musical influence is best heard in the songs he inspired.

Glen Burtnik

Glen BurtnikSongwriter Interviews

On Glen's résumé: hit songwriter, Facebook dominator, and member of Styx.

Queen

QueenFact or Fiction

Scaramouch, a hoople and a superhero soundtrack - see if you can spot the real Queen stories.