I Am Blessed Explained

I Am Blessed
Cover:	CD Single Cover for Eternal I Am Blessed CD1.jpg
Type:	single
Artist:	Eternal
Album:	Power of a Woman
Released:	27 November 1995
Genre:	R&B gospel
Length:	4:21
Label:	EMI 1st Avenue
Producer:	Ronnie Wilson Dennis Charles
Prev Title:	Power of A Woman
Prev Year:	1995
Next Title:	Good Thing
Next Year:	1996

"I Am Blessed" is a song by British girl group Eternal written by hit songwriter Mark Mueller and Marsha Malamet. An R&B and gospel ballad, it was released as the second single from the group's second studio album, Power of a Woman (1995), and peaked at number seven on the UK Singles Chart. It was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for shipments over 200,000 copies in the UK. It also reached number seven in Ireland, becoming the group's second top-10 hit in that country. Eternal performed "I Am Blessed" for Pope John Paul II at the Vatican in 1995.^[1]

Critical reception

James Masterton for Dotmusic described the song as one of the group's "softer, slushier records".^[2] Pan-European magazine Music & Media wrote, "Another possible chart-buster from the creme of British R&B. The religious undertones are very suitable for the Christmas season, just like the extra track Oh Happy Day, a wonderfully updated version of the gospel traditional with a jazzy rhythm guitar and a midtempo beat."^[3] A reviewer from Music Week rated it three out of five, adding that "this silky smooth ballad has hints of I Will Always Love You, with Easther living up to Houston's standards. A hit, but not a monster."^[4]

Track listings

UK CD1 and Australian CD single^{[5] [6]}

1. "I Am Blessed"
2. "Oh Happy Day"
3. "Stay" (1995 D.A.R.C. R&B remix)
4. "Faith in Love"

UK CD2^[7]

1. "I Am Blessed" (Spiritual mix)
2. "Faith in Love"
3. "Power of a Woman" (Fathers of Sound vocal mix)

UK cassette single^[8]

1. "I Am Blessed"
2. "Faith in Love"

European CD single^[9]

1. "I Am Blessed"
2. "Oh Happy Day"
3. "Power of a Woman" (Nightcrawlers mix)
4. "Faith in Love"

Credits and personnel

Credits are adapted from the Power of a Woman album booklet.^[10]

Studio

• Mastered at The Master Room (London, England)

Personnel

• Mark Mueller – writing
• Marsha Malamet – writing
• Clem Clempson – guitar
• Dave Phillips – keyboards
• Peter Oxendale – keyboards
• Nick Ingman – string arrangements
• Ronnie Wilson – production
• Dennis Charles – production
• Simon Climie – additional production and remix
• Nick Hopkins – recording engineer
• Andy Bradfield – mix engineering
• Ashley Alexander – assistant engineering
• Paul Meehan – programming
• Sam Noel – technician
• Arun Chakraverty – mastering

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1995–1996)	Peak position
scope="row"
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)^[11]	31
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)^[12]	40
scope="row"
scope="row"
scope="row"
scope="row"
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Year-end charts

Notes and References

1. Web site: Where Did They Go: Eternal. Malatji. Malla. wedoitfortheloveofmusic.com. 3 December 2014. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20170103165343/http://wedoitfortheloveofmusic.com/go-eternal/. 3 January 2017. 9 October 2022.
2. Web site: Masterton. James. Week Ending December 9th 1995. Chart Watch UK. 3 December 1995. 3 October 2021. James Masterton.
3. New Releases: Singles . . 23 December 1995 . 7 . 19 May 2021 .
4. Reviews: Singles . . 11 November 1995 . 10 . 15 May 2021 .
5. I Am Blessed. Eternal. 1995. UK CD1 liner notes. EMI United Kingdom, 1st Avenue Records. CDEM 408, 7243 8 82573 2 9.
6. I Am Blessed. Eternal. 1995. Australian CD single liner notes. EMI Records, 1st Avenue Records. 8825732.
7. I Am Blessed. Eternal. 1995. UK CD2 liner notes. EMI United Kingdom, 1st Avenue Records. CDEMS 408, 7243 8 82572 2 0.
8. I Am Blessed. Eternal. 1995. UK cassette single sleeve. EMI United Kingdom, 1st Avenue Records. TCEM 408, 7243 8 82572 4 4.
9. I Am Blessed. Eternal. 1995. European CD single liner notes. EMI Records, 1st Avenue Records. 7243 8 82590 2 6.
10. Power of a Woman. Power of a Woman. Eternal. 1995. UK CD album booklet. EMI United Kingdom, 1st Avenue Records. CDEMD 1090, 7243 8 36354 2 9.
11. Eurochart Hot 100 Singles. Music & Media. 12. 51/52. 9. 23 December 1995. 12 September 2020.
12. News: Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (6.1. '96 – 12.1. '96). Dagblaðið Vísir. is. 32. 6 January 1996. 2 October 2019.
13. Top 100 Singles 1995. Music Week. 9. 13 January 1996.
14. Web site: The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles 1996. Australian Recording Industry Association. Imgur. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20151102010347/http://i.imgur.com/t1PYbhG.jpg. 2 November 2015. 8 November 2015.