Grant made her debut in 1977 under the guidance of Myrrh Records, and became the first Christian recording act to have an album be certified platinum. Following her marriage to Gary Chapman in 1982 and a subsequent deal between her record company and A&M Records, a series of successful pop-crossover records consolidated her position as both Christian music's highest-selling act and a formidable force in mainstream music, and according to Billboard magazine she was the most successful Christian recording artist of the 1980s and 1990s.
After giving birth to her fourth child Corinna Grant Gill, Grant returned to her gospel music roots with the 2002 release of Legacy...Hymns & Faith. The album featured a Vince Gill-influenced mix of bluegrass and gospel and marked Grant's 25th anniversary in the music industry. Grant followed this up with the pop release Simple Things in 2003. The album did not see the success of her previous pop efforts, and soon after the album, Amy and Interscope/A&M parted ways.
Grant released a sequel to her hymns collection in 2005 titled Rock of Ages... Hymns & Faith. Despite publicly musing that life would be easier if she weren't working, Grant joined the reality television phenomenon by hosting Three Wishes, a show in which she and a team of helpers make wishes come true for small-town residents. The show debuted on NBC in the fall of 2005, but was cancelled in November after 10 episodes. After Three Wishes was cancelled, Grant won her 6th Grammy Award for Rock of Ages.
In a February, 2006 webchat, Amy stated she believes her "best music is still ahead".
Amy Grant recorded a live cd/dvd album in early 2006 and it was released later in the year.
To date Amy Grant has sold more than 25 million records worldwide and is a 6 time Grammy winning artist.
Wise Up
Amy Grant Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm not sure about
Climbing in where there's temptation
Can I get back out?
I never can quite find the answer
The one I want to hear
The one that justifies my action
Says the coast is clear
Something on the outside
Says to jump on in
But something on the inside
Is telling me again
Better wise up
Better think twice
Never leave room for compromise
You better wise up
Better get smart
And use your head to guard your heart
It's gonna get rough
So you better wise up
Take a look at your intentions
When you have to choose
Could it be that apprehension
Might be telling you
To back off now is better
So take your heart and run
But get your thoughts together
Before they come undone
Better wise up
Better think twice
Never leave room for compromise
You better wise up
Better get smart
And use your head to guard your heart
It's gonna get rough
So you better wise up
You got to wise up
You got to think twice
You got to wise up
You got to, you got to
To back off now is better
So take your heart and run
But get your thoughts together
Before they come undone
Better wise up
Better think twice
Never leave room for compromise
You better wise up
Better get smart
And use your head to guard your heart
It's gonna get rough
So you better wise up
Better think twice
And never leave room for compromise
Oh, you better wise up
Better get smart
And use your head to guard your heart
It's gonna get rough
So you better wise up
You got to wise up
You got to think twice
(Hohh!)
You got to wise up
(Oh, yeah!)
You got to, you got to
(So you better wise up, now)
You got to wise up
You got to think twice
(Better wise up, y'all!)
You got to wise up
You got to, you got to
(Oh, yeah!)
You got to wise up
You got to think twice
(Better think sharper)
You got to wise up
(Oh, you better wise up, now)
You got to, you got to
(Ohh, yeah!)
You got to wise up
(Hoo! Hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo-hoo!)
You got to think twice
You got to wise up
You got to, you got to
(Oh, got to show yo', yeah!)
You got to wise up
You got to think twice
(Hoaa! Ooww!)
You got to wise up
You got to, you got to
The lyrics to Amy Grant's song "Wise Up" describe the internal struggle of a person who is facing a difficult decision. The individual is unsure of themselves and their choices, and they do not know if the decision they have made is the right one. They are concerned about temptation and whether or not they will be able to resist it. The verse "Something on the outside says to jump on in, but something on the inside is telling me again" highlights this dilemma. They are looking for justification for their choices, but they are unable to find it. The chorus encourages the individual to be smart and to use their head to guard their heart. It stresses that there should be no room for compromise, and that they should think twice before making any decisions. The final verse advises them to back off and take time to think when they are uncertain, to allow their thoughts to come together before making any decisions.
In essence, the message of the song is to be cautious when making decisions and to listen to both the voice on the outside and the voice on the inside, as they both have something important to say. The singer is urging the listener to wise up and pay attention to their own feelings and thoughts before making any decisions that could have consequences they may regret.
Line by Line Meaning
Got myself in this situation
I'm not sure about
Climbing in where there's temptation
Can I get back out?
Amy Grant is in a situation where temptation is attempting her to make a wrong move, but she is unsure if she can turn back if she makes the wrong choice. She needs to be careful and wise in her decision.
I never can quite find the answer
The one I want to hear
The one that justifies my action
Says the coast is clear
Amy cannot find the answer that would provide excuses for her to make the wrong choice. She knows deep down she has to make the right choice.
Something on the outside
Says to jump on in
But something on the inside
Is telling me again
Amy is feeling the external pressure tempting her to make the wrong choice, but the internal voice is warning her not to do so for her well-being.
Take a look at your intentions
When you have to choose
Could it be that apprehension
Might be telling you
Amy advises individuals to pay attention to their intentions and carefully analyze them to avoid making the wrong choice. She suggests that the fear of apprehension could be helping them to make a wise decision.
To back off now is better
So take your heart and run
But get your thoughts together
Before they come undone
Amy is advising individuals to back off from temptations and run for their well-being. She advises them to calm their thoughts and make a wise decision before it is too late.
Better wise up
Better think twice
Never leave room for compromise
You better wise up
Better get smart
And use your head to guard your heart
It's gonna get rough
So you better wise up
Amy is advising individuals to wise up and think twice before making a decision to avoid compromise. She suggests using their heads to make wise choices that can help them deal with tough situations.
You got to wise up
You got to think twice
(Hohh!)
You got to wise up
(Oh, yeah!)
You got to, you got to
(So you better wise up, now)
Amy is encouraging individuals to wise up and think twice before making any decision. She is reminding them that they need to be vigilant to avoid making the wrong choices.
You got to wise up
(Hoo! Hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo-hoo!)
You got to think twice
You got to wise up
You got to, you got to
(Oh, got to show yo', yeah!)
Amy is emphasizing the importance of being wise before making decisions. She is telling individuals to be practical and cautious in their decision-making process.
You got to wise up
(Hoaa! Ooww!)
You got to think twice
You got to wise up
You got to, you got to
Amy is advising individuals to be smart and wise before making any move. She advises them to be vigilant and aware of the consequences of their actions.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Capitol CMG Publishing
Written by: Unknown Composer Author, Delroy Reid, Lynford Marshall
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
D B
Always loved this song. It is so much fun but what an important message!
Darren Miller
Those were the days. I turned 21 the year this album came out. Loved Amy Grant and that song. Much love from Santa Cruz California 😊
April in Alabama
♥️ Brings back memories!!! 😁👍❤️🎶🎵
Andrew Ienco
I was only 9 but I remember the tape and this song. Luv Amy Grant and wise up songs as with all of her songs!
Charles Tompkins
I was at this concert in the third row! I was 17 at the time. It was a great show. Russ Taff opened up for her. This concert was in Pittsburgh at the old Civic Arena where the Pens used to play at. The building is gone now. I've seen a lot of great shows there. This was the only one that one I've been to where a video was shot for a song.
Greg McKinney
I was head over heels for Amy, Russ Taff and Petra/Greg X Volz at that time. Such fantastic artists… believers needed no apologies for their music in the 80s. I saw her at the Tingley Coliseum in ABQ in 1985… great show.
Rebecca Cruse
I love this song and Amy Grant reminds me of being a little girl
Martin Douglass
They didn’t get all of the footage they needed for this video during the actual concert, so she invited everyone back the next night to do it again and the same huge crowd showed up. That’s a pretty damn good song 😉
Nelson Cruz
I've always loved this song. I actually found this same concert on a video. Notice her ex husband Gary Chapman in white.
Bonnie Breuner
That outfit aged really well