About The Song
“I Believe” is a poignant country ballad recorded by George Strait for his twenty-eighth studio album, Love Is Everything. The album was released on May 14, 2013, by MCA Nashville Records. The track was co-written by George Strait, his son George “Bubba” Strait Jr., and longtime collaborator Dean Dillon. Production was handled by Tony Brown and George Strait.
The song was inspired by the tragic Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, on December 14, 2012, which claimed the lives of 20 children and six adult staff members. Strait, having previously lost his 13-year-old daughter Jenifer in a 1986 car accident, felt a personal connection to the grief of the victims’ families. He began jotting down ideas, then collaborated with his son and Dillon to complete the lyrics, which reference “twenty-six angels” watching from above.
Recording for Love Is Everything had already concluded when Strait’s wife, Norma, insisted the band unpack their gear to cut this newly written track. Strait was initially hesitant, concerned about potentially offending the victims’ families or appearing opportunistic. The session proceeded, resulting in a gentle, faith-affirming performance highlighted by Strait’s mournful falsetto notes.
“I Believe” was released as the second single from the album on July 15, 2013, following the No. 1 hit “Give It All We Got Tonight.” It debuted at No. 50 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart for the week of August 3, 2013, and peaked there—marking the first single in Strait’s career to miss the Top 40. Despite limited radio play, the song received strong critical praise for its sincerity and handling of a sensitive subject.
Love Is Everything debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and was certified Platinum by the RIAA. Other singles from the album included “I Got a Car” (No. 17) and “I Just Can’t Go On Dying Like This” (re-recorded from an earlier unreleased track). The album continued Strait’s tradition of traditional country sounds amid his ongoing Cowboy Rides Away Tour.
In later years, Strait performed “I Believe” during the 2017 Hand in Hand: A Benefit for Hurricane Relief telethon. The track remains a standout in his catalog for its direct expression of faith and personal resonance, co-written during a period of reflection on loss.
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Lyric
The night’s as clear as a big desert sky
But it’s hard to see the stars with these tears in my eyes
Yeah, it’s hard not to cry
There’s twenty-six reasons whyThere’s broken hearts that’ll never be the same
Shattered lives still reeling from the pain
Of plans and dreams now gone
Oh, how do you move on?But I believe
There’s someone who’s looking after me
Someone beside me night and day
To light the way
It’s hard to conceive
Something you can’t see
But I believe
I believeThere’s twenty-six angels looking down from above
Resting in his mercy, grace and love
Time may never heal
The sadness that we feelBut I believe
There’s someone who’s looking after me
Someone beside me night and day
To light the way
It’s hard to conceive
Something you can’t see
But I believe
I believeThe rivers flow now that used to be dry
As people all over the world start to cry
But I believeBut I believe
There’s someone who’s looking after me
Someone beside me night and day
To light the way
It’s hard to conceive
Something you can’t see
But I believe
I believe