I Saw the Light (Wynonna Judd song)

For other uses, see I Saw the Light (disambiguation).

"I Saw the Light" is a song by American country music artist Wynonna Judd, released on May 4, 1992, as the second official single from her selt-titled debut studio album (1992). It was written by Andrew Gold and Lisa Angelle, and produced by Tony Brown. A video was planned for release alongside the single but never came to fruition.^[1]

"I Saw the Light"
Single by Wynonna Judd
from the album Wynonna
B-side	"When I Reach the Place I'm Goin'"
Released	May 4, 1992
Genre	Country
Length	3:55
Label	MCA Curb
Songwriter(s)	Andrew Gold Lisa Angelle
Producer(s)	Tony Brown
Wynonna Judd singles chronology
"She Is His Only Need" (1992) "I Saw the Light" (1992) "No One Else on Earth" (1992)

The track was a commercial success, becoming her second consecutive number one single on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and became the most played song of 1992 at country radio. As of 2024, it is the most recent song by a solo female artist to top the year-end chart.

Critical reception

Kevin John Coyne of Country Universe gave the track an A rating, saying that "it has the rhythm and cadence of a classic sixties girl group hit, infused with just enough twang to keep the proceedings country."^[2] Lisa Smith and Cyndi Hoelzle of Gavin Report gave it a positive review by saying, "It's not the same light Hank was singing about, that's for sure. Why ask Wy? This song has so much energy, it's easy to see why so many stations jumped on it early. There's no stopping this Judd."^[3] Billboard also gave it a positive review, saying the track "sports a thoroughly infectious melody, vivid lyrical images, and rousing harmonies that add weight to the clever wordplay of the title."^[4]

Track listings

Japanese mini-CD single^[5]

1. "I Saw the Light" – 3:55
2. "She Is His Only Need" – 4:27

Austrian CD single^[6]

1. "I Saw the Light" – 3:53
2. "When I Reach the Place I'm Goin'" – 4:29
3. "My Strongest Weakness" – 4:21

US jukebox single^[7]

1. "I Saw the Light" – 3:53
2. "When I Reach the Place I'm Goin'" – 2:49

Personnel

The following musicians performed on this track.^[8]

• Eddie Bayers – drums
• Andrew Gold – background vocals
• Wynonna Judd – lead vocals
• Steve Nathan – keyboards
• Don Potter – acoustic guitar
• Matt Rollings – keyboards
• Steuart Smith – electric guitar
• Willie Weeks – bass guitar

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for "I Saw the Light" Chart (1992) Peak position Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[9] 1 Germany (GfK)[10] 74 US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[11] 1 US Country Top 50 (Radio & Records)[12] 1 US Gavin Country (Gavin Report)[13] 1 US Top 100 Country Singles (Cashbox)[14] 1

Year-end charts Chart (1992) Position Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[15] 8 US Country Songs (Billboard)[16] 1 US Country (Radio & Records)[17] 26 US Gavin Country (Gavin Report)[18] 38 US Top 50 Country Singles (Cashbox)[19] 25

Covers

On October 20, 2013, Irish singer Lisa Stanley released a cover, re-titling it as "I Saw the Light in Your Window Tonight". A video was directed by producer Seamus O'Donnell. It peaked at number 11 on the iTunes country charts.^[20]

References

1. "Retail Rap: Album to Watch". Cashbox. Vol. LV, no. 37. May 9, 1992. p. 19.
2. Coyne, Kevin John (September 14, 2021). "Every #1 Country Single of the Nineties: Wynonna, "I Saw the Light"". Country Universe. Retrieved November 22, 2024.
3. Smith, Lisa; Hoelzle, Cyndi (May 1, 1992). "New Releases". Gavin Report. No. 1903. p. 42.
4. "Single Reviews: Country". Billboard. Vol. 104, no. 19. Nielsen Business Media. May 9, 1992. p. 84. ISSN 0006-2510.
5. I Saw the Light (Japanese mini-CD single liner notes). Wynonna Judd. Alfa Records, Curb Records. 1992. ALDB-156.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
6. I Saw the Light (Austrian CD single liner notes). Wynonna Judd. Curb Records. 1992. 658220 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
7. I Saw the Light (US 7-inch jukebox single sleeve). Wynonna Judd. Curb Records. 1992. 54407.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
8. Wynonna (CD booklet). Wynonna Judd. MCA Records. 1992. MCAD-10529.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
9. "Top RPM Country Tracks: Issue 2003." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. July 18, 1992. Retrieved August 15, 2013.
10. "Wynonna Judd – I Saw the Light" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
11. "Wynonna Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
12. "R&R Country National Airplay". Radio & Records. No. 947. June 26, 1992. p. 78.
13. "the Gavin Report: Country". Gavin Report. No. 1911. June 26, 1992. p. 30.
14. "Cash Box Charts: Top 100 Country Singles". Cashbox. Vol. LV, no. 47. July 18, 1992. p. 21.
15. "RPM Top 100 Country Tracks of 1992". RPM. December 19, 1992. Retrieved August 15, 2013.
16. "Best of 1992: Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 1992. Retrieved August 15, 2013.
17. "The Top 92 of 1992: Country". Radio & Records. No. 971. December 11, 1992. p. 64.
18. "Top 100 Country". Gavin Report. No. 1935. December 11, 1992. p. 24.
19. "Year End '92 Awards: Top 50 Country Singles". Cashbox. Vol. LVI, no. 18. December 26, 1992. p. 39.
20. "I Saw the Light in Your Window Tonight - Lisa Stanley".