Cinderella (Steven Curtis Chapman song)
Encyclopedia
"Cinderella" is a song by contemporary Christian
singer Steven Curtis Chapman
from his album This Moment
. In 2009, a special edition of the album titled This Moment: Cinderella Edition was released, featuring two versions of the song.
, while he was trying to do it quick so he could put them to bed and go to his studio to work. Chapman says he even refused to read them a story that night. However, after walking out, he says he felt God telling him the name "Emily Chapman", his oldest daughter who was already in her twenties at the time. Steven remembered how he had rushed through some moments in Emily's childhood because of his career, and remembered how he now had a chance to not do it again now with his younger daughters. He then felt guilty for neglecting them and started writing the song to remember himself to cherish the moments he could with his family, no matter how brief they might be:
Chapman says he wrote the song in about an hour, which was unusual for him. Chapman says that his daughters thought it was "the greatest song ever written, because it was inspired by them, but mostly because it had the name 'Cinderella'."
Several months later, in May 2008, Chapman's youngest daughter, Maria Sue, died as a result of an accident in the Chapman's driveway and the song took on a whole new meaning for the Chapman family. While the song had originally been written as a message to love and cherish parenthood while it lasted, it acquired another message of the frailty of life and how suddenly it can change. After his daughter's death, Chapman has said he was "pretty sure [he] would never sing the song again". On July 11, while singing on stage, he felt God talking to him through all his songs, confronting him. Chapman felt that he needed to believe in the hope he proclaims in his songs, and bring that hope to others by singing the song.
Contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
singer Steven Curtis Chapman
Steven Curtis Chapman
Steven Curtis Chapman is an American musician, songwriter, record producer, actor, author, and social activist.After starting his career in the late 1980s as a singer/songwriter of contemporary Christian music, Chapman has since been recognized as one of the most prolific singers in the genre,...
from his album This Moment
This Moment (album)
-This Moment: Cinderella Edition:On May 27, 2008, Sparrow Records released This Moment: Cinderella Edition. This edition featured four additional tracks, including the acoustic version of the hit single "Cinderella". This version gained notoriety for being released days after the death of Chapman's...
. In 2009, a special edition of the album titled This Moment: Cinderella Edition was released, featuring two versions of the song.
Lyrics and inspiration
The song "Cinderella" was written by Steven Curtis Chapman one night after helping his two youngest daughters - Stevey Joy and Maria Sue - to take a bath and put them to sleep. Chapman remembers that the girls were stalling him, putting on her gowns of CinderellaCinderella
"Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper" is a folk tale embodying a myth-element of unjust oppression/triumphant reward. Thousands of variants are known throughout the world. The title character is a young woman living in unfortunate circumstances that are suddenly changed to remarkable fortune...
, while he was trying to do it quick so he could put them to bed and go to his studio to work. Chapman says he even refused to read them a story that night. However, after walking out, he says he felt God telling him the name "Emily Chapman", his oldest daughter who was already in her twenties at the time. Steven remembered how he had rushed through some moments in Emily's childhood because of his career, and remembered how he now had a chance to not do it again now with his younger daughters. He then felt guilty for neglecting them and started writing the song to remember himself to cherish the moments he could with his family, no matter how brief they might be:
Chapman says he wrote the song in about an hour, which was unusual for him. Chapman says that his daughters thought it was "the greatest song ever written, because it was inspired by them, but mostly because it had the name 'Cinderella'."
Several months later, in May 2008, Chapman's youngest daughter, Maria Sue, died as a result of an accident in the Chapman's driveway and the song took on a whole new meaning for the Chapman family. While the song had originally been written as a message to love and cherish parenthood while it lasted, it acquired another message of the frailty of life and how suddenly it can change. After his daughter's death, Chapman has said he was "pretty sure [he] would never sing the song again". On July 11, while singing on stage, he felt God talking to him through all his songs, confronting him. Chapman felt that he needed to believe in the hope he proclaims in his songs, and bring that hope to others by singing the song.
Dove Awards
In 2009, the song was nominated for two Dove Awards: Song of the Year and Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year, at the 40th GMA Dove Awards. Although the song did not win any of the awards. Chapman took home Artist of the Year and Songwriter of the Year. During the ceremony, Chapman also performed the song and received a standing ovation in the end.Chart performance
| Charts | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Hot Christian Songs Hot Christian Songs Christian Songs is a Billboard chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.... |
4 |
| Hot Christian AC | 23 |
External links
- Cinderella on Steven Curtis Chapman official website