ABOVE
ALL
WRITTEN BY PAUL BALOCHE AND LENNY LEBLANC
RECORDED BY MICHAEL W. SMITH ON WORSHIP (REUNION RECORDS, 2001)
PRODUCED BY MICHAEL W.
SMITH AND TOM LAUNE
INSPIRED TWO BOOKS: J. COUNTRYMAN’S WORSHIP AND BRENNAN MANNING’S ABOVE ALL
2001 PERFORMED AT PRESIDENT BUSH’S INAUGURAL PRAYER SERVICE
When asked why he thinks his 1995 song “Above All” has connected with so many churchgoers in worship services around the world, Lenny LeBlanc (who co-wrote the song with Paul Baloche) pauses, and then offers, “I think because it’s such a beautiful picture of how a God that is above everything would become like a rose trampled on the ground, take the fall and think of us…above all.”
Michael W. Smith stumbled upon the song when he was looking for material to sing at President Bush’s inaugural prayer service at the Boston Cathedral back in 2001. “I knew the whole thing was going to be somewhat traditional. I was just trying to find something that leaned a little bit contemporary, but I couldn’t find anything,” Smith recalls. “So I started going through all these worship CDs I get in the mail. And then on the third CD I listened to, I ran across ‘Above All.’ I had never heard it. And I’ll never forget going, ‘That’s what I’m singing in Washington.’” He adds, “I even had cheat sheets on the piano because I had never sang it live before. I had not memorized it, so I had to pull these things out of my pocket and lay them on the piano—very unprofessional. But I was determined to sing it.” Michael’s instinctive, emotional reaction to the song mirrored the writers’ experience as it was being created. Baloche says simply, “It came from an honest place. I just sincerely wanted to worship Him and praise Him for His greatness.”
But what did the Commander-in-Chief think of Smith’s rendition of the song? “I think it was received very well because every time I see the President he wants me to play it,” Smith says. “So he remembers that song very well.”
While watching the inaugural prayer service on Fox News Live, Baloche says he couldn’t hold back his emotions. “I was sitting on the floor with my children watching as Michael W. Smith walked up to the piano and began to sing,” he remembers. “Tears began to pour out of my eyes. My eight year-old daughter asked, ‘Are you all right, Daddy? What’s wrong?’ I replied, ‘Honey, these are happy tears.’”
I’m humbled and blown away that a simple prayer of worship, started at my little piano, found its way to the President of the United States. The possibility that this song could be an encouragement to him is such an honor. I pray that he would draw strength and wisdom from The One who is above him . . . and above all. It blesses me to know that Jesus will be worshiped with this song for years to come.”
