For the Sinéad O'Connor song, see I'm Not Bossy, I'm the Boss.
"Take Me to Church"
Single by Hozier
from the album Hozier
B-side
"Run"
Released
13 September 2013 (2013-09-13)
Recorded
2012
Genre
Alternative rock[1]
blues rock
soul
gospel-pop[2]
Length
4:01[3]
Label
Rubyworks
Island
Columbia
Songwriter(s)
Andrew Hozier-Byrne
Producer(s)
Rob Kirwan
Joe Fisher
Hozier singles chronology
"Take Me to Church" (2013)
"From Eden" (2014)
Music video
"Take Me to Church" on YouTube
"Take Me to Church" is a song by Irish singer-songwriter Hozier. It was released as his debut single on 13 September 2013, originally featuring on his extended play of the same name, before being featured as the opening track of his 2014 debut album Hozier. A struggling musician at the time of its composition, Hozier wrote and recorded the song in the attic of his parents' home in County Wicklow. A mid-tempo soul song, its lyrics use religious terminology to describe a romantic relationship in the face of Church discrimination. The song caught the attention of Rubyworks Records, where producer Rob Kirwan collaborated with Hozier on the final recording.
The accompanying music video premiered in September 2013, directed by Brendan Canty, Emmet O'Brien and Conal Thomson. It was shot in black-and-white and follows a romantic relationship between two men and the violent homophobic attack that followed.[4] Upon its YouTube release in September 2013, the video quickly went viral, leading to Hozier's subsequent license with Columbia Records US and Island Records UK. In 2014, the song achieved widespread global popularity, topping the charts in 12 countries and reaching the top 10 in 21 other territories. The song also received critical acclaim.
Aided by music platforms Shazam and Spotify to become a rock radio hit in the United States, the song spent 23 consecutive weeks at the top of the Hot Rock Songs chart, tied with Imagine Dragons' "Radioactive" as the longest-running number-one in its chart-history (at the time). "Take Me to Church" later crossed over to the Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at number two in December 2014. The song was nominated for the Grammy Award for Song of the Year at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards and has been certified Diamond in the US.
^Nattress, Katrina (22 November 2019). "30 Alternative Rock Songs That Defined the 2010s". iHeartMedia. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
^Ahlgrim, Carrie (13 December 2019). "The 113 best songs of the past decade, ranked". Insider. Retrieved 30 December 2022. "Take Me to Church" is one of those ornate gospel-pop songs that will never quite feel tired.
^"iTunes – Music – Hozier". iTunes. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
^Greene, Andy (29 January 2015). "Behind Hozier's Unlikely Rise". Rolling Stone.
and taking political or social justice stances. His debut single, "TakeMetoChurch" (2013), became a rock radio hit in the U.S., peaked at number two...
top 10 after "TakeMetoChurch". Three weeks later, the song reached number one, surpassing the number two peak of "TakeMetoChurch" and becoming Hozier's...
"TakeMeto the River" is a 1974 song written by singer Al Green and guitarist Mabon "Teenie" Hodges. Hit versions were recorded by Syl Johnson, Talking...
the first being the breakout single "TakeMetoChurch" in 2014. "Eat Your Young" also became Hozier's third song to top the US Adult Alternative Airplay...
performing cover songs to artists such as David Guetta and Sia ("Titanium"), Hozier ("TakeMetoChurch"), Justin Timberlake ("Cry Me a River") and Adele...
YouTube THE AGONIST - The Man Who Fell To Earth (Official Video) | Napalm Records - YouTube THE AGONIST - TakeMeToChurch (Official Video) | Napalm Records...
Angeles. Gaustad rose to prominence in 2018 when they launched a YouTube channel with their performance of Hozier's "TakeMetoChurch" which received more...
Rubyworks introduced Hozier to a more mainstream audience. He released his debut music video track, "TakeMeToChurch", in September 2013, when it peaked...
Jackson – "There Must Be More to Life Than This" (2014) Hozier – "TakeMetoChurch" (2015) Britney Spears - "Make Me..." (Unreleased) (2016) 2009: Delirios...
lost to Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood". At the 2015 BBC Music Awards, the song was nominated for "Song of the Year", losing to Hozier's "TakeMetoChurch"....
TakeMeTo Town is a 1953 American Comedy Western film directed by Douglas Sirk and starring Ann Sheridan and Sterling Hayden. Pursued by a federal Marshal...
Monkeys – "Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?" Florence + the Machine – "Ship to Wreck" Hozier – "TakeMetoChurch" Walk the Moon – "Shut Up + Dance"...
Angus (22 April 2015). "Will Anyone Care About 'Uptown Funk' and "TakeMeToChurch" in 20 Years Time?". Vice. Archived from the original on 8 May 2019...