Top 10 Amanda Marshall Songs

Feature Photo: JeffJ at en.wikipedia, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Our Top 10 Amanda Marshall songs list features the best Amanda Marshall songs, including “Let It Rain,” “Birmingham,” “Believe in You,” and more. Even without those well-known hits, this talented Canadian singer has plenty of musical offerings. She was born in Toronto on August 29, 1972, as an only child of a Canadian father and a Trinidad-born mother. Marshall has long described herself as “the product of an interracial marriage” and has even reflected on this in some of her songs, such as “Shades of Gray.” No, that song doesn’t make our top ten list, but it still illustrates how Marshall puts her soul and personal experience into her music. Either way, her experience has led to a rich tapestry of music we can enjoy.

Even during childhood, Marshall had long been interested in becoming a musical performer. She studied it extensively, even becoming a student at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. She eventually became a regular performer on the Queen Street West bar scene, where she met guitarist Jeff Healey, whose “Angel Eyes” reached the top five on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and who scored several hits in Canada. He was so impressed with her musical abilities that he invited her to tour with him for an extended period.

As early as 1991, Marshall signed a contract with Metal Blade Records, but it wasn’t long before both parties realized it wasn’t a good fit, and they parted ways. Still, Amanda didn’t let this roadblock get in her way. She signed a contract with Epic Records in 1994 and quickly contributed to the Neil Young tribute album Borrowed Tunes: A Tribute to Neil Young. This led to her debut album, the self-titled Amanda Marshall, being released in 1995, which led us to this special top-ten list. After a long recording hiatus, Marshall returned with her fourth studio album, Heavy Lifting, in 2023. The album won Adult Contemporary Album of the Year at the 2024 Juno Awards.

# 10 – This Could Take All Night

This song was one of Amanda Marshall’s notable recordings from the mid-1990s. It is most well-known for appearing in the 1996 film Tin Cup, about a golf pro who owns a driving range, falls in love, and makes an unlikely run at the U.S. Open. “This Could Take All Night” had a popular music video that was interspersed between scenes where Kevin Costner and René Russo interacted in the movie. Interestingly, Steve Dorff and Linda Thompson wrote this piece.

Dorff is most notable for his work in country music, crafting hits for artists such as Anne Murray, Lee Greenwood, Kenny Rogers, and Eddie Rabbitt. He also crafted some of the original musical scores for the TV show Growing Pains. Linda Thompson has also written songs for the Backstreet Boys, Air Supply, Barbra Streisand, and Elvis Presley.

# 9 – Sitting on Top of the World

“Sitting on Top of the World” was written by Amanda Marshall and produced by David Tyson. Tyson also co-wrote Marshall’s song “Dark Horse” with Marshall and Dean McTaggart. “Sitting on Top of the World” is customarily played at 115 beats per minute, similar in tempo to well-known pop tunes such as Europe’s “The Final Countdown,” Sister Sledge’s “We Are Family,” and Rick Astley’s “Together Forever.”

# 8 – Sunday Morning After

“Sunday Morning After” was written by Amanda Marshall, Billy Mann, Peter Asher, and the Molecules. It was first showcased on her third album, Everybody’s Got a Story, in 2001. The song also appeared on the 2002 compilation Platinum Hits 2003. The song’s video was nominated for Best Pop Video at the 2002 MuchMusic Video Awards. It was one of those prototypical hangover songs where the protagonist partied a bit harder than she should have, but Marshall made it all her own and put her flair on it.

# 7 – Love Lift Me

“Love Lift Me” was an effort released on her second album, Tuesday’s Child, and, as the title suggests, it has a bit of a spiritual bent. It was recorded for Sony Music and Epic Records, and it has an exciting music video. The scene opens with Marshall performing as a boxer and being given smelling salts while she lies in the ring. Amanda collaborated with songwriters John Bettis, Randy Craig Cantor, and Eric M. Bazilian to produce this single, and it was part of a long collaboration between her and Bazilian. Does that name sound familiar? It should, because Eric Bazilian is not just a songwriter but a musical artist in his own right. He is a founding member of the ’80s pop band The Hooters.

# 6 – Fall From Grace

Written by Marc Jordan and Kim Bullard, “Fall From Grace” tells of a love where someone hopes for more, but time keeps passing. It was introduced on Marshall’s debut album and reached number seventeen on Canada’s RPM Top Singles chart while climbing to number two on the RPM Adult Contemporary chart. As an American-born singer and songwriter, Marc Jordan won the 1994 Juno Award for Producer of the Year. He has several Canadian hit songs of his own, including “Marina del Rey” and “Survival.” When Kim Bullard is not writing songs, he plays keyboards for acts such as Elton John and has also toured with Crosby, Stills, and Nash.

# 5 – Beautiful Goodbye

This song was written by David Tyson and Christopher Ward, who collaborated with Marshall on several other songs on her debut album. According to the lyrics, the song tells the story of someone reminiscing about the time they had together and wondering whether the person she still sees from time to time feels the same way about that parting.

# 4 – Dark Horse

“Dark Horse” is one of Amanda’s better songs because it peaked at number five on the RPM Top Singles chart in Canada. The song details a romantic encounter between the protagonist and her boyfriend and describes how everyone made fun of them, believing the relationship would never last. However, Marshall sings that she is betting on “this Dark Horse,” using that as a metaphor for a love that she believes will survive against all odds. Country music singer Mila Mason also covered the song on her 1996 debut album That’s Enough of That, releasing her version as a single in 1997.

# 3 – Believe in You

“Believe in You” was another offering that Amanda collaborated with Eric M. Bazilian to write. It paints a picture of setting goals. The song’s narrator says that she believes in the person she is speaking to, just like a river searching for the ocean or an individual reaching for a ring. It was included on Touched by an Angel: The Album and later appeared on Marshall’s second studio album, Tuesday’s Child.

# 2 – Birmingham

As we close in on the top spot on our Amanda Marshall songs list, we turn to one of her most loved songs, “Birmingham.” This sensational song was released on her debut album called Amanda Marshall. The album was released in 1995. Dean McTaggart, David Tyson, and Gerald O’Brien composed the song. “Birmingham” was Amanda’s only single release to break onto the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at number forty-three. In her home country of Canada, the song was nominated for the Juno Award for Single of the Year in 1997.

# 1 – Let It Rain

“Let It Rain” is by far the most well-known and popular single by Amanda Marshall. It was released on her debut album and was initially recorded by singer-songwriter Kristen Hall for her 1994 album Be Careful What You Wish For. However, Marshall’s is every bit as popular, if not more so, than Hall’s. Marshall’s version remains her biggest hit outside Canada, reaching number three in Norway!