i 2 (EYE)

Studio album by

Released

September 1, 1988

Recorded

1988

Genre

Christian rock

Length

56:02

Label

Reunion

Producer

Michael W. Smith, Wayne Kirkpatrick

Michael W. Smith chronology

The Live Set
(1987)

i 2 (EYE)
(1988)

Christmas
(1989)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[1]
Jesus Freak Hideout	^[2]

i 2 (EYE) is Michael W. Smith's fifth album overall and his second album to be certified gold. Smith collaborated again with lyricist Wayne Kirkpatrick, and produced a music video for the song "Secret Ambition".^[3]^{[page needed]} The album peaked at No. 1 on the Top Contemporary Christian charts.^[4]

Track listing

All songs written by Michael W. Smith and Wayne Kirkpatrick except where noted.

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Hand of Providence"		4:33
2.	"Secret Ambition"	Smith, Kirkpatrick, Amy Grant	6:26
3.	"On the Other Side"		3:40
4.	"All You're Missin is a Heartache"		5:39
5.	"I Miss the Way"		4:35
6.	"Live and Learn"		6:17
7.	"I Hear Leesha"		5:26
8.	"Help You Find Your Way"	Smith, Kirkpatrick, Chris Rodriguez	5:28
9.	"Ashton"	Smith	3:17
10.	"The Throne"	Smith, Gary Moore	6:49
11.	"Pray for Me"		3:52

Personnel

Musicians

Michael W. Smith – keyboards, lead vocals, backing vocals (2, 3, 6, 7, 10), horn arrangements (6), drum programming (9)
Dann Huff – guitars (1–8)
Chris Rodriguez – guitars (1, 3, 5, 6, 8), backing vocals (4, 6, 8, 11)
Jerry McPherson – guitars (2, 4, 9, 10), acoustic guitar (7)
Tom Hemby – guitars (6, 8, 10, 11), bass (9, 11)
Mark O'Connor – mandolins (9), fiddles (9)
Billy Sprague – acoustic guitar (11)
Mike Brignardello – bass (1–5, 7, 8)
Tommy Sims – bass (6)
Gary Lunn – bass (10)
Paul Leim – drums (1–4, 6, 7, 8, 10)
Mark Hammond – drum programming (11)
Terry McMillan – percussion (1, 3, 5, 7, 8), harmonica (1)
String quartet (5)
Ronn Huff – string arrangements
- Bob Mason – cello
- George Binkley – violin
- John Borg – violin
- Carl Gorodetzsky – violin
Horns and horn arrangements (6)
- Mark Douthit – saxophones
- Barry Green – trombone
- Mike Haynes – trumpet
Wayne Kirkpatrick – backing vocals (1–8, 10), acoustic guitar (3), drum programming (9)
Chris Harris – backing vocals (1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 10), recitation (6)
Mark Heimmerman – backing vocals (2, 5)
Oz Fox – backing vocals (4)
Billy Simon – backing vocals (4)
Michael Sweet – backing vocals (4)
Chris Harris – choir on "The Throne"
Jan Harris – choir on "The Throne"
Amy Heimmerman – choir on "The Throne"
Mark Heimmerman – choir on "The Throne"
Chris Rodriguez – choir on "The Throne"
Lisa Rodriguez – choir on "The Throne"
Kim Smith – choir on "The Throne"
Angel Palacastro – choir on "The Throne"
Don Wise – choir on "The Throne"
Anna Kristen Caker – children's choir on "The Throne"
Benji Cowart – children's choir on "The Throne"
Jeremy Cowart – children's choir on "The Throne"
Dana Dawson – children's choir on "The Throne"
Daniel Dorris – children's choir on "The Throne"
Heather Holland – children's choir on "The Throne"
Shannon Love – children's choir on "The Throne"
Sara Yarborough – children's choir on "The Throne"
Kathie Hill – children's choir director

Production

Michael W. Smith – producer
Wayne Kirkpatrick – producer
Michael Blanton – executive producer
Jeff Moseley – executive producer
Bill Whittington – engineer, mixing
Lynn Fuston – additional engineer
Steve Bishir – assistant engineer
John Bouchillon – assistant engineer
Mike Clute – assistant engineer
Brian Hardin – assistant engineer
Mark Nevers – assistant engineer
Dave Parker – assistant engineer
Carry Summers – assistant engineer
The Bennett House (Franklin, Tennessee) – recording location
Deer Valley (Franklin, Tennessee) – recording location
The Castle (Franklin, Tennessee) – recording location
OmniSound (Nashville, Tennessee) – recording location
Sixteenth Avenue Sound (Nashville, Tennessee) – recording location, mixing location
Masterfonics (Nashville, Tennessee) – mixing location
Ken Love – editing
Hank Williams – mastering at MasterMix (Nashville, Tennessee)
Jackson Design Nashville – design
Eika Aoshima – photography
Jonathan Scow-Cloutier – styling
Wendy Osmundson – grooming

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Chart (1988)	Peak position
US Christian Albums (Billboard)^[5]	1

Certifications

Country	Sales	Certifications
United States (RIAA)	500,000^[6]	Gold

References

^ I 2 at AllMusic
^ "Michael W. Smith, "I 2 Eye" Review". Jesusfreakhideout.com. December 19, 2012. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
^ Taff, Tori; Farris, Christa (2006). 100 Greatest Songs in Christian Music: The Stories Behind the Music. ISBN 1591452104.
^ "i 2 (EYE)". AllMusic. Retrieved November 3, 2011.
^ "Michael W. Smith Chart History (Christian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 12, 2019.
^ "American album certifications – Michael W. Smith – I 2 Eye". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved July 24, 2023.

v t e Michael W. Smith
Studio albums	Michael W. Smith Project Michael W. Smith 2 The Big Picture i 2 (EYE) Go West Young Man Change Your World I'll Lead You Home Live the Life This Is Your Time Healing Rain Stand Wonder Hymns Sovereign Hymns II - Shine On Us A Million Lights
Instrumental albums	Freedom Glory
Christmas albums	Christmas Christmastime It's a Wonderful Christmas The Spirit of Christmas
Live albums	The Live Set Worship Worship Again A New Hallelujah Surrounded
Compilation albums	The Wonder Years The First Decade (1983–1993) The Second Decade (1993–2003) Decades of Worship
Songs	"Friends" "Great Is the Lord" "Wired for Sound" "Old Enough to Know" "Place in This World" "I Will Be Here for You" "Christmas Day" "You Won't Let Go" "A Million Lights"
Related articles	Discography Rocketown Rocketown Records