Throughout the years, Matthew West has written some of the best songs in Christian music. His first single “More” came out in 2003 and since then he’s been pumping out hits!
My personal favorite Matthew West song is “You Are Everything.” 18 year old me would blast it on repeat in my little Toyota Camry on the windy back roads of Ohio singing off key at the top of my lungs.
Seriously, this song is just about perfect and it still holds up all these years later. Name a better lyric than:
“And every time you look at me, I’m spinning like an autumn leaf, bound to hit the bottom some time.”
Matthew West is a brilliant song writer. He writes anything from crazy parody songs to songs that make you feel deeply within your soul. I’ve known this for a long time, but what I recently discovered is the incredible number of songs he’s helped write for other artists I love.
It makes a lot of sense. If I was trying to write a hit song, I would definitely want Matthew West’s golden touch.
Here are 10 songs Matthew West wrote for other artists.
1) “My Jesus” – Anne Wilson
Anne Wilsons’ first single has taken the world by storm, and the story behind her song is powerful.
She shared, “A few years ago, I went through a season of tragedy. My older brother, Jacob, who was my best friend and someone I looked up to in every way, lost his life in a car accident at the age of 23.
“That night I heard God’s voice so clear and He spoke to me for the first time. He said, “Anne, are you going to trust me or not?” I answered, “Jesus, I trust you.” In an instant, Jesus lifted the heavy weight off and told me that He would give me everything I need to get through this.”
“Jesus began to show me that He was a personal God. When people hear to this song, I want them to feel that Jesus is personal; and while our stories may look different, the same Jesus that I call “My Jesus” can be your Jesus too.”
2) “Tell Your Heart to Beat Again” – Danny Gokey
Here’s a fun fact… Matthew West co-wrote “Tell Your Heart to Beat Again” for Phillips Craig and Dean back in 2012. You can listen to their version below.
Danny Gokey recorded the song for his second album in 2014.
3) “Thrive” – Casting Crowns
Mark Hall shared, “The concept was underscored during a family vacation in Gatlinburg, Tennessee when Hall looked at the trees near the river.”
“Their roots are exposed and you can feel them just doing everything they can to get to where the water is,” he explained. “When I talk to families about how they are doing, they always say ‘just surviving.’ That is not the life that God designed for us to live.”
4) “Love Love Love” – Sidewalk Prophets
I LOVE this song by Sidewalk Prophets. See what I did there? Ok, enough corny jokes for one blog.
So take it out to the weak and lonely. Take it out to the outcasts too. Give it away to the tired weary. When you give it away, it comes back to you
5) “Love Has No Walls” – Billy Ray Cyrus
When Matthew West spoke to Songfacts he said, “He (Billy Ray Cyrus) was getting ready to make a gospel record, and I had written this song on an independent record of mine called Love Has No Walls.”
“And he liked it and decided to record it, and that was pretty cool. Sometimes I’ve written a song for myself and somebody hears it and wants to record it. So whether it’s country music or pop or Christian, I’m still who I am as a songwriter and as a person.”
“I’ve had songs recorded by Rascal Flatts and Billy Ray and Montgomery Gentry and Jo Dee Messina, so it’s fun to see where your songs land. I write songs about everything, about my life, about my faith, about my family, and if those songs strike a chord and be a part of some other artist’s career, then I think that’s a pretty cool thing, and something I really love to do.”
6) “Look What You’ve Done” – Tasha Layton
On The Matthew West Podcast, he sits down with Tasha Layton to discuss her new song “Look What You’ve Done.” He says, “When they (the audience) hear the three minute song on the radio, they’re really hearing the end result of powerful conversations about what God is doing in our lives.”
7) “We Need Christmas” – Maddie & Tae
Believe it or not, this song was written over Zoom. Matthew says, “My friendship with Maddie and Tae began in the most 2020 way imaginable – by writing a song together via Zoom…I’ll always remember this song…A Christmas song on zoom.
We were able to connect long enough to write something special… We need what God offers us, hope…”
Hear more behind this song with on The Matthew West Podcast.
8) “Something Beautiful” – Natalie Grant
Matthew West and Natalie Grant have collaborated on several songs together, but my favorite one is “Something Beautiful” and all its 2005 nostalgia.
9) “Keep Me in The Moment” – Jeremy Camp
On his podcast, Matthew said “Keep Me in The Moment” is one of his favorite songs he has gotten to be a part of.
While on tour, Jeremy Camp grabbed Matthew and they began to write about what God was teaching Jeremy. “We sat in a room and I really feel like God is laying on my heart to stay in the moment…”
“God literally just downloaded that song in a very short amount of time and it was just beautiful.”
10) “Scars in Heaven” – Casting Crowns
As we’ve already learned, good things happen when Mark Hall and Matthew West team up. “Scars in Heaven” is their most recent collaboration but I’m sure it won’t be their last.
Who would you like to see Matthew West write for next? Tell us in the comments below.
Matthew West Sings Songs from a Mug (Tom Petty, Frozen, Danny Gokey)
1.) Enneagram skeptic but still identifies as a 4
2.) Doesn't understand football
3.) Enjoys thunderstorms
4.) Photography is his favorite hobby
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My son has been on drugs and is homeless the drugs have such a hold on him but he belongs to Jesus… I had to stop trying to save him so Jesus can… I wait but it’s hard. It changes how I see all of the others. Why are there so many?
Sorry about your son, Gail. I believe God has a wonderful plan for him and when the time is right He will reveal Himself to him and shed His light and grace on him. Praying for your son, Jesus will make a way some day. Some songs to help would be “Chemical Wisdom” by Disciple, “In Your Hands” by Krystal Meyers and “Carry On” by Michelle Creber.. both of you are in God’s hands. 🤍
How about a song for King And Country? Would bring the house down!
I love for king and country
The song Scars in Heaven is the best song, it helped me after my husband died 3 years ago but then this March my older brother passed who was so close to me, when i got in my car after seeing him when he passed this song was playing on the radio. Thank you both for this song i am sure it has helped thousands of people
Did not know this thanks for sharing.
I want another song on mental illness. Like let talk and let listen. Let us have a discussion about mental illness so we can prevent some one from dyeing. Also we don’t half to suffer alone. We are better together. Mental Illness doesn’t discriminate against age, sex and race. Doesn’t matter which country you live in.
My autistic son which is 14 years old he’s really good or he loves MatthewWest songs because he has a mother there is a big big fan of Matthews in the other day he said my mom wouldn’t it be so cool if Matthew could write a song about me in the other kids with autism
Vickie, Matthew has a heart for “special” kids and he did write a song early in his career called “God Bless the Last Ones”. If your son wrote to Matthew he probably would write a song for him. 🙂
Oh gosh, I knew he wrote a lot of these but not Look What You’ve Done. @_@ This is so cool! And ha, I remember PureNRG singing “More” in their Here We Go Again album, lol.
Good times.
Look what you’ve done is the song I like and scars in heaven. the group I would like for you to write a song for is mercy me. I love your songs alot of meaning and encouragement In them. Keep shining your light for Jesus God bless you
I go by Jodi Van Dyke or Ladeeilluminate. God has blessed me with a gift of writing poems and co-writing a couple small tunes. I would be honored if Matthew West got ahold of some of them and did his own thing with them. He should co-write with me!
Wow!! We love listening to Matthews music! We have a two year old with cerebral palsy and his cd is something to say and our 16 year old and twenty year old listened to this cd when they were younger! We went to see Matthew at Oak hills church in San Antonio,Tx!! In the early 2000 something year! Sorry that I can’t remember everything, but it is because I have a few disabilities also! Anyway I remember Matthew asking my then eight year old Sarah if she would come back to see him again!! Well little does she know that… Read more »
I would like to see Matthew West and Matt Maher do a song.
[…] then with Jimmie Allen, also a country singer, on Love People. Other collaborations have included Matthew West (country singer Carly Pearce: Truth Be Told), Zach Williams (Dolly Parton: There Was Jesus) and […]
[…] Quote from the source: … […]
Where can get the song Christmas Present written with Lady A? It played at the end of the GAC movie Christmas…Present. I LOVE it! Have looked everywhere.
I love your songs so much, Matthew. They’re so real and inspiring.
I’ve dabbled in songwriting, too. My best songs were collaborated with Jamie Slocum, who just went home to Jesus. I would love your prayers, as I finish the album I started with Jamie a few years ago. Please pray for comfort for his family and friends.
When I first heard Walking Free by Micah Tyler, I thought it sounded like Matthew West, but didn’t sound like Matthew West. 😄 Sure enough he collaborated on the song.
I would LOVE to see Matthew team up on a cowrite and song with Ross King or John Tibbs. Jason Gray would be another awesome one. ❤️🥰🙏🎵🎵🙌
My daughter passed away at the end of July. She was in a car accident in January of 2012. We feel blessed that we had her for these past 11 years. She became a quadriplegic. She did not let that stop her. She began college, received her Associates Degree. Then she move on and received her Bachelor’s Degree. She had just completed her third semester of her Master’s degree. She was able to marry the love of her life and they were so happy together for only one year and three days. We played “Scars in Heaven” at her funeral.… Read more »
I heard this at a time in my life that I needed something to cling to. My daughter passed away suddenly without warning. Our relationship wasn’t what it should have been I wish I could go back and fix it but of course I can’t. So when I hear this I know she’s ok in the arms of our Lord. She was a baptized believer I have the hope and promise of eternal life that I will see her again. All her scars gone and she will be made brand new.
Thank you so much for writing this song.