Something to Believe In (Clannad song)

"Something to Believe In"
Moya on the cover of the single.
Single by Clannad & Bruce Hornsby
from the album Sirius
ReleasedSeptember 1987
GenreTraditional Irish
Length4:47 [Album version]
4:05 [Radio edit]
LabelBMG
SongwriterCiarán Brennan
ProducersGreg Ladanyi & Russ Kunkel
Clannad & Bruce Hornsby singles chronology
"Robin (The Hooded Man)"
(1986)
"Something to Believe In"
(1987)
"White Fool"
(1988)
Audio sample
  • file
  • help

"Something to Believe In" is a song by Irish group Clannad and American musician Bruce Hornsby.[1] It was the first single released by Clannad from their 1987 album Sirius.[2]

A music video was created for the song, which was produced by Ben Gossett through Midnight Films and directed by Meiert Avis.[3] The video was aired on The Chart Show in October of that year.[4] The song received some airplay on KKSF, a San Francisco radio station classified by Billboard as playing adult alternative music.[5]

Critical reception

Music Week wrote that the song's "smooth, evocative sound is effectively complimented here by Bruce Hornsby's dynamic piano playing for a striking preview of their forthcoming LP, Sirius."[6] Music & Media characterised it a "quiet, ethereal song" and highlighted Hornsby's "lingering piano" work on the track.[7] Sound on Sound highlighted the song as an "excellent track" in a 1993 write-up of the band.[8]

Track listing

7" (PB 41543)

  1. "Something to Believe In"
  2. "Second Nature"

12" (PT 41544)

  1. "Something to Believe In"
  2. "Second Nature"
  3. "In a Lifetime"

Personnel

References

  1. ^ Green, Jim (1 June 2010). Rock 'n' Pop Music Trivia. Wise Publications. ISBN 978-0-85712-242-1.
  2. ^ "BMG product — off the Wall" (PDF). Music Week. 26 September 1987. p. 4. Retrieved 24 October 2025 – via World Radio History.
  3. ^ "New Videoclips" (PDF). Music Week. 13 February 1988. p. 42. Retrieved 24 October 2025 – via World Radio History.
  4. ^ "TV Programmes" (PDF). Music & Media. 24 October 1987. p. 32. Retrieved 24 October 2025 – via World Radio History.
  5. ^ Olson, Yvonne (20 February 1988). "Outa' The Box" (PDF). Billboard. p. 10. Retrieved 20 October 2025 – via World Radio History.
  6. ^ Smith, Jerry (26 September 1987). "Singles" (PDF). Music Week. p. 26. Retrieved 20 October 2025 – via World Radio History.
  7. ^ "Previews" (PDF). Music & Media. 7 November 2025. p. 23. Retrieved 24 October 2025 – via World Radio History.
  8. ^ Prendergast, Mark J. (October 1993). "Clannad". Sound on Sound. p. 108. Retrieved 24 October 2025 – via Muzines.