George Strait is known for several songs, but “I Cross My Heart” stood out as one of the most treasured and memorable hits ever recorded by the living legend. Released in 1992 as the first single to his album Pure Country, the song reached No. 1 in Canada and the United States.
Undoubtedly, “I Cross My Heart” has become a country fan favorite.
It Took Ten Years Before The Song Found Its Way To George Strait
Written by Steve Dorff and Eric Kaz, “I Cross My Heart” was originally thought to be “a Boyz II Men kind of song.”
“We demoed it that way. It’s a great demo. Done in this very cool, R&B, vibey, Boyz II Men thing.” Dorff revealed, who said he and Kaz wrote the song in just an hour. The duo then played the song for a bunch of people only to get a response of, “Not one of your best, Steve.”
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Singer Bette Midler has also rejected the song. “Bette just doesn’t like herself on this. It’s not working for her. We tried. We went in again. We sang it three, four times. She’s just not happy with it, so we’re going to take it off the album,” music producer Arif Mardin told Dorff to his disappointment.
It took ten years for Dorff to find a home for “I Cross My Heart.” Finally, it found its way home to The King of Country Music and the closing credits of his 1992 film.
George Strait and His Acting Debut
“I Cross My Heart” was recorded as part of George Strait‘s soundtrack for the famed country movie, Pure Country. Strait, in his acting debut, took a starring role as the lead character named Dusty.
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Dusty was one of the biggest stars in country music, but he decided to give up his career and went back to his youth’s country town in an effort to become grounded. After finding a job at a ranch, he fell in love with the farm owner’s daughter, Harley Tucker. However, his manager was determined to keep the show going for him.
At the end of the movie, Dusty can be seen performing on the edge of the stage, playing guitar, and singing one of the most poignant and sweet songs ever in front of an audience that included the woman of his dreams.
You can see that the song moved Harley as she wept tears of love and joy for her country hero while staring into each other’s eyes across the room.
“I cross my heart and promise to give all I’ve got to give to make all your dreams come true. In all the world, you’ll never find a love as true as mine,” the man sings. Isn’t it the most amazing display of love and romance? This scene from Pure Country will surely melt your heart and bring you to tears!
However, despite Strait having an incredibly large fan base, the movie was considered a box office bomb. Pure Country was surprisingly unsuccessful at the box office with a gross of over $15 million against a $10 million budget.
But even if the movie didn’t meet expectations, the soundtrack became Strait’s most successful studio album. In addition to “I Cross My Heart,” it produced hits like “Heartland” and “When Did You Stop Loving Me.”
The album went on selling more than six million copies. With such a commercial success, the movie scene where he was singing “I Cross My Heart” has become everyone’s favorite. You can see it for yourself in the video below.
