With Arms Wide Open

This article is about Creed's song. For the compilation album, see With Arms Wide Open: A Retrospective.

"With Arms Wide Open"
File:Witharmswideopen.jpg
Single by Creed
from the album Human Clay
B-side	"One", "Wash Away Those Years"
Released	April 24, 2000
Format	CD
Recorded	1998
Genre	Post-grunge
Length	4:36 (album version) 3:53 (radio version)
Label	Wind-up
Writer(s)	Scott Stapp Mark Tremonti
Producer(s)	Ron Saint Germain John Kurzweg
Creed singles chronology
"What If" (2000) "With Arms Wide Open" (2000) "Are You Ready?" (2000)

"With Arms Wide Open" is a song by American post-grunge band Creed. It was released in April 2000 as the third single from their second studio album, Human Clay. The song topped the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart for four weeks in July 2000; a month later it reached the U.S. Top 40. In October, the song hit the top ten and topped Billboard's Adult Top 40 chart for eight weeks. It hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on the issue dated November 11 for one week, and the video topped VH1's top ten countdown in 2000. In February 2001, Scott Stapp and Mark Tremonti won a Grammy Award for Best Rock Song. The song was also nominated for Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group, but lost to U2 for "Beautiful Day". In September, it was announced that Creed would release a limited edition single of "With Arms Wide Open" with some profits benefiting Scott Stapp's With Arms Wide Open Foundation to "promote healthy, loving relationships between children and their families".

Three main versions of the song exist. One is the original album version. The second is the radio version, which adds additional hi-hat and drums, and also edits out the ending. The third is the video version (or "Strings Remix") which adds strings to the radio version.

Background and writing

Scott Stapp wrote the lyrics when he found out with great surprise that he was going to be a father.

Track listing

US Single (18004-2)

1. "With Arms Wide Open (Strings Version)"
2. "With Arms Wide Open (Acoustic Version)"
3. "With Arms Wide Open (Rock Version)"
4. "With Arms Wide Open (Video - Viewable on PC)"

EU Maxi Single (670695 2)

1. "With Arms Wide Open (New Version)"
2. "With Arms Wide Open (Strings Version)"
3. "With Arms Wide Open (Acoustic Version)"
4. "With Arms Wide Open (Album Version)"
5. "With Arms Wide Open (Video - Viewable on PC)"

Australia & New Zealand Maxi Single (670739 2)

1. "With Arms Wide Open (New Version)"
2. "Wash Away Those Years"
3. "One"
4. "With Arms Wide Open (Strings Version)"
5. "With Arms Wide Open (Video - Viewable on PC)"

Chart performance

Peak positions

Chart (2000-2001)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)	4
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)	15
Canada Rock/Alternative (RPM)	1
Canada Top Singles (RPM)	2
Germany (Official German Charts)	42
Netherlands (Single Top 100)	75
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)	10
Norway (VG-lista)	6
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)	70
UK Singles (The Official Charts Company)	13
US Billboard Hot 100	1
US Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks	1
US Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks	2
US Billboard Hot Adult Top 40	1
US Billboard Mainstream Top 40	1

Year-end charts

Chart (2000)	Position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	36

Chart (2001)	Position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	39

External links

• Music video
• Song meaning
• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics

Preceded by "I Disappear by Metallica	Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks number-one single July 8, 2000 – July 29, 2000	Succeeded by "I Disappear" by Metallica
Preceded by "Kryptonite" by 3 Doors Down	Canadian RPM Rock/Alternative 30 number-one single July 31, 2000	Succeeded by "Wonderful" by Everclear
Preceded by "Kryptonite" by 3 Doors Down	Billboard Top 40 Mainstream number-one single October 28, 2000 November 11, 2000 – December 2, 2000	Succeeded by "Kryptonite" by 3 Doors Down "Independent Women Part I" by Destiny's Child
Preceded by "Come On Over Baby (All I Want Is You)" by Christina Aguilera	Billboard Hot 100 number-one single November 11, 2000	Succeeded by "Independent Women Part I" by Destiny's Child