John Michael Montgomery Pledges Devotion To His Sweetheart In “I Swear”

ByQuyen Anne

Jan 31, 2024

One Of Country Music’s Most Romantic Songs

Throughout his career, John Michael Montgomery has watched 30 of his singles land on the Billboard charts. Seven claimed the #1 spot.

Out of Montgomery’s seven chart-toppers, one of the most memorable is 1993’s “I Swear.” 

Cassette cover for "I Swear" by John Michael Montgomery
Atlantic Records / Fair Use

The romantic ballad was co-written by Gary Baker and Frank J. Myers. Montgomery released it as the lead single off of his second album, Kickin’ It Up.

The song became Montgomery’s second #1 hit. His 1992 single “I Love the Way You Love Me” was his first.

“I Swear” held on to the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart’s top spot for four weeks. The song also hit #1 on the Canadian charts, and is one of Montgomery’s biggest crossover hits. It peaked at the 42nd spot on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100.

Montgomery was heavily awarded for “I Swear.” He received both a CMA and ACM Award for Single of the Year and an ACM Award for Song of the Year.


Part of the reason why Montgomery’s song was such a success is because of its romantic nature and heartfelt message. Through the lyrics, the narrator promises his love that he will always be with her. As he sings, “‘Cause I’ll stand beside you through the years/You’ll only cry those happy tears.

The song’s chorus repeats some common parts of wedding vows, with the narrator singing:

For better or worse/Till death do us part/I’ll love you with every beat of my heart/I swear.

By making this proclamation, the narrator further proves his dedication to the special someone in his life.

“I Swear” Experienced Continued Success After John Michael Montgomery Released His Recording

A few months after Montgomery’s release of “I Swear,” R&B/pop group All-4-One recorded their own version. They also experienced chart success.

The song hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100. It also topped the charts in several countries around the world, including Austria, Denmark, and New Zealand.


“I Swear” has also been translated into other languages. The Mexican country band Caballo Dorado recorded a Spanish version in 1998.

As much as we like the other versions of “I Swear,” Montgomery’s original is still our favorite. It is also a favorite of Joe Nichols, who asked Montgomery to sing the song during a performance in 2008.

Montgomery delivered a stripped down, acoustic version of his hit song, provoking a loud round of cheers and applause from the audience when he finished. You can watch his performance in the video below.

Every time we listen to Montgomery sing this song, it makes our hearts melt!

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