Don Williams once told an audience that “I Believe In You” had “more lyrics that I personally believe in and feel right about than any other song I’ve ever sung.” And rightfully so – Williams created several of the lyrics while he was in the studio.
Songwriter Roger Cook originated “I Believe In You” and held onto the first version for about a year. He remained unhappy with the lyrics, however, and in 1979 he asked fellow songwriter Sam Hogin to help him rewrite it.
The song took shreds of thought from social, political and economic issues and combined them into a simple, personal statement. Even with the time the two scribes had invested, though, “I Believe In You” went through several more alterations, beginning at the demo session. There, they finished up the second verse while going over it with the musicians.
