Footprints in the Sand (Leona Lewis song)

"Footprints in the Sand"
A brunette woman is standing in front of a beach. She is wearing a greenish dress and she grabs her neck with her left hand. Next to her image, the words "Leona Lewis" are written in black capital letters, and "better In time & (and) footprints In the sand" in dark brown italics. Below the image the phrase "The Official Single Of Sports Relief 2008" is written in black capital letters and next to it, the Sports Relief logo is visible.
Single by Leona Lewis
from the album Spirit
A-side"Better in Time"
B-side"You Bring Me Down"
Released9 March 2008 (2008-03-09)
Recorded2007
StudioRokstone (London, England)
Genre
Length4:09
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Steve Mac
Leona Lewis singles chronology
"Bleeding Love"
(2007) 		"Better in Time" / "Footprints in the Sand"
(2008) 		"Forgive Me"
(2008)

"Footprints in the Sand" is a song recorded by British singer Leona Lewis for her debut studio album Spirit (2007). It was written by Simon Cowell, David Kreuger, Per Magnusson, Richard Page, and produced by Steve Mac. The song was digitally released as Lewis's third single on 9 March 2008 in the United Kingdom. Sony BMG and Syco Music launched it as a double A-side with "Better in Time", and "You Bring Me Down" as the B-side.

It is a R&B and pop song composed with a tempo of sixty beats per minute. It was written in a period of one day at Page's home in Malibu, California, with Cowell giving the idea to base it on the Christian poem "Footprints". The single's music video was filmed by British director Sophie Muller in Johannesburg, South Africa. The video describes social problems within the city, but ends with a message of hope. "Footprints in the Sand" became the official theme of the 2008 version of biennial charity programme Sport Relief, by BBC.

The song received positive reviews from music critics, some of them noting its gospel sounds and Lewis's vocals being compared to American R&B singer Mariah Carey. "Footprints in the Sand" charted as a separate single in Ireland, the United Kingdom and the European Hot 100 Singles, whilst the double A-side appeared in Germany and Switzerland, and was certified gold in the UK by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), in 2008. In the same year, Lewis performed the song for the first time in the UK live on the television programme Dancing on Ice. In 2009, the song was covered by Lucie Jones, a contestant of The X Factor, and by Julia Star from Swiss programme Die grössten Schweizer Talente.