Hayley Williams is extending her huge tour with new UK and European shows•
Miley has announced her new album ‘Bass Persuades’ and two huge Hollywood Bowl shows•
The Streets are taking ‘A Grand Don’t Come For Free’ back on the road•
Keo are heading to O2 Academy Brixton next March•
Fontaines D.C. have recruited Hayley Williams for a huge Slane Castle show•
Chloe Slater has turned online scrutiny into a single with 'I've Never Felt So Hated'•
James Marriott has announced a huge O2 Academy Brixton show•
MNEK is getting vulnerable about body image on new single ‘MUSCLE MARYS..’•
JENNIE has shared her new EP ‘Fallen Angel’ alongside its title-track video•
Nieve Ella is choosing desire over consequences on new single ‘Romance Is A Desert’•
underscores has shared ‘Unlimited Love’ alongside a Frost Children remix of ‘The Peace’•
Fontaines D.C. have announced their biggest headline tour yet, including London’s O2 Arena•
Haute & Freddy have shared their lusty new single ‘Touch Touch’•
Olivia Rodrigo has shared her fiery new track, ‘serena joy’•
Tame Impala has announced a 2027 UK and European tour with Wet Leg•
Audrey Hobert has unveiled a new video for 'Sex and the City' as she begins her headline tour•
The Dork 2025 Readers' Poll nominations are in, featuring CMAT, Turnstile, Wolf Alice, Djo, Hayley Williams and loads more•
flowerovlove has released her first-ever first Christmas track, 'wishlist'•
Mighty Hoopla and Olly Alexander have announced Trans Mission, a concert for trans solidarity•
JADE has announced a deluxe edition of her debut album, 'THAT'S SHOWBIZ BABY! THE ENCORE'•
Hayley Williams is extending her huge tour with new UK and European shows•
Miley has announced her new album ‘Bass Persuades’ and two huge Hollywood Bowl shows•
The Streets are taking ‘A Grand Don’t Come For Free’ back on the road•
Keo are heading to O2 Academy Brixton next March•
Fontaines D.C. have recruited Hayley Williams for a huge Slane Castle show•
Chloe Slater has turned online scrutiny into a single with 'I've Never Felt So Hated'•
James Marriott has announced a huge O2 Academy Brixton show•
MNEK is getting vulnerable about body image on new single ‘MUSCLE MARYS..’•
JENNIE has shared her new EP ‘Fallen Angel’ alongside its title-track video•
Nieve Ella is choosing desire over consequences on new single ‘Romance Is A Desert’•
underscores has shared ‘Unlimited Love’ alongside a Frost Children remix of ‘The Peace’•
Fontaines D.C. have announced their biggest headline tour yet, including London’s O2 Arena•
Haute & Freddy have shared their lusty new single ‘Touch Touch’•
Olivia Rodrigo has shared her fiery new track, ‘serena joy’•
Tame Impala has announced a 2027 UK and European tour with Wet Leg•
Audrey Hobert has unveiled a new video for 'Sex and the City' as she begins her headline tour•
The Dork 2025 Readers' Poll nominations are in, featuring CMAT, Turnstile, Wolf Alice, Djo, Hayley Williams and loads more•
flowerovlove has released her first-ever first Christmas track, 'wishlist'•
Mighty Hoopla and Olly Alexander have announced Trans Mission, a concert for trans solidarity•
JADE has announced a deluxe edition of her debut album, 'THAT'S SHOWBIZ BABY! THE ENCORE'•
Dork
News
Features
Reviews
Magazine
  • Dork
  • Popzines
Shop
Listings
Directory
Festivals
Hype-THE BEST NEW NAMES, FIRST
Upset-DORK'S HOME FOR ALL THINGS LOUD
Festival Guides-YOUR ESSENTIAL FESTIVAL COMPANION
Hype-THE BEST NEW NAMES, FIRST
Mixtape-DORK'S BEST NEW TRACKS
Play-DORK'S NEW MUSIC FRIDAY EDIT
Upset-DORK'S HOME FOR ALL THINGS LOUD
Playlist Covers
Playlist Directory
Recommender
Before Doors-LIVE SESSIONS
After Gates-FESTIVAL SESSIONS
Music Video Directory
Down With Boring-THE DORK PODCAST
Chart Attack-UK NUMBER ONES, DISSECTED
Dork Live
Dork Radio
Live
Live 24/7
Dork Radio
Dork
Down With Boring

Join thousands of music lovers getting the best new tracks, exclusive interviews, and breaking news delivered straight to your inbox every week.

In print now

August 2026

Latest issue variants

View archive
Dork, August 2026 (Fat Dog cover)

Fat Dog

Dork, August 2026 (Ravyn Lenae cover)

Ravyn Lenae

Dork, August 2026 (Yard Act cover)

Yard Act

Advertise|Support|About Dork|Privacy Policy|Genres|Years|Sitemap|RSS|Cookie settings
© 2026 The Bunker Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.
Powered by PlaywireAdvertise on this site.
  1. Tracks
  2. Sam Smith
  3. The Thrill of It All
  4. Pray
Pray by Sam Smith

SINGLE

Sam Smith

Pray

Release date: 3rd November 2017

From The Thrill of It All
Track 10
3:42
PopMusicRockAdult Contemporary
Spotify Apple Music More on Sam Smith

About This Track

Released in October 2017 as a promotional single from 'The Thrill of It All', 'Pray' finds Sam Smith reaching for faith in the face of global unrest. The track was prompted by time spent in Iraq with the charity War Child, and its gospel-tinged arrangement, produced in collaboration with Timbaland, frames the uncertainty of a self-described non-believer turning to prayer when the world feels overwhelming.

Smith adopts the voice of someone who has never found refuge in organised religion but now finds themselves on their knees, searching for hope. The lyrics acknowledge a history of blocking out the news and turning away from faith, yet the chorus pivots to a tentative openness, the repetition of 'maybe I'll pray' carrying both doubt and desperation. The bridge imagines a direct conversation with God, asking for dialogue about freedom and acknowledging that everyone, eventually, seeks something beyond themselves.

The song sits alongside other deeply personal tracks on the album, with Smith later noting that four songs, 'Pray' among them, were written about a specific relationship. Here, though, the subject is broader: the struggle to reconcile disbelief with the human need for solace when fear and isolation take hold.

"Pray" is a single by Sam Smith, from the album The Thrill of It All, released 3rd November 2017. The track is 3:42 long. It's filed under Pop. Full lyrics are available below. Dork has published 20 articles about Sam Smith.

About the Artist

Sam Smith

Sam Smith

Lyrics

Pray

I'm young and I'm foolish, I've made bad decisions
I block out the news, turn my back on religion
Don't have no degree, I'm somewhat naive
I've made it this far on my own
But lately, that shit ain't been gettin' me higher
I lift up my head and the world is on fire
There's dread in my heart and fear in my bones
And I just don't know what to say
Maybe I'll pray, pray
Maybe I'll pray
I have never believed in you, no
But I'm gonna pray
You won't find me in church (no) reading the Bible (no)
I am still here and I'm still your disciple
I'm down on my knees, I'm beggin' you, please
I'm broken, alone, and afraid
I'm not a saint, I'm more of a sinner
I don't wanna lose, but I fear for the winners
When I try to explain, the words run away
That's why I am stood here today
And I'm gonna pray (Lord), pray (Lord), maybe I'll pray
Pray for a glimmer of hope
Maybe I'll pray (Lord), pray (Lord), maybe I'll pray
I've never believed in you, no, but I'm gonna
Won't you call me?
Can we have a one-on-one, please?
Let's talk about freedom
Everyone prays in the end
Everyone prays in the end
Oh, won't you call me?
Can we have a one-on-one, please?
Let's talk about freedom
Everyone prays in the end
Everyone prays in the end
Oh, I'm gonna pray, I'm gonna pray, I'm gonna pray
Pray for a glimmer of hope
Maybe I'll pray, pray, maybe I'll pray
I've never believed in you, no, but I'm gonna pray

Lyrics provided by LRCLIB

View full lyrics page →

Track details

From The Thrill of It All

3:422017Single
Listen
Album
The Thrill of It All
The Thrill of It All
Sam Smith
3rd November 2017
Track number
10
Release year
2017
  1. 1Too Good at Goodbyes
    3:21
  2. 2Say It First
    4:08
  3. 3One Last Song
    3:13
  4. 4Midnight Train
    3:27

More from Sam Smith

Albums & EPs

BBC Proms At The Royal Albert Hall
BBC Proms At The Royal Albert Hall
2025
In The Lonely Hour (10th Anniversary Edition)
In The Lonely Hour (10th Anniversary Edition)
2024
A Lonely Christmas - EP
A Lonely Christmas - EP
2023
Gloria (Special Edition)
Gloria (Special Edition)
2023
Gloria
Gloria
2023
Sam Smith Stripped - EP
Sam Smith Stripped - EP
2023

Explore

More tracks by Sam Smith

  1. Both Sides Now (BBC Proms At The Royal Albert Hall)BBC Proms At The Royal Albert Hall
    6:05
  2. Good Thing (BBC Proms At The Royal Albert Hall)BBC Proms At The Royal Albert Hall
    5:22
  3. How Do You Sleep? (BBC Proms At The Royal Albert Hall)BBC Proms At The Royal Albert Hall
    4:17
  4. I’ve Told You Now (BBC Proms At The Royal Albert Hall)BBC Proms At The Royal Albert Hall
    4:38
  5. Lay Me Down (BBC Proms At The Royal Albert Hall)BBC Proms At The Royal Albert Hall
    5:27
  6. Leave Your Lover (BBC Proms At The Royal Albert Hall)BBC Proms At The Royal Albert Hall
    3:21
  7. Like I Can (BBC Proms At The Royal Albert Hall)BBC Proms At The Royal Albert Hall
    3:32
  8. My Funny Valentine (BBC Proms At The Royal Albert Hall)BBC Proms At The Royal Albert Hall
    3:27
  9. Over The Rainbow (BBC Proms At The Royal Albert Hall)BBC Proms At The Royal Albert Hall
    5:16
  10. Stay With Me (BBC Proms At The Royal Albert Hall)BBC Proms At The Royal Albert Hall
    4:37

Showing 10 of 20

If you like Sam Smith

Adele

Adele

James Arthur

James Arthur

JP Cooper

JP Cooper

Jessie J

Jessie J

Calum Scott

Calum Scott

Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran

  • 5Burning
    3:23
  • 6HIM
    3:10
  • 7Baby, You Make Me Crazy
    3:28
  • 8No Peace (feat. YEBBA)
    4:43
  • 9Palace
    3:07
  • 10Pray
    3:42
  • —Leader of the Pack
  • —Blind Eye
  • —Scars
  • —One Day at a Time
  • —Nothing Left for You
  • —No Peace
  • —The Thrill of It All

    • Credits

    Production & Engineering

    Writer
    Angel López, Darryl Pearson, Jimmy Napes, Rance, Sam Smith, Timbaland
    Producer
    Angel López, Jimmy Napes, Steve Fitzmaurice, Timbaland
    Bass
    Jodi Milliner
    Drums
    Earl Harvin, Timbaland
    Guitar
    Darryl Pearson
    Vocals
    Sam Smith
    Assistant Recording Engineer
    John Prestage, Steph Marziano
    Background Vocals
    LaDonna Harley Peters, Patrick Linton, Vicky Tola, Vula
    Drum Programmer
    Darren Heelis, Timbaland
    Mastering Engineer
    Bob Ludwig
    Mixing Engineer
    Steve Fitzmaurice
    Organ
    Reuben James
    Percussion
    Earl Harvin, Timbaland
    Piano
    Rance
    Programmer
    Timbaland
    Recording Engineer
    Darren Heelis, Gus Pirelli, Steve Fitzmaurice
    Strings
    Bruce White, Everton Nelson, Ian Burdge, Richard George
    Strings Arranger
    Simon Hale
    Vocal Arranger
    Lawrence Johnson
    READ MORE ABOUT SAM SMITHREAD MORE ABOUT SAM SMITHREAD MORE ABOUT SAM SMITHREAD MORE ABOUT SAM SMITH
    READ MORE ABOUT SAM SMITHREAD MORE ABOUT SAM SMITHREAD MORE ABOUT SAM SMITHREAD MORE ABOUT SAM SMITH
    Sam Smith has shared the stormy new single 'When He's Gone'
    News

    Sam Smith has shared the stormy new single 'When He's Gone'

    Third preview of 'Hazel Eyes' lands ahead of Mexico and UK residency dates.

    5 Aug 2026 • 10:56 am
    Sam Smith has recruited a 28-piece choir for new single 'Oh Mother'
    News

    Sam Smith has recruited a 28-piece choir for new single 'Oh Mother'

    Second single lifted from fifth album 'Hazel Eyes', arriving 21st August.

    23 Jul 2026 • 9:39 am
    Sam Smith has announced intimate UK ‘To Be Free’ shows, including an eight-night London residency
    News

    Sam Smith has announced intimate UK ‘To Be Free’ shows, including an eight-night London residency

    The run precedes fifth album 'Hazel Eyes', led by Feist collaboration 'My Guy'.

    2 Jul 2026 • 9:58 am
    Sam Smith has returned with ‘My Guy’ and details of fifth album ‘Hazel Eyes’
    News

    Sam Smith has returned with ‘My Guy’ and details of fifth album ‘Hazel Eyes’

    "This album is an incredibly special record to me," says Sam.

    25 Jun 2026 • 10:29 am
    Sam Smith is launching a new charitable foundation and podcast, The Pink House
    News

    Sam Smith is launching a new charitable foundation and podcast, The Pink House

    Keep an eye out for more on the foundation soon.

    7 Jun 2024 • 4:00 pm
    Sam Smith and Madonna have teamed up for a new single, 'Vulgar'
    News

    Sam Smith and Madonna have teamed up for a new single, 'Vulgar'

    It's the duo's first collaboration together.

    9 Jun 2023 • 11:08 am