Black Horse and the Cherry Tree

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“Black Horse and the Cherry Tree”
“Black Horse and the Cherry Tree” cover
Single by KT Tunstall
from the album Eye to the Telescope
Released Flag of the United Kingdom 21 February 2005
Flag of the United States Flag of Canada 29 August 2005
Format 7", CD
Recorded 2004
Genre Alternative rock, world, folk
Length 2:51
Label Relentless Records
Writer(s) KT Tunstall
Producer Andy Green
KT Tunstall UK singles chronology
"Throw Me a Rope"
(2004)		 "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree"
(2005)		 "Other Side of the World"
(2005)


KT Tunstall US singles chronology
"'Black Horse and the Cherry Tree"
(2006)		 "Suddenly I See"
(2006)

"Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" is a song by Scottish singer-songwriter KT Tunstall and is featured on her debut album, Eye to the Telescope. It was released 21 February 2005 as the lead single from that album, charting at #28 in the UK Singles Chart (see 2005 in British music).

Contents

[edit] Song information

Tunstall said of the song:[1]

“ "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" is inspired by old blues, Nashville psycho hillbillies & hazy memories. It tells the story of finding yourself lost on your path in life, and a choice has to be made. It's about gambling, fate, listening to your heart, and having the strength to fight the darkness that's always willing to carry you off. ”


The song is usually performed solo by Tunstall, with the layered guitar and vocals constructed piece-by-piece by sampling the parts live, and using a digital delay unit to create the backing track. A performance of the song on Later with Jools Holland was an important break in Tunstall's career. The song won Tunstall an award for Best Single of 2005 in Q magazine, and it received a 2007 Grammy Award nomination for "Best Female Pop Vocal Performance".[2]

The song was later redone by Aly & AJ for Pepsi Smash, included on the re-release of their second studio album Insomniatic. A video of the performance can currently be seen on Yahoo! Music.

[edit] Track listings

  • 7"
  1. "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" - 2:51
  2. "Barbie" - 2:25
  • CD
  1. "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree"
  2. "One Day (Live)" - 4:19
  • Australian Single
  1. "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" - 2:51
  2. "One Day (Live)" - 4:19
  3. "Barbie" - 2:25


[edit] Chart performance

Initially, "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" was in the bottom half of the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. Only after Katharine McPhee sang the song on American Idol (in the 5th season) as part of a Billboard charts-based song selection did the tune rise rapidly in popularity; it jumped 56 positions on the U.S. Hot 100 chart, going from #79 to #23, and then moving to #20, becoming Tunstall's first single (and only, to date) to appear on that chart's Top 20. McPhee would go on to sing the song again in her final performance show on May 23, 2006, finishing second to Taylor Hicks. "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" was also used in advertisements for The WB show Pepper Dennis and the 2006 US Open. The song's video ranked #19 on VH1's 40 Greatest Videos of 2006. During the program's airing, Tunstall stated that the day of the video shoot was the only time she had ever worn red lipstick.

[edit] Chart positions

Chart (2005/2006) Peak
position[3]
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 20
U.S. Billboard Hot Digital Tracks 12
U.S. Billboard Pop 100 22
U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary 4
U.S. Billboard Adult Top 40 1
U.S. Billboard Top 40 Mainstream 15
UK Singles Chart 28
U.S. Arc Weekly Top 40 11
New Zealand RIANZ Singles Charts 20
Official Chart Holland 80
Official Chart Italy 10
Official Chart Ireland 16
Spain Los 40 principales 21
Official Chart France 23
Official Chart Austria 31
Official Chart Belgium 35
Official Chart Germany 51
Official Chart Switzerland 92

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://www.contactmusic.com/new/home.nsf/webpages/kttunstallx02x03x05 Contactmusic.com Retrieved on 05-21-07
  2. ^ "FOX Facts: Complete List of Grammy Award Nominations". Associated Press. December 7, 2006. Retrieved December 9, 2006.
  3. ^ References for chart positions:


v • d • e
KT Tunstall
Studio albums
Other albums
Singles
"Throw Me a Rope" · "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" · "Other Side of the World" · "Suddenly I See" · "Under the Weather" · "Another Place to Fall" · "Hold On" · "Saving My Face" · "If Only"
EPs
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