You and Tequila

"You and Tequila"
Single by Kenny Chesney featuring Grace Potter
from the album Hemingway's Whiskey
Released May 31, 2011 (2011-05-31)
Format Music download
Genre Country
Length 4:03
Label BNA
Writer(s) Matraca Berg
Deana Carter
Producer(s) Buddy Cannon
Certification Platinum (RIAA)[1]
Kenny Chesney chronology
"Live a Little"
(2011)		 "You and Tequila"
(2011)		 "Reality"
(2011)

"You and Tequila" is a song co-written by Matraca Berg and Deana Carter. It was recorded by Kenny Chesney for his 2010 album Hemingway's Whiskey, from which it was released in May 2011 as the fourth single. Chesney's version of the song features a guest vocal from Grace Potter, lead singer of Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. on November 30, the song received two nominations in 54th Grammy Awards for Best Country Song and Best Country Duo/Group Performance.

Background and writing

Deana Carter and Matraca Berg co-wrote the song, and both recorded their own versions: Carter on her 2003 album I'm Just a Girl,[2] and Berg on her 2011 album The Dreaming Fields.[3]

Carter told the music website Taste of Country that Berg was inspired to write the song after having been out on the town. According to Carter, the two began talking about relationships, when Carter said, "Yeah, it's just like men… they get in your blood!" Also, Carter added several references to California, because she was living there at the time.[4]

Chesney first heard the song when he and Carter toured together in 2003.[4] He said that he identified with it more after he rented a house in Malibu, California, and chose to record "You and Tequila" because it reminded him of driving the Pacific Coast Highway.[5] He also told National Public Radio host David Green that "there are some commonalities about getting someone out of your mind and drinking and trying to quit."[6]

Song information

Chesney and Potter's version of the song is set in the musical key of F♯ major with a vocal range from F♯3 to D♯5. The main chord pattern is F♯5-F♯/A♯-Bsus2-F♯5.[7]

Critical reception

Chesney's version of the song has received positive reviews. Chris Talbott of the Associated Press called it a "melancholy love-hate song",[8] and an uncredited review in HitFix called the song "exquisite" and one of Chesney's "career high notes".[9] Bobby Peacock of Roughstock rated the song four-and-a-half stars out of five, praising Chesney's and Potter's vocals and the "understated simplicity" of the lyrics.[10] Bill Friskics-Warren of The Washington Post thought that the song had an Americana influence and made the album Chesney's "most stylistically wide-ranging to date."[11]

Music video

Potter appears in the song's music video, which was filmed in Malibu, California.[12]

Chart performance

Chart (2011) Peak
position
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[13] 62
US Billboard Hot 100[14] 33
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[15] 3

Year-end charts

Chart (2011) Position
US Country Songs (Billboard)[16] 7
US Billboard Hot 100[17] 98

Certifications

Region Certification Sales/shipments
United States (RIAA)[18] Platinum 1,434,000[19]

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

  1. ↑ "American single certifications – Kenny Chesney – You and Tequila". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH
  2. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "I'm Just a Girl review". Allmusic. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
  3. ↑ Jurek, Thom. "The Dreaming Fields review". Allmusic. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
  4. 1 2 Conaway, Alanna. "Kenny Chesney Feat. Grace Potter, ‘You and Tequila’ – Lyrics Uncovered". Taste of Country. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
  5. ↑ Bonaguro, Alison (September 15, 2010). "Kenny Chesney, Grace Potter, "You and Tequila"". CMT. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
  6. ↑ "Kenny Chesney: Hemingway And Country Music". National Public Radio. September 24, 2010. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
  7. ↑ ""You and Tequila" sheet music". Musicnotes.com. Retrieved September 18, 2011. The sheet music indicates that the song is recorded a semitone lower than written.
  8. ↑ Talbott, Chris (October 3, 2010). "So much for taking a break During his year of 'rest,' Kenny Chesney works overtime on his new album.". Associated Press. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
  9. ↑ "Review: Kenny Chesney's 'Hemingway's Whiskey'". Hitfix.com. September 29, 2010. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
  10. ↑ Peacock, Bobby (May 17, 2011). ""You and Tequila" review". Roughstock. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
  11. ↑ Friskics-Warren, Bill (September 28, 2010). "Click Track – Album review: Kenny Chesney, "Hemingway's Whiskey"". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
  12. ↑ "Kenny Chesney Chooses "You and Tequila" for Next Single". CMT. April 26, 2011. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
  13. ↑ "Kenny Chesney – Chart history" Canadian Hot 100 for Kenny Chesney.
  14. ↑ "Kenny Chesney – Chart history" Billboard Hot 100 for Kenny Chesney.
  15. ↑ "Kenny Chesney – Chart history" Billboard Hot Country Songs for Kenny Chesney.
  16. ↑ "Best of 2011: Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2011. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
  17. ↑ "Best of 2011: Hot 100 Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2011. Retrieved December 9, 2011.
  18. ↑ "American single certifications – CHESNEY, KENNY – YOU AND TEQUILA (FEAT. GRACE POTTER)". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH
  19. ↑ Grein, Paul (April 16, 2014). "Chart Watch: "Happy" tops 4M". Yahoo! Music. Yahoo!.
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