"Bullets in the Gun" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Toby Keith. It was released in September 2010 as the second single and title track from his 2010 album of the same name. The song peaked at number 12 on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. Keith co-wrote the song with Rivers Rutherford.
| "Bullets in the Gun" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Toby Keith | ||||
| from the album Bullets in the Gun | ||||
| Released | September 27, 2010 | |||
| Recorded | 2010 | |||
| Genre | Country | |||
| Length | 4:16 (album version) 3:30 (radio edit) | |||
| Label | Show Dog-Universal Music | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Toby Keith Rivers Rutherford | |||
| Producer(s) | Toby Keith | |||
| Toby Keith singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Critical reception
editJuli Thanki of Engine 145 gave the song a "thumbs up", saying that Keith's vocals had "nearly tangible bravado".[1] Randy Lewis of the Los Angeles Times called the song "cinematic" and compared it to Marty Robbins's "El Paso".[2] Reviewing for The New York Times, Jon Caramanica called the song "a pumped-up and comically desperate tale" and "almost parodic".[3] Matt Bjorke of Roughstock gave the song a positive review, saying that it was Keith's best single in a decade. He also called it "a fantastic reminder of how a strongly lyrical song can take us places and into a movie in our minds." Bjorke also said that "even if you don’t condone the fictional story being told, it’s still a damn good song with a melody which suits the lyric perfectly."[4]
Controversy
editIn January 2011, Emily Robison of the Dixie Chicks stated during a video chat that she thought the song resembled Robert Earl Keen's "The Road Goes on Forever".[5] Robert Earl Keen observed the same thing, saying, "But you know what they say about people from Oklahoma: They'll steal your hat and help you look for it." In fact, he specifically aimed his song "The Road Goes on and On" at Keith to criticize him.[6]
Music video
editMichael Salomon directed the song's music video.[7] It stars Danielle Vasinova and Chad Bannon.
Chart performance
edit"Bullets in the Gun" debuted at number 37 on the Hot Country Songs chart dated for the week ending 9 October 2010. It also debuted at number 97 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart for the week of 20 November 2010.[8]
| Chart (2010–2011) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada Country (Billboard)[9] | 21 |
| US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[10] | 12 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[11] | 83 |
Year-end charts
edit| Chart (2011) | Position |
|---|---|
| US Country Songs (Billboard)[12] | 69 |
Certifications
edit| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[13] | Gold | 500,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
edit- ^ Thanki, Juli (8 October 2010). "Toby Keith – "Bullets in the Gun"". Engine 145. Archived from the original on 10 October 2012. Retrieved 24 October 2010.
- ^ Lewis, Randy (5 October 2010). "Album review: Toby Keith's 'Bullets in the Gun'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 26 October 2010.
- ^ Caramanica, Jon (3 October 2010). "Critics' Choice - New CDs from Toby Keith, Marnie Stern and King Sunny Adé - Review - NYTimes.com". The New York Times. Retrieved 26 October 2010.
- ^ Bullets in the Gun review by Matt Bjorke Archived 24 September 2010 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Duvall, Erin (20 January 2011). "Court Yard Hounds Question Toby Keith's 'Bullets in the Gun'". The Boot. Retrieved 23 January 2011.
- ^ Parker, Chris (17 January 2013). "Robert Earl Keen Parries Toby Keith and Shows He's Ready For Confetti'". Nashville Scene. Retrieved 14 October 2013.[permanent dead link]
- ^ ""Bullets in the Gun" video". CMT. Archived from the original on 24 October 2010. Retrieved 26 October 2010.
- ^ Morris, Edward (2 October 2010). "Zac Brown Band Crowns Album Charts With You Get What You Give". CMT. Archived from the original on 6 October 2010. Retrieved 26 October 2010.
- ^ "Toby Keith Chart History (Canada Country)". Billboard.
- ^ "Toby Keith Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
- ^ "Toby Keith Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ^ "Best of 2011: Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2011. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
- ^ "American single certifications – Toby Keith – Bullets in the Gun". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 3 August 2023.