"Lookin' for That Girl" is a song recorded by American country music artist Tim McGraw. It was released in January 2014 as the first single from his second studio album for Big Machine Records, Sundown Heaven Town.[1] The single was still rising the charts when Big Machine Records pulled it so that McGraw's next single, "Meanwhile Back at Mama's", could be released.
| "Lookin' for That Girl" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by Tim McGraw | ||||
| from the album Sundown Heaven Town | ||||
| Released | January 13, 2014 | |||
| Genre | Country, Country pop | |||
| Length | 4:18 (original) 3:24 (AM radio mix) | |||
| Label | Big Machine | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) |
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| Tim McGraw singles chronology | ||||
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History
editCo-writer James T. Slater told Roughstock that the idea came when writing with Mark Irwin, who suggested that the two write with Chris Tompkins. Slater said that he had an idea that "wasn't really fitting anything" when Tompkins played a loop on a drum machine and came up with the song's title.[2]
Two mixes of the song exist: the original mix and an "A.M. Radio" remix, which reduces the heavy Auto-Tune used throughout the song.[3]
Critical reception
editGiving it a "C", Joseph Hudak of Country Weekly said that "sonically, it recalls slow-rolling '90s Southern rap" but that "it's jarring in nearly every other way." He criticized the "electronic framework" and the lack of a country sound, as well as McGraw's "clipped" performance, and said that the lyrics were "slapdash, and if we're honest, a little too youthful for one of country's elder statesmen."[4] Matt Bjorke of Roughstock gave the original mix of the song 2.5 stars out of 5, criticizing the use of Auto-Tune on the chorus but saying that the song was "likeable enough"; he gave the "A.M. Radio" remix 3 out of 5 stars.[3]
In an editorial for The Boot, Sterling Whitaker observed that many fans on Twitter and Taste of Country have criticized the song for its hip hop-styled production and Auto-Tune.[5]
Music video
editThe music video was directed by Sophie Muller and premiered on March 14, 2014.[6]
Chart performance
editThe song entered the Country Airplay chart at No. 46 for chart dated February 1, 2014, and No. 10 on the Country Digital Songs two weeks later at No. 10. It spent 7 weeks on the Billboard's Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart before debuting on Billboard Hot 100 at No. 96 for chart dated April 5, 2014. The song has sold 217,000 copies in the U.S. as of April 2014.[7]
| Chart (2014) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[8] | 47 |
| Canada Country (Billboard)[9] | 30 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[10] | 85 |
| US Country Airplay (Billboard)[11] | 15 |
| US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[12] | 18 |
Year-end charts
edit| Chart (2014) | Position |
|---|---|
| US Country Airplay (Billboard)[13] | 87 |
| US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[14] | 82 |
References
edit- ^ Dukes, Billy (April 3, 2014). "Tim McGraw Announces 'Sundown Heaven Town' Album". Taste of Country. Retrieved April 4, 2014.
- ^ Conaway, Alanna (20 January 2014). "Story Behind the Song: Tim McGraw "Lookin' For That Girl"". Roughstock. Archived from the original on 21 February 2014. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
- ^ a b Bjorke, Matt (13 January 2014). "Single Review: Tim McGraw - Lookin' For That Girl". Roughstock. Archived from the original on 15 January 2014. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
- ^ Hudak, Joseph (17 February 2014). "Reviews: Tim McGraw — 'Lookin' for That Girl'". Country Weekly. 21 (7): 51. ISSN 1074-3235.
- ^ Whitaker, Sterling (19 January 2014). "Country Chameleon: The Ever-Changing Music of Tim McGraw". The Boot. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
- ^ "CMT : Videos : Tim McGraw : Lookin' for That Girl". Country Music Television. Archived from the original on March 16, 2014. Retrieved March 15, 2014.
- ^ Matt Bjorke (April 30, 2014). "Country Chart News - The Top 30 Digital Singles - April 30, 2014: More Gold And Platinum News". Roughstock. Archived from the original on May 4, 2014.
- ^ "Tim McGraw Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ^ "Tim McGraw Chart History (Canada Country)". Billboard.
- ^ "Tim McGraw Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ^ "Tim McGraw Chart History (Country Airplay)". Billboard.
- ^ "Tim McGraw Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
- ^ "Billboard Country Update for December 15, 2014" (PDF). Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. December 15, 2014. p. 17. Retrieved December 15, 2014.
- ^ "Best of 2014: Hot Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2014. Retrieved December 9, 2014.