"Pieces"
Single by Gary Allan
from the album Set You Free
ReleasedFebruary 25, 2013 (2013-02-25)
Recorded2013
GenreCountry
Length3:24
LabelMCA Nashville
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Jay Joyce
Gary Allan singles chronology
"Every Storm (Runs Out of Rain)"
(2012) 		"Pieces"
(2013) 		"It Ain't the Whiskey"
(2013)

"Pieces" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Gary Allan. It was released in February 2013 as the second single from his 2013 album Set You Free. Allan wrote the song with Odie Blackmon and Sarah Buxton.[1]

Content

Co-writer Odie Blackmon told Roughstock that "[Buxton] had a little piece of the verse and melody and the word 'pieces.' We all started talking about it and what it meant to us. None of us are young folks any more. We've all lived some life and we were talking about the pieces of our lives ... all the different pieces that has [sic] brought us to where we are today, whether they were good or bad pieces."[2]

Critical reception

The song has received mixed reception. Billy Dukes of Taste of Country gave the song two and a half stars out of five, writing that "the production on ‘Pieces’ lacks some of the creativity he’s displayed over the last 16 years" and "the chorus is hooky and cute, but not especially unique."[3] Dan Milliken of Country Universe gave the song a B− grade, saying that "even on this introspectish throwaway […] his combination of technical and interpretive skill […] feels so natural that you wonder why every other singer can’t achieve it."[4] Bobby Peacock of Roughstock was more positive, saying that "it seems that his songs are taking on comparatively more upbeat messages" and "Gary's raw voice makes it sound exactly like he knows what he's singing about." He gave the song 4 out of 5 stars.[5]

Music video

The music video was directed by Wes Edwards and premiered in June 2013.[6]

Chart performance

"Pieces" debuted at number 59 on the U.S. Billboard Country Airplay chart for the week of February 23, 2013.[7] It also debuted at number 45 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for the week of April 6, 2013. It also debuted at number 23 on the U.S. Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart for the week of May 18, 2013.

Chart (2013) Peak
position
Canada Country (Billboard)[8] 34
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[9] 5
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[10] 29
US Country Airplay (Billboard)[11] 18

Year-end charts

Chart (2013) Position
US Country Airplay (Billboard)[12] 73
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[13] 82

References

  1. ^ Wyland, Sarah (March 17, 2013). "Gary Allan Releases "Pieces" as New Single". Great American Country. Retrieved April 12, 2013.
  2. ^ Conaway, Alanna (19 August 2013). "Story Behind the Song: Gary Allan, 'Pieces'". Roughstock. Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 1 October 2013.
  3. ^ Dukes, Billy (February 12, 2013). "Gary Allan, 'Pieces' – Song Review". Taste of Country. Retrieved April 12, 2013.
  4. ^ Milliken, Dan (February 26, 2013). "Single Review: Gary Allan, "Pieces"". Country Universe. Retrieved April 12, 2013.
  5. ^ Peacock, Bobby (16 May 2013). "Single Review: Gary Allan - Pieces". Roughstock. Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 1 October 2013.
  6. ^ "CMT : Videos : Gary Allan : Pieces". Country Music Television. Retrieved June 7, 2013.
  7. ^ Morris, Edward (February 16, 2013). "Tim McGraw's Two Lanes of Freedom Is Week's No. 1 Country Album". Country Music Television. Retrieved April 12, 2013.
  8. ^ "Gary Allan Chart History (Canada Country)". Billboard.
  9. ^ "Gary Allan Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard.
  10. ^ "Gary Allan Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  11. ^ "Gary Allan Chart History (Country Airplay)". Billboard.
  12. ^ "Billboard Country Update for December 16, 2013" (PDF). Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. December 16, 2013. p. 21. Retrieved December 17, 2013.
  13. ^ "Best of 2013: Hot Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2013. Retrieved December 13, 2013.
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