"Tie It Up"
Clarkson in a wedding dress had her left hand tied up to her groom, whom she looks on, smiling, while holding a sunflower bouquet on her right hand. The words "Kelly Clarkson" and "Tie It Up" were written in the lower middle in black letters.
Single by Kelly Clarkson
ReleasedJune 25, 2013 (2013-06-25)
Recorded2012
GenreCountry blues[1]
Length2:47
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Shane McAnally
Kelly Clarkson singles chronology
"People Like Us"
(2013) 		"Tie It Up"
(2013) 		"Underneath the Tree"
(2013)
Music video
"Tie It Up" on YouTube

"Tie It Up" is a song by American recording artist Kelly Clarkson, written by Ashley Arrison, Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne and released as a stand-alone single by RCA Records and Columbia Nashville on June 25, 2013.

Background and release

"Tie It Up" was written by Ashley Arrison, Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne. It marked Clarkson's second solo country single and her third as a main act, following the country reissue of "Mr. Know It All" (2012), and "Don't Rush" (2012). It was released as a digital download on June 25, 2013 worldwide, making it her first country single to receive an international release.[2] It was sent exclusively to country radio stations on July 5, 2013 by Columbia Nashville, making it her second release under the "Columbia" brand.[3] On the photo cover of the single, Clarkson's real life fiancé (now ex-husband), Brandon Blackstock, is on the other side of the picture, but only his hand can be seen.[4]

Composition

"Tie It Up" is a country blues song[1] about marriage proposals and wedding plans.[5] It opens with an "I Love Rock 'n' Roll"-style guitar loop, with Clarkson singing the tale of spotting her groom across a room, it then interpolates to a chorus where she invites him to set the date, hire a band, and ultimately inviting him to "tie it up", accompanied by a sound of wedding bells.[6] Amy Sciarretto of PopCrush remarked that even though the song had twanged-out guitars and groove, it's not quite a full-on country jam", describing it as "a ballsy rocker, full of hand-on-the-hip sass". She also noted that Clarkson's voice is "big and soulful, that's why this song doesn't feel, well, married to one genre", and compared it to a "mid-'90s Alanis Morissette."[5]

Critical reception

Andy Scott of Celebuzz described "Tie It Up" as the anti-"Single Ladies", writing that the song "takes on the melody of "You Oughta Know" (kind of, but much more positive) as it tells the story of a woman who really, really, really wants to set the date".[7] Sam Lansky of Idolator wrote that the song "may not be a mainstream radio smash, but it sounds like the kind of thing that'll go over pretty well in the heartland (probably better than, say, "Hole")."[6]

Chart performance

Following its release as a single, "Tie It Up" entered the Billboard Country Airplay chart at number 52 on the week ending July 6, 2013.[8] For the chart week ending July 13, 2013 it entered the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart at number 12 with sales of 29,000 downloads.[9][10] The same week it debuted at number 33 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.[11] Internationally, it peaked at number 79 in Canada and at number 3 in South Korea.[12][13]

Music video

Background

Clarkson announced plans to release an accompanying lyric video for "Tie It Up", in which she requested fans to submit wedding photos to be included in the video.[14] On July 16, 2013, Clarkson tweeted that she had scrapped the lyric video and will now have the wedding photos used in the official music video.[15][16]

The video premiered on Vevo on August 14, 2013, and was directed by Weiss Eubanks.[17]

Synopsis

The music video includes photos and video footages submitted by fans, originally intended for a lyric video. The video shows various scenes from weddings, like cutting the cake, brides and bridesmaids, throwing the bouquet, dancing at the wedding reception, walking down the aisle and first kisses. The couples shown include gay couples. Clarkson, a bride-to-be herself when the video was filmed, portrays a singer singing at a barnyard wedding as she is accompanied by her band. She wears a short white dress and performs barefoot. Clarkson also wears her actual engagement ring and shows it several times to the camera. In the end Clarkson catches the bride's bouquet and winks at the camera.[18]

Reception

The music video received mostly positive reviews by critics, who noticed the included gay couples.[19][20][21] Chris Spargo from NewNowNext.com pointed out: "This is, we assume, the first mainstream, country music video featuring gay couples."[20]

Live performances

Clarkson first performed "Tie It Up" at the 2013 CMA Music Festival, which aired in the United States on ABC on August 12, 2013.[1][22] She performed it live at the Stadium of Fire on July 4, 2013.[23] She also performed it on The View on October 9, 2013.[24]

Track listing

Digital download – single[2]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Tie It Up"Ashley Arrison, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne2:47

Charts

Chart (2013) Peak
position
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[25] 79
South Korea International Singles (GAON)[26] 3
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[27] 12
US Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[28] 63
US Country Airplay (Billboard)[29] 33
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[30] 33

Radio and release history

List of release dates, showing region, release format, and label
Region Date Format Label
Australia June 25, 2013 (2013-06-25) Digital download – single[2] Sony Music Entertainment
Austria
Belgium
Canada
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Ireland
Italy
New Zealand
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom RCA Records
United States
United States July 8, 2013 (2013-07-08) Country radio[3] RCA Records, Columbia Nashville

References

  1. ^ a b c Carlson, Adam (June 10, 2013). "Kelly Clarkson goes country on new single, 'Tie It Up': Hear it here!". Entertainment Weekly. Time Inc. Retrieved June 20, 2013.
  2. ^ a b c "Tie It Up" – Single will be released on June 25, 2013 in:
  3. ^ a b "Future Releases for Country Radio Stations". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on June 20, 2013. Retrieved June 20, 2013.
  4. ^ "Kelly Clarkson Tied up Fiance Brandon Blackstone Against His Will – July 2, 2013". A Taste of Country. July 2, 2013. Retrieved July 16, 2013.
  5. ^ a b Sciarretto, Amy (June 19, 2013). "Kelly Clarkson, 'Tie It Up' – Review". PopCrush. Townsquare Media. Retrieved June 20, 2013.
  6. ^ a b Lansky, Sam (June 19, 2013). "Kelly Clarkson's "Tie It Up": Hear Her Wedding-Centric Country Single". Idolator. Spin Media. Retrieved June 20, 2013.
  7. ^ Scott, Andy (June 19, 2013). "Kelly Clarkson's New Country Single Is the Anti-'Single Ladies'". Celebuzz. Spin Media. Retrieved June 20, 2013.
  8. ^ Trust, Gary. "Chart Highlights: 'Ooh' She Did It Again ... Britney Spears Debuts On Pop Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved June 24, 2013.
  9. ^ Bjorke, Matt (July 3, 2013). "Country Chart News – The Top 30 Digital Singles – July 3, 2013: Florida Georgia Line Remains Strong; Eli Young Band & Brett Eldredge Debut in Top 10". Roughstock. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
  10. ^ https://www.billboard.com/artist/kelly-clarkson/chart-history/bubbling-under-hot-100
  11. ^ https://www.billboard.com/artist/kelly-clarkson/chart-history/country-songs
  12. ^ https://www.billboard.com/artist/kelly-clarkson/chart-history/billboard-canadian-hot-100
  13. ^ ":: 가온차트와 함께하세요 ::". www.gaonchart.co.kr. Archived from the original on June 2, 2012.
  14. ^ Willis, Jackie (June 19, 2013). "Kelly's Wedding-Centric Single Released (Listen)". Entertainment Tonight. Yahoo! Inc. Retrieved June 25, 2013.
  15. ^ "Twitter".
  16. ^ "Twitter".
  17. ^ Gottlieb, Steven. "Kelly Clarkson "Tie It Up" (Weiss Eubanks, dir.)". Steven J. Gottlieb & VideoStatic.com. Retrieved August 24, 2013.
  18. ^ Video on YouTube
  19. ^ Editor, Christopher Rudolph Associate; Entertainment, HuffPost (August 14, 2013). "Kelly Clarkson: Gay Wedding Singer?". HuffPost. ((cite web)): |last1= has generic name (help)
  20. ^ a b "Kelly Clarkson Shows Her Love for the Gays In "Tie The Knot" Music Video".
  21. ^ "Watch: Kelly Clarkson's new video for 'Tie It Up'". August 14, 2013.
  22. ^ Lansky, Sam (June 10, 2013). "Kelly Clarkson Debuts New Single "Tie It Up" Live, Unveils Cover Artwork". Idolator. Spin Media. Retrieved June 20, 2013.
  23. ^ Video on YouTube
  24. ^ "Tie It Up on The View". October 9, 2013.
  25. ^ "Kelly Clarkson Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard.
  26. ^ 가온차트와 함께하세요 [South Korea "Gaon" International Singles – June 29, 2013]. Gaon Single Chart (in Korean). Korea Music Content Industry Association. Retrieved July 5, 2013. On the page, select "2013" and then "2013.06.23~2013.06.29" to obtain the corresponding chart.
  27. ^ "Kelly Clarkson Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard.
  28. ^ "Kelly Clarkson Chart History (Digital Song Sales)". Billboard.
  29. ^ "Kelly Clarkson Chart History (Country Airplay)". Billboard.
  30. ^ "Kelly Clarkson Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
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