"Wild Child"
Single by Kenny Chesney and Grace Potter
from the album The Big Revival
ReleasedFebruary 2, 2015 (2015-02-02)
Recorded2014
GenreCountry
Length3:08
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Kenny Chesney singles chronology
"Til It's Gone"
(2014) 		"Wild Child"
(2015) 		"Save It for a Rainy Day"
(2015)

"Wild Child" is a song by recording artists Kenny Chesney and Grace Potter. The song was co-written by Chesney, Shane McAnally, and Josh Osborne. It was released in February 2015 as the third single from the Chesney's album The Big Revival (2014). Potter had previously collaborated with Chesney for his singles "You and Tequila" and "El Cerrito Place".

Background

In a cover story for Billboard, Chesney drew a comparison between "Wild Child" and bro country songs: “Over the last several years, it seems like anytime anybody sings about a woman, she’s in cutoff jeans, drinking and on a tailgate — they objectify the hell out of them! [...] But I’m at a point where I want to say something different about women”.[1] He told Taste of Country that he wasn’t searching for another Grace Potter duet, but when he finished writing the song, he knew it was unavoidable. “When you write about women, the best place to start is their spirit, and there’s not a woman that has a better free spirit than Grace Potter”.[2]

Content

"Wild Child" finds its narrator falling for a strong and independent woman, whose spirit is free and whose nature is rebel.

Critical reception

Giving it a B+, Bob Paxman of Country Weekly wrote that "Those who prefer party guy Kenny might find this a bit too mellow for their tastes. But give this bit of introspection a chance and you'll find some cool lyrics…and a fine message."[3]

Music video

The music video was directed by Shaun Silva and premiered on the USA Today website on February 11, 2015.[4]

Chart performance

The song has sold 242,000 copies in the United States as of June 2015.[5]

Chart (2015) Peak
position
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[6] 69
Canada Country (Billboard)[7] 3
US Billboard Hot 100[8] 56
US Country Airplay (Billboard)[9] 1
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[10] 9

Year-end charts

Chart (2015) Position
US Country Airplay (Billboard)[11] 37
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[12] 56

References

  1. ^ "Billboard Cover: Kenny Chesney on Bro-Country Songs That 'Objectify the Hell Out Of' Women, Reclaiming His Turf and Rattling His Fans' Cages". Billboard.
  2. ^ "Kenny Chesney: 'Wild Child' is the Song Fans Have to Hear".
  3. ^ Paxman, Bob (March 16, 2015). "Reviews:Kenny Chesney with Grace Potter - 'Wild Child'". Country Weekly. 22 (11): 67. ISSN 1074-3235.
  4. ^ Mansfield, Brian (February 11, 2015). "Premiere: Kenny Chesney's 'Wild Child' video". USA Today. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
  5. ^ Bjorke, Matt (June 24, 2015). "Country Music's Top 30 Digital Singles: Week of June 24, 2015". Roughstock. Sales figure given here
  6. ^ "Kenny Chesney Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard.
  7. ^ "Kenny Chesney Chart History (Canada Country)". Billboard.
  8. ^ "Kenny Chesney Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  9. ^ "Kenny Chesney Chart History (Country Airplay)". Billboard.
  10. ^ "Kenny Chesney Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  11. ^ "Best of 2015: Country Airplay". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2015. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
  12. ^ "Best of 2015: Hot Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2015. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
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