Shotgun (Christina Aguilera song)

Last updated
"Shotgun"
Promotional single by Nashville Cast featuring Christina Aguilera
ReleasedApril 21, 2015 (2015-04-21)
Genre Country, country pop
Length3:18
Label Lionsgate Television
Composer(s) Christina Aguilera, Sean McConnell, Audra Mae
Producer(s) Buddy Miller

"Shotgun" is a song recorded by Nashville Cast featuring American singer Christina Aguilera. It was featured on episode "The Storm Has Just Begun" of the third season of Nashville . [1] The song was released on April 21, 2015, as a promotional single for Nashville. [2] A country pop ballad about a long-lasting love, for Aguilera herself the song examines the theme of relationships and partners who "have stood the test of time." [3]

Contents

"Shotgun" received positive reviews from music critics. Aguilera sang the song at the 50th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, accompanied by Rascal Flatts. Their performance segued into "Riot" from the country trio's Rewind album.

Background and release

Country musician Buddy Miller produced the song. Buddy-Miller in 2010.jpg
Country musician Buddy Miller produced the song.

"Shotgun" is a downtempo country pop ballad, and a second song by Christina Aguilera recorded for the ABC musical drama series Nashville (the first one being "The Real Thing"). [1] [4] [5] [6] Digital Spy's editor Lewis Corner called it a "slow and rousing" ballad and the exact opposite of "The Real Thing", which was a "jaunty pop-rock bop". [7] The singer portrayed Jade St. John, the ex-fiancée of former record label boss Jeff Fordham, over three episodes of the series. [1] Speaking to ABC News, Aguilera described her character:

"Jade St. John is a pop star, but her first love is in country and she really wants to make a country album. And as she's passing by town with her tour, she really takes the opportunity to sort of experience Nashville and make some contacts for herself. But really she's just a huge fan of country and she just wants to dive right in." [8]

"I really love the song. It speaks to long-lasting love, the roads it takes, the turns it makes and how it lasts forever. When I perform it, I really think of that older couple who have been through it all and who have stood the test of time with the changes that their relationship goes through."

— Aguilera about the meaning of the song. [3]

Co-written by Aguilera, Sean McConnell and Audra Mae, and produced by Buddy Miller, [9] "Shotgun" is a love song about the strength of an emotional relationship and its stability. [4] [3] A long-term love affair is compared to riding shotgun in a car and then taking over its wheel ("When you're tired, I'll grab the wheel / And you take over when I'm done / Love is taking turns / Riding shotgun"). [4] [9] In the chorus Aguilera sings: "It's a hard road honey, and there ain't nobody I'd rather be next to." [4] [9] For the artist herself the song examines two partners who have stood the "test of time" as their relationship goes through different life stages. [3] "Shotgun" marks the second time the singer worked on a country material, after 2012's "Just a Fool". [10] [11] Its melodic structure features acoustic guitars and a guest male vocals are heard in the background. [10]

The song was released on April 21, 2015, as a promotional single meant to support Aguilera's appearance in the series, [2] [12] and its snippet leaked on April 10. [13] Although both "Shotgun" and "The Real Thing" officially premiered as digital singles, [12] neither song appears on The Music of Nashville: Season 3, Volume 2 album due to label rights (Aguilera being a RCA artist, and the soundtrack being released under Big Machine Records). [6]

Critical reception

"Shotgun" received critical acclaim. Bianca Gracie of Idolator provided a positive review toward the song, applauding Aguilera's "soothing and emotive vocal tone", and summarizing it as a "stunning tune". [10] Writing for PopCrush , Zara Husaini called "Shotgun" a "gorgeous ballad", [4] while the Music Times editor Carolyn Menyes praised both Aguilera as a "powerhouse diva" and the song for its "stripped down, banjo-filled" sound. [12] Zuzanna Janicka from The Rockferry ranked "Shotgun" among Aguilera's "best unknown songs", explaining: "Three years after 'Just a Fool' was released Aguilera recorded something better: a song that's restricted vocally but even more emotional. A simpler, quieter song, a thriving one." [14] Cosmopolitan's Rebecca Rose expressed her curiosity about whether Aguilera will "keep venturing into other music genres", and added: "one thing is for sure—I'm going to play [the song] on repeat basically forever." [15]

Live performance

Aguilera sang "Shotgun" with Rascal Flatts at the 2015 Academy of Country Music Awards. Rascal Flatts 2013.jpg
Aguilera sang "Shotgun" with Rascal Flatts at the 2015 Academy of Country Music Awards.

Aguilera performed the "stripped-down" song with the Columbus-baded country group Rascal Flatts at the 50th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards. [16] Journalist Carolyn Menyes thought the rendition showed a "softer side" of the singer and elaborated: "Through the lens of her character Jade St. John, Aguilera turns her throaty vocals into a twang alongside a male accompaniment, and it's effective as a country single." [12] The performance segued into the band's song "Riot"—forming a medley—and featured a small choir. [17] The Source thought Aguilera and Rascal Flatts paired "surprisingly well", [17] and the Taste of Country editor Rebekah Bell hailed it as a "stellar" performance. [18] Billboard noted that the artistic delivery was commended by the audience. [16]

Charts

"Shotgun" debuted at number 28 on the US Hot Country Songs, becoming Aguilera's first entry on the chart. [19] It also debuted at number 14 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100, [20] and it managed to sell 30,000 copies before it was taken down from iTunes that week. [21] [22]

Chart (2015)Peak
position
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles ( Billboard ) [23] 14
US Country Digital Songs ( Billboard ) [24] 7
US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard ) [25] 28
US Digital Song Sales ( Billboard ) [26] 43

Release history

RegionDateFormatLabel
United States [2] April 21, 2015 Digital download

Sean McConnell version

Sean McConnell, who co-wrote the song, recorded his own version of it, also titled "Shotgun". The folk rock cover features Audra Mae and was released on October 2, 2015, by 333 Entertainment. [27]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christina Aguilera</span> American singer and songwriter (born 1980)

Christina María Aguilera is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality. Referred to as the "Voice of a Generation", she is noted for her four-octave vocal range, musical reinventions, sustaining high notes including use of the whistle register, and a signature use of melisma throughout her music. Recognized as an influential figure in popular music, she also became known for incorporating controversial themes such as feminism, sexuality, LGBT culture and the sex-positive movement into her work. Aguilera was also honoured as a Disney Legend, for her contributions to The Walt Disney Company.

<i>Christina Aguilera</i> (album) 1999 studio album by Christina Aguilera

Christina Aguilera is the debut studio album by American singer Christina Aguilera. It was released on August 24, 1999, by RCA Records. After recording "Reflection", the theme song for the 1998 Disney film Mulan, RCA laid the foundation for the album immediately and started presenting Aguilera with tracks for her debut album, which they originally decided would have a January 1999 release. Primarily a dance-pop and teen pop album, its music incorporates bubblegum pop, R&B, soul, hip hop, as well as ballads. Contributions to the album's production came from a wide range of producers, including Johan Åberg, David Frank, Ron Fair, Guy Roche, Robin Thicke, Matthew Wilder and Aaron Zigman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beautiful (Christina Aguilera song)</span> 2002 single by Christina Aguilera

"Beautiful" is a song recorded by American singer Christina Aguilera for her fourth studio album, Stripped (2002). It was released as the album's second single on November 16, 2002. A pop and R&B ballad, "Beautiful" was written and produced by Linda Perry and discusses inner-beauty, as well as self-esteem and insecurity. Aguilera commented that she put "her heart and soul" into the track, which she felt represented the theme of Stripped.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rascal Flatts</span> American country rock band

Rascal Flatts was an American country rock band founded in 1999 in Nashville, Tennessee. The group consisted of Gary LeVox, Jay DeMarcus, and Joe Don Rooney. DeMarcus is LeVox's second cousin, a brother-in-law of country music singer James Otto, and was previously a member of the contemporary Christian music duo East to West. LeVox and DeMarcus are both natives of Columbus, Ohio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Voice Within</span> 2003 single by Christina Aguilera

"The Voice Within" is a song by American singer Christina Aguilera from her fourth studio album, Stripped (2002). The song was written by Aguilera and Glen Ballard, with production handled by Ballard. It is a piano-driven ballad that talks about trusting oneself and one's instincts. "The Voice Within" was released as the fifth and final single from Stripped on October 27, 2003, by RCA Records.

"What Hurts the Most" is a song written by American songwriter Jeffrey Steele and English songwriter Steve Robson. Originally recorded by country music artist Mark Wills in 2003 on his album And the Crowd Goes Wild, it was covered by Bellefire a year later. The first version to be released as a single was by pop singer Jo O'Meara in 2005, from the album Relentless. Later that year, country band Rascal Flatts covered the song as well, releasing it as the first single from the 2006 album Me and My Gang, topping the U.S. country and adult contemporary charts with it. German band Cascada later had international chart success with the song in 2007. It was also covered by Eden in 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christina Aguilera discography</span>

American singer Christina Aguilera has released nine studio albums, two extended plays (EPs), six compilation albums, one soundtrack album, 54 singles, and 17 promotional singles. To date, Aguilera has sold around over 100 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling female music artist of all time. Billboard ranked Aguilera as the 37th Greatest Hot 100 Women of All Time and the 44th Greatest Billboard 200 Women of All Time. In the United States alone, Aguilera has sold 18.3 million albums. Through the RIAA she has 18.6 million certified albums units and 10 million certified digital singles units. Aguilera is recognized as the 20th best-selling artist of the 2000s. She has also achieved 10 number one hits on Billboard's Dance Club Songs. In the United Kingdom, Aguilera has sold over 3.3 million albums and 6.1 million singles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hurt (Christina Aguilera song)</span> 2006 single by Christina Aguilera

"Hurt" is a song by American singer Christina Aguilera from her fifth studio album, Back to Basics (2006). It was serviced to US contemporary hit radio stations on September 17, 2006, as the album's second single, and was released for purchase in November. Written by Aguilera, Linda Perry, and Mark Ronson, and produced by Perry, the song is a pop ballad with lyrics describing how the protagonist deals with the loss of a loved one and was inspired by the death of Perry's father.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Teardrops on My Guitar</span> 2007 single by Taylor Swift

"Teardrops on My Guitar" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift and the second single from her self-titled debut album (2006). Swift wrote the song with Liz Rose, and Nathan Chapman produced it. Big Machine Records released "Teardrops on My Guitar" to US country radio on February 20, 2007. The song was released to US pop radio as a crossover single in November 2007. It was included on the international edition of Swift's second studio album, Fearless, and released in the UK in 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Melt</span> 2003 single by Rascal Flatts

"I Melt" is a song written by Gary LeVox, Wendell Mobley, and Neil Thrasher and recorded by American country music group Rascal Flatts. It was released in July 2003 as the third single from the band’s sophomore studio album Melt (2002). The song peaked at number 2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart, staying at that position for three weeks behind Toby Keith’s "I Love This Bar". This was the group’s seventh entry on that chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rascal Flatts discography</span>

Rascal Flatts were an American country music group founded in 1999 by Gary LeVox, Jay DeMarcus, and Joe Don Rooney. Signed to Lyric Street Records until 2010, the band released ten studio albums plus a greatest hits package, the first six on the Lyric Street Records label, the last four on Big Machine Records. Their highest-certified albums are Feels Like Today and Me and My Gang, which are both certified 5× Platinum. Except for their 2000 self-titled debut and 2017's Back to Us, all of the group's albums have reached No. 1 on the Top Country Albums chart.

Michael James Ryan Busbee, known professionally as Busbee, was an American songwriter, record producer, publisher, record label executive, and multi-instrumentalist. He is known for his work in both pop music and country music. He worked with 5 Seconds of Summer, Keith Urban, and Maren Morris.

<i>Changed</i> (album) 2012 studio album by Rascal Flatts

Changed is the eighth studio album by American country music group Rascal Flatts. It is their second studio album release after signing with Big Machine Records, and was released on April 3, 2012. The band released the album's debut single, "Banjo", on January 16, 2012. The album's second single "Come Wake Me Up" released to country radio on May 21, 2012. The album's third single, "Changed", released to country radio on December 17, 2012, AC and Christian AC on January 22, 2013. On June 28, 2013, Rascal Flatts released "Sunrise" as their first official single in the UK. This is the first album from the group to not have a Top 40 hit on the pop chart. This is the group's first album not to go platinum and last to go gold.

<i>Lotus</i> (Christina Aguilera album) 2012 studio album by Christina Aguilera

Lotus is the seventh studio album by American singer-songwriter Christina Aguilera. RCA Records released the album on November 9, 2012. The album is Aguilera’s first effort following her divorce from Jordan Bratman. Its music incorporates pop styles with elements of dance-pop and rock in the form of upbeat songs and piano-driven ballads. Aguilera described the album as a "rebirth", drawing inspiration from events in her life, her appearance on The Voice, and her divorce. The album was recorded at Aguilera's home studio. As executive producer, she collaborated with a wide range of producers, including new partners Alex da Kid, Max Martin, Lucas Secon and Tracklacers.

"Just a Fool" is a duet recorded by American singer songwriters Christina Aguilera and Blake Shelton for Aguilera's seventh studio album, Lotus (2012). The track was written by Claude Kelly, Wayne Hector, and its producer Steve Robson. "Just a Fool" was sent to contemporary hit and hot adult contemporary radio stations in the United States by RCA Records as the second and final single from the album on December 4, 2012. The song is a country pop ballad which discusses the pain of a break-up.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Changed (song)</span> 2012 song by American group Rascal Flatts

"Changed" is a song recorded by American country music group Rascal Flatts. It was released in December 2012 as the third single from their eighth studio album of the same name. The song was written by Gary LeVox, Wendell Mobley and Neil Thrasher. It was released to country radio on December 17, 2012, and AC and Christian AC radio on January 22, 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dan + Shay</span> American pop music duo

Dan + Shay is an American country pop music duo composed of vocalists and songwriters Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney. They are signed to Warner Records Nashville and have released five albums, Where It All Began, Obsessed, Dan + Shay, Good Things and Bigger Houses. Of their nine singles, five have topped the Country Airplay chart and three have topped the Hot Country Songs chart. The duo have collaborated with Justin Bieber, Charlie Puth, Rascal Flatts, Lindsey Stirling, RaeLynn, and Kelly Clarkson. From 2019 to 2021, the duo won three consecutive Grammy Awards for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for the songs "Tequila", "Speechless", and "10,000 Hours".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rewind (Rascal Flatts song)</span> 2014 single by Rascal Flatts

"Rewind" is a song written by Chris DeStefano, Ashley Gorley, and Eric Paslay, and recorded by American country music group Rascal Flatts. It is their 33rd single release, and the first from their ninth studio album of the same name.

<i>Rewind</i> (Rascal Flatts album) 2014 studio album by Rascal Flatts

Rewind is the ninth studio album by American country music group Rascal Flatts. It was released on May 13, 2014 via Big Machine Records. The album was produced by Rascal Flatts, Howard Benson and Dann Huff. A deluxe edition is available at Target with four bonus tracks. With the exception of the deluxe edition track "She Must Like Broken Hearts", this is the group's only album to not feature any songwriting credits from the group themselves. It is their final album to be produced by Huff, whose relationship with the group began with their 2006 album Me and My Gang. This is the band's last album to top the Billboard Country Albums chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Like the Sound of That</span> 2015 single by Rascal Flatts

"I Like the Sound of That" is a song by American country music group Rascal Flatts. It was released on August 31, 2015 as the fourth and final single from their album Rewind. The song was written by Jesse Frasure along with American singer Meghan Trainor and Shay Mooney of the American country music duo Dan + Shay.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Christina Aguilera releases new 'Nashville' track 'Shotgun' – listen". NME . BandLab Technologies. April 21, 2015. Archived from the original on 2017-10-25. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 "Shotgun – Single by The Nashville Cast". iTunes Store (US). Archived from the original on April 14, 2015. Retrieved April 14, 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Steiner, Amanda Michelle (April 15, 2021). "Christina Aguilera on Her Nashville Role and Whether She'd Ever Record a Country Album". People . Meredith Corporation. Archived from the original on 2016-12-20. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Husaini, Zara (April 21, 2015). "Hear Christina Aguilera's Love-Struck Ballad 'Shotgun' From 'Nashville'". PopCrush . Townsquare Media. Archived from the original on 2019-05-20. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  5. ↑ Miller, Jordan (April 21, 2015). "Listen: Christina Aguilera's Country Ballad 'Shotgun'". Breathe Heavy. Archived from the original on 2015-06-27. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  6. 1 2 "Nashville (TV Series) – The Storm Has Just Begun (2015)". IMDb. Amazon. Archived from the original on 2021-03-19. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  7. ↑ Corner, Lewis (April 21, 2015). "Christina Aguilera unveils rousing new Nashville track 'Shotgun'". Digital Spy . Hearst Communications. Archived from the original on 2015-11-20. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  8. ↑ Dresdale, Andrea (April 15, 2015). "Christina Aguilera Opens Up About Her 'Nashville' Role". ABC News. Archived from the original on 2015-04-17. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  9. 1 2 3 "Nashville Cast – Shotgun Lyrics". Genius. Genius Media Group Inc. Archived from the original on 2021-03-19. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  10. 1 2 3 Gracie, Bianca (April 21, 2015). "Christina Aguilera Rides "Shotgun": Listen To The Tune From ABC's 'Nashville'". Idolator . Hive Media. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  11. ↑ Wass, Mike (April 7, 2015). "Christina Aguilera Announces New Songs 'The Real Thing' And 'Shotgun'". Idolator . Hive Media. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  12. 1 2 3 4 Menyes, Carolyn (April 21, 2015). "Christina Aguilera 'Nashville' Song 'Shotgun' Arrives Online After ACMs 2015 Performance with Rascall Flatts (LISTEN)". Music Times. Archived from the original on 2016-01-03. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  13. ↑ Husaini, Zara (April 10, 2015). "Did Christina Aguilera's 'Shotgun' Leak?". PopCrush . Townsquare Media. Archived from the original on 2021-03-19. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  14. ↑ Janicka, Zuzanna (December 18, 2018). "RANKING: 15 najlepszych, nieznanych piosenek Christiny Aguilery". The Rockferry (in Polish). Archived from the original on 2021-03-19. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  15. ↑ Rose, Rebecca (April 20, 2015). "Christina Aguilera Looked Stunning, Sounded Amazing at the Academy of Country Music Awards". Cosmopolitan . Hearst Communications. Archived from the original on 2016-03-11. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  16. 1 2 Lipshutz, Jason (April 19, 2015). "Christina Aguilera Teams Up With Rascal Flatts at ACM Awards: Watch". Billboard . Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  17. 1 2 "Christina Aguilera Does Joint Performance With Rascal Flatts at ACM Awards". The Source . The NorthStar Group. April 21, 2015. Archived from the original on 2015-04-22. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  18. ↑ Bell, Rebekah (April 19, 2015). "Rascal Flatts and Christina Aguilera Team Up at 2015 ACM Awards". Taste of Country. Archived from the original on 2015-05-18. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  19. ↑ Trust, Gary (April 30, 2015). "Christina Aguilera Makes First Appearance on Hot Country Songs Chart". Billboard. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  20. ↑ "Bubbling Under Hot 100: May 9, 2015". Billboard. 2 January 2013. Archived from the original on April 30, 2015.
  21. ↑ Bjorke, Matt (April 29, 2015). "Country Music's Top 30 Digital Singles: Week of April 29, 2015". Roughstock. Archived from the original on 2015-05-05. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  22. ↑ "Top 30 Digital Singles – April 29, 2015". Roughstock. Archived from the original on 27 April 2016. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  23. ↑ "Christina Aguilera Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  24. ↑ "Country Digital Songs – The Week of May 9, 2015". Billboard . Archived from the original on 2015-04-30. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  25. ↑ "Christina Aguilera Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 8, 2015.
  26. ↑ "Digital Song Sales – The Week of May 9, 2015". Billboard . Archived from the original on 2021-03-19. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  27. ↑ "Shotgun (feat. Audra Mae) by Sean McConnell on Amazon Music – Amazon.com". Amazon. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.