"Watching You" | ||||
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Single by Rodney Atkins | ||||
from the album If You're Going Through Hell | ||||
Released | September 18, 2006 | |||
Genre | Country | |||
Length | 3:55 | |||
Label | Curb | |||
Songwriter(s) | Rodney Atkins Steve Dean Brian Gene White | |||
Producer(s) | Ted Hewitt Rodney Atkins | |||
Rodney Atkins singles chronology | ||||
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"Watching You" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Rodney Atkins. It was released in September 2006 as the second single from the album If You're Going Through Hell . The single became his second number-one single on the Billboard U.S. Hot Country Songs chart. It was named the number-one song of 2007 on Billboard's year-end chart. The song was written by Atkins, Steve Dean, and Brian Gene White.
The song was inspired by Atkins's son, Elijah. After finding out that Elijah had been singing his father's 2006 single "If You're Going Through Hell (Before the Devil Even Knows)" to his teachers, Atkins then had to explain to his son that it "might not be appropriate for him to be singing that in school." [1] [2]
The song is a moderate up-tempo portraying two examples of a son learning from his father. In the first verse, the father and son are in the car together, driving through town. The son is eating a Happy Meal in the passenger seat, just as the father slams on the brakes at a red light, causing the boy to spill his food all over himself and say a bad word (implied to be shit). The father asks where his son learned to swear, and the boy then responds with "I've been watching you. / Dad, ain't that cool? / I'm your buckaroo, I wanna be like you."
In the second verse, the father heads out to his barn and begins to pray ("Lord, please help me help my stupid self.") Still later, at bedtime, the boy kneels beside his bed to pray as well, with his father watching. Upon hearing the boy's prayers, the father asks "Where'd you learn to pray like that?" to which the boy again responds by saying that he has been watching his father. The father then responds by hugging his son and stating his pride in the boy.
The video portrays the events which are laid out in the song's lyrics. Elijah also portrays the child in the song's video, and as a result, he has gained recognition in public. [3] It was Atkins' second video directed by Eric Welch.
The music video reached number 1 on CMT's Top Twenty Countdown for the week of January 11, 2007.
On the Comedy Central special with Natasha Leggero 'Diamond Pussy' (2015), she lampoons country music and specifically "Watching You"'s lyric: "Knowing that he couldn't have the toy 'til his nuggets were gone."[ citation needed ]
Chart (2006–2007) | Peak Position |
---|---|
Canada Country ( Billboard ) [4] | 3 |
US Billboard Hot 100 [5] | 36 |
US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard ) [6] | 1 |
Chart (2007) | Position |
---|---|
US Country Songs ( Billboard ) [7] | 1 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United States (RIAA) [8] | 3× Platinum | 3,000,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Rodney Allan Atkins is an American country music singer and songwriter. Signed to Curb Records in 1996, he charted his first single on the Billboard country chart in 1997, but did not release an album until 2003's Honesty, which included the hit single "Honesty ".
"Don't Take The Girl" is a song written by Craig Martin and Larry W. Johnson, and recorded by the American country music artist Tim McGraw. It was released in March 1994 as the second single from his album Not a Moment Too Soon. It was McGraw's fifth single overall, and his first number-one single on the Hot Country Songs chart. It also reached number one on the Canadian country charts and it was a successful pop song, reaching number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100.
If You're Going Through Hell is the second studio album by American country music artist Rodney Atkins. It was released on July 18, 2006 by Curb Records. The album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) after selling at least one million copies in the United States.
"If You're Going Through Hell (Before the Devil Knows)" is a song written by Dave Berg, Sam Tate and Annie Tate, and recorded by American country music artist Rodney Atkins. It was released in January 2006 as the lead-off single to his second album If You're Going Through Hell. The song became Atkins' first number one hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, spending four weeks at that position. The song also peaked at number 33 on the Billboard Hot 100. "If You're Going Through Hell" was named the number-one song of 2006 on the Billboard's year-end chart.
"Lost in This Moment" is a song written by John Rich, Keith Anderson and Rodney Clawson, and recorded by American country music duo Big & Rich. It was released in February 2007 as the first single from their album Between Raising Hell and Amazing Grace. The single became their first and only Number One hit on the Billboard country charts in July 2007. Prior to its release, the duo's highest-charting single was "Save a Horse ", which reached #11.
"Honesty (Write Me a List)" is a song written by Patience Clemens and David Kent and recorded by American country music artist Rodney Atkins. It was released in June 2003 as the third single from Atkins' 2003 album Honesty. The song became Atkins' first Top 10 hit on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs) chart at number 4. It also reached number 57 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming a minor crossover hit.
"These Are My People" is a song written by Dave Berg and Rivers Rutherford, and recorded by American country music artist Rodney Atkins. It was released in March 2007 as the third single from his platinum album If You're Going Through Hell, as well as the third straight Number One single from that album.
"Cleaning This Gun (Come On in Boy)" is a song written by Casey Beathard and Marla Cannon-Goodman, and recorded by American country music artist Rodney Atkins. It was released in October 2007 as the fourth from his album If You're Going Through Hell. The song became Atkins' fourth consecutive number one hit on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, tying a record for most number ones from a country album since Tim McGraw's Set This Circus Down in 2001–2002.
"All-American Girl" is a song composed by American country pop singer Carrie Underwood, Ashley Gorley and Kelley Lovelace. It is the second single from Underwood's second studio album, Carnival Ride, released in the United States on December 17, 2007..
"You're Gonna Miss This" is a song written by Ashley Gorley and Lee Thomas Miller and recorded by American country music artist Trace Adkins. It was released in January 2008 as the second and final single from Adkins' compilation album American Man: Greatest Hits Volume II. Adkins's fastest-climbing single to date, it is his third number one hit on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs charts. It also peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and at number 19 on the Pop 100 charts.
"You'll Always Be My Baby" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Sara Evans. It was released in September 2006 as the fourth and final single from her 2005 album Real Fine Place. The song peaked at number 13 on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. The song is also included on Evans' 2007 Greatest Hits album. Evans wrote this song with Tony Martin and Tom Shapiro.
The discography of Rodney Atkins, an American country music singer, consists of 5 studio albums and 20 singles. Although Atkins first entered the Country Airplay charts in 1997 with "In a Heartbeat", he did not reach top 40 until 2002. His first top 5 hit, "Honesty ", came in late 2003-early 2004. Between 2006 and 2008, Atkins charted four straight number 1 singles: "If You're Going Through Hell ", "Watching You", "These Are My People" and "Cleaning This Gun ", all from his second album, If You're Going Through Hell. It's America (2009) and Take a Back Road (2011) also included number 1 singles in their respective title tracks, with a re-issue of the latter also containing the top 5 hit "Farmer's Daughter".
"It's America" is a song written by Brett James and Angelo Petraglia and recorded by American country music singer Rodney Atkins. It was released in November 2008 as the first single and title track from Atkin's 2009 album of the same name.
"Put Your Hand in Mine" is a song written by Skip Ewing and Jimmy Wayne, and recorded by American country music singer Tracy Byrd. It was released in September 1999 as the first single from his album It's About Time. It peaked at number 11 on the Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.
It's America is the third studio album by American country music artist Rodney Atkins. It was released on March 31, 2009 by Curb Records. The album's first single, its title track, was released on November 24, 2008 and became Atkins' fifth number one hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. It was followed by "15 Minutes" and "Chasin' Girls." The album was re-issued in mid-2010 to include a new single, "Farmer's Daughter."
"What Do You Say" is a song written by Neil Thrasher and Michael Dulaney, and recorded by American country music artist Reba McEntire. It was released on September 14, 1999 as the first single from her album So Good Together. The song reached number 3 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in January 2000 and number 31 on the Billboard Hot 100 becoming her first crossover hit and top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. It is her highest peaking single on that chart.
"He's Mine" is a song written by Casey Beathard, Tim James, and Phil O'Donnell. It was originally recorded by American country music artist Billy Ray Cyrus on his 2009 album Back to Tennessee. The song was later recorded by Rodney Atkins and released in November 2011 as the second single from his 2011 album Take a Back Road.
"Invisibly Shaken" is a song written by Billy Kirsch and Rodney Atkins. It was originally recorded by Lee Greenwood from his album Stronger Than Time, which was released in 2003. It is also recorded by Atkins as the fifth and final single from his 2006 album, If You're Going Through Hell, when it was released to country radio in April 2008. The song went to number 41 on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart that same year.
"Just Wanna Rock N' Roll" is a song written by Rodney Clawson and Chris Tompkins, and recorded by American country music artist Rodney Atkins. It was released in June 2012 as the third single from his album Take a Back Road. On the Hot Country Songs chart, the song peaked at No. 39. It also peaked at No. 31 on the Country Airplay chart.
Ted Hewitt is an American country music producer, songwriter, singer, and musician who has written and performed songs for numerous acts including Rodney Atkins, Tracy Byrd, Glen Campbell, Reba McEntire, and others. He co-produced Atkins' 2006 album, If You're Going Through Hell, which was certified platinum by the RIAA. Other popular tracks written or produced by Hewitt include "Love Lessons" by Tracy Byrd and "Wine into Water" by T. Graham Brown (#44).