POP SONG REVIEW: "Fancy Like" by Walker Hayes

in what way, it really isn't? Do you mean because it's very niche in its appeal/demographics?

ginny

As an American, it really isnt.

Ella Phillips

I've thought about this way too much, but: this song is like a hybrid of two subgenres. One: as Todd noted, the "We Country Folk Don't Need No Fancy Things, We Have Smaller Pleasures That Are Better." Two: "Thank God My Lady Only Likes the Same Things I Do." However, for the first, the subject is usually something with more emotional resonance, like an expansive night sky or tailgating with the boys or whatever. For the second, it's something that's supposed to inspire jealousy in everyone listening, like bragging about how your girlfriend likes fishing and beer so your friends go "no way, bro, you're so lucky!" I don't want to meet the people that say "Your wife likes Applebees? You lucked out! Y'all are perfect together!" Neither of these are usually an ode to suburbia/capitalistic orgy of dropping brand names. It just rubs me the wrong way on all levels. I'd give it more credit for being tongue-in-cheek if I didn't know about the song that's just him talking about the "country stuff" he likes, so that might be giving him too much credit. Just...a song exists with the words "bourbon street steak" and was not written by the company itself. It's such a lame effort all around.

Stormy K.

As someone who isn't American (Australian, to be exact), the country scene over there is always a weirdly fascinating view to me when Todd looks in now and again. I can't pinpoint exactly why, but my best guess is that it is always the most American out of all the music genres.

ginny

“Fully Tricked Out F-150 in the driveway of a half-a-mil McMansion in a suburb of Raleigh that’s never touched a patch of mud”-ass song

Nick Ostrem

Pop it, lock it, and drop it.

Stephen Gillie

How many brands can you sprinkle into a song before it's accidentally a critique of capitalism? This song is already approaching the "Henny and Bennies" era of hip-hop in commercialism.

Stephen Gillie

There was a pop-punk song I heard ages ago (can't remember the name of it or who it was by) that had a similar premise and I didn't much of that one either, but I did like the idea. I'm all for a song about wanting to treat someone close to you to something you normally wouldn't be able to get, even if just something that's a couple of bucks extra. It's probably why I can't dislike this song as much as other people seem to do. I still find it incredibly obnoxious, though.

Tedd-Z

Goddammit, Kesha. I *do* want to root for you. I liked you from the word go, but THIS is some shameful shit.

Sean Riley

This and Pat Finnerty's video on this song complement each other wonderfully, and both just happen to feature a "fuckin morons" line that made me double over laughing.

Anthony Hansen

Eh I feel like Bro country is too easy to pick on.

Thoughts on BTS's Butter?

Matthew

yes this boyfriend country is trash, at least Bro Country was memorable and didn't feel cynical like this does.

RedBedroomRecords

i've not seen actual commercials in ages as i've long stopped watching live TV and whenever I get ads on streaming platforms like Hulu I always mute them and go do something in another tab until they are over.

RedBedroomRecords

i'm surprised Todd didn't bring up Vine as that platform also made a lot of crappy songs hits that otherwise nobody would've given a shit about(T-Wayne's Nasty Freestyle comes to mind) due to its shortform vids.

RedBedroomRecords

yeah even as a country fan the insecurity gets old, I like Montgomery/Gentry(RIP Troy) as much as the next guy, but damn did they overdo it on the whole "city folks don't appreciate flyover states" line of thinking.

RedBedroomRecords

see also Buddy Brown, his songs spout all kinds of racist shit and does the whole "white rural folks are the REAL victims!" nonsense but it all feels so fake and sounds like an act deliberately designed to troll people into giving him more publicity, I don't buy for one nanosecond that he's a "country boy" like Alan Jackson with his fancy brand-new pickup and brand-new acoustic guitar.

RedBedroomRecords

and yet Zac Brown still released that godawful album "The Owl" where he unironically spouted the same cliches he was attacking Luke Bryan for, what a hypocrite.

RedBedroomRecords

what bit?

RedBedroomRecords

I cringed so hard my neck and shoulder locked up and now I look like someone who got caught in a lava flow mid-scream.

Taylor Abrahamse

Bet you regret burning Reba's "Fancy" on Iggy Azalea now, huh?

Jacob Roth

Great just what the world needed! An even shittier version of "Body Like a Backroad", that song was at least funny bad and fascinating in a trainwreck kinda way, this song is just desperate pandering lazy trash.

RedBedroomRecords

Most notable thing in here is him pairing a clip of “Telepatia” while talking about “the best music he’s heard in years” which… yes

The Hand Of The People

Applebee's song bad lol

rose mulet

This song is Imagine Dragon’s Thunder but pop it, lock it, polka dot it, countrify it.

Meaghan

My thoughts on Fancy Like: hahahaha NO. Burn it with fucking fire

Erik Danielson

I enjoyed this preview of your worst of 2021 list, Todd

Erik Danielson

If you ever do one again, maybe try "Sunny Came Home" by Shawn Colvin (It's a folky song about borderline murder, and unlike Timothy the public actually does remember it)

Kathy Mathers

Dang no One Hit Wonderland Spookular this year

Kathy Mathers

I learned this from "Luca" lol

Anna Midkiff

Personally I think the song would be better if the chorus was about something different each time, so like, even though he's never taking her anywhere actually fancy, at least he's taking her different places with variety...even Kesha seems to get that by referencing Waffle House. And Isn't that the same diner from "Want u back"

Anna Midkiff

Re: country being defensive, there's historically been a fair amount of that through the years. This is something that it shares with rap and trying to constantly prove (and/or expound on the good parts) of a street/hood life. It's a class signifier (both ways): https://www.runoutnumbers.com/blog/2015/11/16/everything-except-country-and-rap

A

My take before watching the video: this song is bad, but actually... good?? Rarely has a song so perfectly matched it's lyrics and sound; truly this track's artless smooshing together of hip-hop beats and country guitars is the french fries in a frosty of music. The characters in this song would absolutely love this song.

Sarah, the Creator

great video Todd!! thank you for introducing me to another song i wish i didn't know!

Sammy

https://vimeo.com/640889272/953a7b11c3

Todd in the Shadows

It's best when the fries are fresh and hot. The salt from the fries enhances the chocolate in the ice cream, while the cold cream melts into the hot potato, making a very interesting texture.

Stephen Gillie

I really dug this song when I heard its original incarnation-- Weird Al's Whatever You Like

Zachary McAnally

I still can't get the video to show up (started trying within minutes of it dropping last night, just made roughly the 30th attempt), but apparently plenty of people aren't having any trouble. Anyone got some tips?

Jessica Asakevich

Exactly. This sort of insecurity has been around in country music since at least the Nineties (It’s the whole reason “Friends in Low Places” exists), but it seems to be hitting toxic levels now. What’s funny/sad is that these are the people who are constantly coddled by the same “liberal” media that treats anti-vaxxers and Stop the Stealers as quasi-folk heroes. Have the “rugged salt of the earth” crowd always been this thin-skinned and whiny?

Kristopher Bluth

okay but he's been practicing czerny on piano. lol thats pretty based. also might not be kesha's best song, but i think she would make an interesting collab for country artists since she grew up in nashville

Creamer

I don't pay much attention to country music, but I'm not surprised the genre is tearing itself apart right now. There is a huge generational divide in our culture right now, with corporations & various cultural industries trying to appeal to the more multi-cultural and socially progressive younger cohort, since they are of the prime consumer age, while facing a backlash from older conservatives for becoming "woke". Country music seems to be caught it the middle, because it has traditionally served a more traditionalist and conservative audience, but also wants to appeal to young people because that's where the money is, so it can't really win either way. Also, 20-30 somethings are very liberal as a whole, but country music fans within that cohort are likely more conservative on average, while still being more liberal than your average country music fan, amplifying that tension. Also, I would not be surprised if country music has, in fact, gotten a lot more "bitter and defensive" over the past couple of decades. That's become a defining feature of the modern-day politics is those kind of culture wars, with conservative being extremely insecure about the fact that the centers of culture and economic prosperity in the US are all big liberal cosmopolitan cities, and constantly lashing out because it makes them feel like their "way of life" is "under attack". It was a huge driving force behind the Trump phenomenon. Remember the whole "guys in diners" trope?

James

I tried it once because of the hype some people have for it and.... eh. I mean, definitely sweet and salty have went well together since forever but if I am going to have both, I am going to eat a fry, then have some frosty, not dip the fry in the frosty, it just muddled the flavors in an unappealing way for me.

Fries in ice cream is great, and I will die on this hill!

Someone tried to make Bo Burnham's "Pandering" but played it straight, I see.

Stormy K.

Today I learned that dipping fries in your Frosty is controversial, I've been doing that since I was a kid and it's delicious! DON'T SHAME ME, TODD!

Ryan V

I think there was a line at 19:22 that sounds like it had to be done again.

I really didn't like this song in the first place with the faux-goood ol fashioned being cheap country stuff (its like the MST3K jokes making fun of people who thought of Chili's as their favorite haunt). Then I saw it get used in an Applebee's commercial and I blew a gasket

ParsnipPizza

Hey Todd - There's weird overlapping transition at ~14:45 that you might want to clean up.

also Eric Church...

Mainstream country is, was, and likely always will be garbage. I can hang with a lot of alt-country or sort of country adjacent musicians (Margot Price, Sturgill Simpson, Tyler Childers, Colter Wall, even Kacey Musgraves) but pop country fucking SUCKS! Yes, everyone gets to have their own opinion, tastes, etc, but I'm pretty sure I'm right on this particular point.

The song sounds like something that'd play on a radio in a movie to establish you're in the south. Also it falls into the category of country music where I can't figure out if it's supposed to be sincere or tongue in cheek.

Raymond

I legitimately had no idea this was a real song. I only heard it on the commercials, and thought “oh cute! They made a new jingle….” How wrong I was apparently….. haha

Todd Crego

the bit about tiktok makes me wonder what your thoughts are on bella poarch’s music, considering her music is essentially 40 seconds looped for a 3 minute song with purposefully weird post-choruses like having a completely out of left field childrens choir. it’s actually quite a scary trend when you consider how labels must realise they just need to write weird memeable songs for the biggest people on tiktok and essentially guarantee a top 10 hit.

Stefan Ristic

Something I've had to learn is not to underestimate the appeal of something popular just because I don't know anyone who likes it. We in the US tend to live in very segregated cultural bubbles.

James

I thought this was that Hunter Hayes guy at first. I can't believe there is now a different country music star named *Walker* Hayes. Context: My mom has for at least two decades now had a bit where she complains about trendy "non-traditional" baby names, especially trendy boys names, and Hunter & Walker were in that bucket of names she would complain about, so this is extra amusing to me.

James

My wife and I's big Halloween date was going to the movies (Last Night in Soho) and then swinging by the drive through at Carl's Jr., but now I want to blow money on stuff I can't afford just to spite shit like this.

Kristopher Bluth

Referring to the frosty (had to google it, is it just a very thick milkshake?) fries talk at around the 6 minute mark.

Raymond

I've tried dipping a fry in a vanilla milkshake out of curiosity a year or two ago since the practice kept being brought up and people swore it was great. It's neither good nor bad and wasn't disgusting (which was kinda what I was expecting), I'd give it a 5-6/10. Your mileage may vary depending on the fries and the milkshake. I ordered vanilla since I knew I was going to dip a fry and the thought of doing a flavoured milkshake didn't fly with me.

Raymond

Ok but Fries in a chocolate milkshake or in fact pretty good. It’s a good blend of salty and sweet

At 14:46 and 18:19, the music clips drown out your voice.

Ridd

As someone who know nothing of country music, this sort of "we want to do rap, but without 'doing' rap" is what I imagine a lot of current music is like.

Juan Nunez

Sorry Todd, I'm very pro-fries in softserve.

Skull Servant Tier 0 (Rosie)

Okay, but imagine Walker Hayes is singing this about the girl from Common People and it becomes fucking brilliant

Becca, lobster no longer!

Does anyone actually eat at Applebee's? Like, I know they exist, and are everywhere, and generally have cars in the parking lots... but I've never heard anyone suggest eating there, or seen people entering or exiting. I'm fairly sure they're a money laundering front masquerading as a restaurant. And there is some sinister connection between Walker Hayes, country radio, Bitcoin miners, a multi-national drug cartel, and Dine Brands Global (the owner of Applebee's), all coming together to make this awful song a hit.

Keith Badje

18:19 this sound mixing error is rather minor compared to the rest others have pointed out, but it still makes it hard to hear your narration. my favourite point you made in the video was about the insecurity of country fans regarding their own smalltown identity. I am not a country fan, nor am I even American, but it's something I've also noticed occasionally in the traditional music of my country (especially in the more pop-leaning branches of the genre). I feel like calling it just jealousy of cityfolk would be dismissive, but it could indicate an internalized frustration about the slow pace at which rural areas (regardless of the country) adapts to today's issues and trends.

meffeww

As a Vespa owner, I can confirm, yes, they are the luxury brand of scooters (not mopeds, scooters and mopeds are different things). I will say, tho, that some people say "Vespa" when they mean any scooter.

Jay Kidd

Yeah, I think your point about it seeming disingenuous seems right. Like, obviously it was a jingle and that's part of the package, but it also feels like it was designed to check off a bunch of boxes. And I don't know much about Hayes other than skimming his Wikipedia page, but there's enough stuff there that makes me doubtful he was ever poor or anything, which feels like it ties into that "designed to check boxes" thing. And honestly... that also does feel like it fits with a big crossover demographic of country right now, "white suburbanites who are trying to appear rural" (see also, your observation about some of the tik tok homes), which also brings up a bunch of other messy discussions.

Theo Gerome

Video isn't working.

'Wolfenstein' got me so good. <3

Alice Allan

Honestly the vibe this song gives me is trying to remake "carry out" in the style of "thrift shop" while missing how much of that song's selling point was the chorus and beat, and instead ending up more remaking it as the original unremixed version "a pill in Ibiza" that is lacking energy or sincerity (I am actually kinda shocked you didn't mention carry out given the common thread of failing to make takeout sexy with terrible metaphors. But i guess that's dated given I just googled your review of it and that was ELEVEN years ago jesus fuck. Hey kids, go look that shit up for An Experience!)

Katastrophe

Okay, but try dipping your Wendy's fries in your frosty. Ridiculously good. Shouldn't be, but it is. Also, I really thought this song was written specifically to be a commercial.

I'm truly ashamed to admit that since moving to the deep South I have danced to this song more than once. It's just too silly to not have a little bit of a soft spot for.

Henry Kiley

This song gets some heavy play on even the pop radio here in Indiana. I really dislike it and I think your description “smug” is the best way to put it. When Zac Brown Band sang “Chicken Fried” he sounded like he actually really liked the things he listed. This guy sounds like he doesn’t especially care about any of these things - not even his wife.

Todd, the video still isn't available

Diamond Axe Studios Music with Sean Fay Wolfe

Never heard of it, but I see that it's a song version of a Foxworthy "you might be a redneck" joke. "Can you supersize them fries for the little lady? It's our anniversary." Todd, at 14:46 you're talking but the song is playing over you loudly.

Alina

Todd, if you ever want to make a viral song for TikTok, I can help you! I've done it before and I've gotten 200 million views for a song I made in 15 minutes. It's really not that hard if you know what you're doing! Let me know if you want to learn the secrets to TikTok fame!

rose mulet

I can't believe you made a genuinely thought-provoking video about "Fancy Like." Great stuff as always Todd. A few editing errors: 0:44 There's an awkward pause at the end of the line before you cut to the song. 14:43 A flubbed take was left in 14:46 The song drowns out the narration 19:21 Another flubbed take was left in Happy Halloween!

Sam Frederich

Video does not exist :(

We can at least say her promo budget wasn't spent on Walker Hayes' music videos.

Teddy Haines

I'm not going to say much here because I don't want to spoil any of my commentary when this winds up on my worst hit songs of 2021 (shocker), but I will say this: Walker Hayes is signed to Monument Records, which was relaunched by a few producers in a much smaller state than its heyday when it had Roy Orbison. So much so that there is only one other artist signed to Monument right now. Her name is Caitlyn Smith. You probably have not heard of her despite her releasing two albums in the past few years. Both of those albums are some of the best of their respective years... can't imagine where all of her promo budget went instead. >:(

Mark Grondin

also if todd is reading this.. its also kinda lackluster on at 18:20.. not as bad but it definitely is drowning it out a bit

duke86fan

There's an audio error at 14:47, and then at 19:21 there's an editing error.

Salem Blake

I binged Song Vs Song late summer, and when you mentioned how excited you were for Morgan Wallen, I skipped ahead to the 2021 episodes to hear if you addressed it, cuz I guess I enjoy other people's suffering? JK (A friend remarked that you haven't been doing many pop reviews this year, and I said, "I think pop is boring this year, unfortunately, I'm sorry Todd has to listen to it.")

Meghan Weber

14:46 - 14:49 Your voiceover is drowned out by the music

Kesha grew up in Nashville because her mother was a songwriter for Johnny Cash, actually.

Teddy Haines

Sheesh, it even sounds like Walker Hayes is so cheap he has to do his DJ Mustard-style gang vocals himself. This is just the worst production ever.

Teddy Haines

"it might hit number 1" THANK GOD FOR ADELE

duke86fan

At 19:25, it seems like you start a take and then try again on camera, instead of cutting out the failed start. The part about developing a taste for organic caviar.

GregD

You know, it's strange how he got Kesha of all people to be on the "hopeful chart booster" remix. Because from what I've seen, usually when that happens, the remix is with an artist who's currently relevant and scoring a lot of hits at the moment. Like when Gabby Barrett teamed up with Charlie Puth for the remix of her song, at least Puth was still decently popular to an extent. Kesha meanwhile, while she's currently seen in a different light now that we know what she went through with her old producer, she hasn't had a whole lot of hits since her comeback. Biggest hit I can think of is her comeback single Praying, but I haven't heard of her having many hits since then. Also never pictured her as someone who'd transition to country.

Tom Carter

Put some respect on the B J Blazkowicz name.

Martin

Great video, loving it, learning a lot as always.

GregD

at 14:46 the song audio drowns out your voice

Wicked Dreamer

Great vid! FYI, minor audio error at 14:45

Anthony Pierre Coco

We get closer to the DEMOLITION MAN vision of pop music every year.

Joe G

This video does not exist. Can you post the Vimeo link separately, I’ve seen that work for other people.

Ultranatic Productions

Man, with you mentioning the Morgan Wallen scandal right after you made his song your #1 Best Hit Song last year. It's moments like that which make you want to pull the famous bit with Tyra Banks on America's Next Top Model. You probably know the one.

Tom Carter

Vimeo says the video doesn’t exist?

The scariest Halloween episode I can possibly imagine

pj