Desperate Man (song)
{{Infobox song
| name = Desperate Man
| cover =
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Eric Church
| album = Desperate Man
| released = {{Start date|2018|7|12}}
| recorded =
| studio =
| genre = Country
| length = {{Duration|m=3|s=29}}
| label = EMI Nashville
| writer = {{Hlist|Eric Church|Ray Wylie Hubbard}}
| producer = Jay Joyce
| prev_title = Round Here Buzz
| prev_year = 2017
| next_title = Some of It
| next_year = 2019
}}
"Desperate Man" is a song recorded by American country music singer Eric Church. Written by Church and Ray Wylie Hubbard, the song is the title track and lead single from his sixth studio album of the same name.
Content
Church announced the single and album via a livestream with his fan club, the Church Choir, in July 2018.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/eric-church-announces-new-album-desperate-man-698600/|title=Eric Church on New Song 'Desperate Man': 'I Was a Little Lost for a While'|last=Moss|first=Marisa|date=July 12, 2018|magazine=Rolling Stone|accessdate=September 27, 2018}}
The song has been compared to "Sympathy for the Devil" by The Rolling Stones.{{cite web|url=http://theboot.com/eric-church-desperate-man-details-information/|title=Everything We Know About Eric Church's New Album, 'Desperate Man'|last=Liptak|first=Carena|date=July 12, 2018|work=The Boot|accessdate=September 27, 2018}} Church said that he chose to write with Ray Wylie Hubbard after name-dropping him in his 2015 single "Mr. Misunderstood". This led to the two performing together in concert, and Church collaborating on a song of Hubbard's. Church presented the opening line, about a fortune teller who tells a man that he "has no future", from which Hubbard developed more lyrics and the song's groove. Hubbard told Taste of Country that the song is about being "completely at a point where you're willing to try anything." Church also noted that much of the song's emotion, along with its message of showing hope even when one is feeling troubled, were inspired by the 2017 Las Vegas shooting.{{cite web|url=http://tasteofcountry.com/eric-church-desperate-man-lyrics/|title=Lyrics Uncovered: Eric Church, 'Desperate Man'|last=Houghton|first=Cillea|date=July 21, 2018|work=Taste of Country|accessdate=September 27, 2018}}
In the music video, which also features Hubbard in a cameo, Church gets "busted" by FBI agents whose uniforms read EMI, the name of his record label.{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2018/07/18/629827489/eric-church-gets-busted-by-his-record-label-in-new-video-for-desperate-man|title=Eric Church Gets Busted By His Record Label In New Video For 'Desperate Man'|last=Hight|first=Jewly|date=July 18, 2018|work=NPR|accessdate=September 27, 2018}}
Commercial performance
The song peaked at No 8 on Hot Country Songs for chart dated October 18, 2018.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/2018-10-20 |title=Hot Country Songs |date=October 20, 2018 |magazine=Billboard }}
The song has sold 109,000 copies in the United States as of December 2018.{{cite news|url=http://roughstock.com/news/2018/12/43548-top-30-digital-country-singles-december-3-2018|title=Top 30 Digital Country Singles: December 3, 2018|work=RoughStock|first=Matt |last=Bjorke |date= December 3, 2018|accessdate=December 7, 2018}} It was certified Gold in Canada and Platinum in the US.
Charts
{{col-start}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |
| Chart (2018)
! Peak |
|---|
| {{single chart|Canada|61|artist=Eric Church|rowheader=true|accessdate=October 16, 2018}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardhot100|68|artist=Eric Church|rowheader=true|accessdate=October 16, 2018}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardcountryairplay|13|artist=Eric Church|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 27, 2018}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardcountrysongs|8|artist=Eric Church|rowheader=true|accessdate=October 16, 2018}} |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"| Chart (2018)
! scope="col"| Position |
|---|
| scope="row"| US Country Airplay (Billboard){{cite magazine|title=Country Airplay – Year-End 2018|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2018/country-airplay-songs|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=December 7, 2018}}
| 54 |
| scope="row"| US Hot Country Songs (Billboard){{cite magazine|title=Hot Country Songs – Year-End 2018|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2018/hot-country-songs|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=December 7, 2018}}
| 52 |
{{col-end}}
Certifications
{{certification Table Top}}
{{certification Table Entry|type=single|region=Canada|artist=Eric Church|title=Desperate Man|award=Gold|certyear=2018|relyear=2018|access-date=June 29, 2021|refname=MC}}
{{certification Table Entry|type=single|region=United States|artist=Eric Church|title=Desperate Man|award=Platinum|certyear=2021|relyear=2018|access-date=June 29, 2021|refname=RIAA}}
{{Certification Table Bottom | nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}