Little Toy Guns

{{quote box|width=35%|align=left|quote="I’ve seen it firsthand from different people in my life and seen how the tumultuous parental relationship [...] can affect a child. So that’s kind of what it’s about, but it’s a really tempo-driven song as well, so it’s kind of a bit of a juxtaposition as far as the story content and the music … It sounds rockin’, but it has a positive message."|source=- Carrie Underwood on the inspiration behind the song.{{cite news|last1=Whitaker|first1=Sterling|title=Carrie Underwood Shares Inspiration Behind 'Little Toy Guns'|url=http://tasteofcountry.com/carrie-underwood-little-toy-guns-inspiration/|accessdate=30 January 2015|work=Taste of Country|publisher=Townsquare Media|date=29 November 2014}} }}

The song was written by Underwood with frequent collaborators Chris DeStefano and Hillary Lindsey, and was produced by Mark Bright. Drawing on country and rock influences in its composition, "Little Toy Guns" features a "heavy and orchestral" arrangement with emotionally resonant lyrics and an "uplifting" melody.{{cite news|title=Carrie Underwood, 'Little Toy Guns' [Listen]|url=http://tasteofcountry.com/carrie-underwood-little-toy-guns/|accessdate=30 January 2015|work=Taste of Country|publisher=Townsquare Media|date=28 January 2015}}{{cite magazine|title=Carrie Underwood Describes Somber Song 'Little Toy Guns'|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/carrie-underwood-describes-somber-song-little-toy-guns-20141121|accessdate=30 January 2015|magazine=Rolling Stone|publisher=Wenner Media|date=21 November 2014}} Critics have also called the song a prequel of sorts to her 2012 hit "Blown Away" for the songs' similar thematic content and "stormy" sonic aesthetic.

Lyrically, the song tells a story of domestic violence revolving around a young child overhearing her parents fighting and wanting to escape from the pain. Underwood narrates the chorus from the child's perspective, stating that she wishes the angry words were fake "like little toy guns" so they wouldn't hurt.

The song received mostly positive reviews with acclaim going to Underwood's vocals, production of the song, and the lyrics. Allmusic editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine called this song "bombastic."[http://www.allmusic.com/album/greatest-hits-decade-1-mw0002768187 Review by Allmusic] Retrieved 7 February 2015 News OK called this song "meaningful" and added that it "sounds fresh enough to have fans craving another new studio collection sooner rather than later."[http://newsok.com/album-review-video-carrie-underwood-greatest-hits-decade-1/article/5375318 NewsOK review] Retrieved 7 February 2015 Pipy Ellwood concluded that the song is "a mid-tempo number that will appeal to fans of Underwood’s more uptempo moments."[http://www.entertainment-focus.com/music-review/carrie-underwood-greatest-hits-decade-1-album-review/#sthash.3nzgNEQ5.dpuf Review by Entertainment-focus] Retrieved 7 February 2015 Renowned for Sound described that Underwood's "strong vocals create a vigorous atmosphere that fans old and new are going to love."[http://renownedforsound.com/index.php/album-review-carrie-underwood-greatest-hits-decade-1/#sthash.QH8rZ6fc.dpuf Renowned for Sound review] Retrieved 7 February 2015 Digital Journals editor Markos Padatados agreed, stating that, "yet again, [Underwood] showcases her trademark pipes."[http://www.digitaljournal.com/a-and-e/music/review-carrie-underwood-shines-on-greatest-hits-decade-no-1-album/article/421642 Digital Journal review] Retrieved 7 February 2015

"Little Toy Guns" entered the Billboard Hot Country Songs at number 40 and peaked at number six. It debuted at number 99 on the Hot 100 chart and peaked at number 47.{{cite magazine|last1=Roland|first1=Tom|title=Billboard Country : Mid-Week Update|url=http://www.billboard.com/files/pdfs/bcu_mw_1218.pdf|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Prometheus Global Media|accessdate=January 30, 2015|date=December 18, 2014}} It peaked at number 2 on the Country Airplay Chart, number seven on the Canadian Country Chart, and number 70 on Canadian Hot 100. As of September 2015, the single has sold 437,000 copies in the US.{{cite news|url = http://roughstock.com/news/2015/09/38735-top-30-digital-country-singles-september-28-2015|title = The Top 30 Digital Country Singles: September 28, 2015|first = Matt|last = Bjorke|date = September 28, 2015}}

The song was officially certified Platinum by the RIAA on July 23, 2020.{{Certification Cite Ref|region=United States|type=single|title=Little Toy Guns|artist=Carrie Underwood}}

Underwood posted a teaser video to her social media accounts on January 28, 2015 with the caption "Friday..." and the hashtags #LittleToyGuns and #CUX1 (Carrie Underwood Decade 1, an initialism for her greatest hits album),{{cite web|title=Carrie Underwood Facebook video| website=Facebook |url=https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10153032297774568&permPage=1|accessdate=30 January 2015|date=28 January 2015}} which was later confirmed as a preview for the "Little Toy Guns" video premiering via Facebook on January 30, 2015.{{cite web|title=Carrie Underwood Facebook post|website=Facebook |url=https://www.facebook.com/carrieunderwood/posts/10153034427484568|accessdate=30 January 2015|date=29 January 2015}} The video was directed by P. R. Brown, who has previously collaborated with Underwood's on her "Two Black Cadillacs" video. The video managed to reach 7.5 million Facebook views on its debut week before being deleted off Facebook and being officially released to Vevo and YouTube.

The video received positive feedback and was nominated for "Female Video of the Year" at the 2015 CMT Music Awards; however, it lost to another of Carrie's videos, the one for her previous single "Something in the Water" (which also won "Video of the Year" at the ceremony).

The video stars Grace Rundhaug, who starred alongside Underwood in The Sound of Music Live! television special, as a girl who escapes her parents' fighting by mentally transporting herself to a "storybook land" where she plays a mythical hero and reunites her captive parents. Sara Antonio plays the mother and Kris Wente plays the father, who start the video with a "vicious fight (sans any music at all)."{{Cite magazine|title = Carrie Underwood Shoots Through the Heart with 'Little Toy Guns' Video| magazine=Rolling Stone |url = https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/carrie-underwood-shoots-through-the-heart-with-little-toy-guns-video-20150203|accessdate = 2015-09-21}} Underwood can be seen in between, singing the song in various locations of the forest.{{cite news|last1=Bonaguro|first1=Alison|title=Carrie Underwood's Big Casting Decision for "Little Toy Guns"|url=http://www.cmt.com/news/1749162/carrie-underwoods-big-casting-decision-for-little-toy-guns/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150205095826/http://www.cmt.com/news/1749162/carrie-underwoods-big-casting-decision-for-little-toy-guns/|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 5, 2015|accessdate=5 February 2015|work=CMT|publisher=Viacom|date=3 February 2015}}{{cite magazine|last1=Dunkerley|first1=Beville|title=Watch Carrie Underwood Fire a Powerful Message in 'Little Toy Guns' Video|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/videos/watch-carrie-underwood-fire-a-powerful-message-in-little-toy-guns-video-20150130|accessdate=5 February 2015|magazine=Rolling Stone|publisher=Wenner Media|date=30 January 2015}} Beville Dunkerley at Rolling Stone noted that the end of the video provides a more peaceful resolution than the lyrics of the song.

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| align="center"|2015 ||align="center"| "Little Toy Guns" ||align="center"| Female Video of the Year || {{nom}}

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| align="center"|2016 ||align="center"| "Little Toy Guns" ||align="center"| Best Country Solo Performance || {{nom}}

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| align="center|2015 ||align="center| "Little Toy Guns" ||align="center"| Choice Country Song || {{won}}

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• {{YouTube|kxOYvI0pfLo|Carrie Underwood - Little Toy Guns (Music Video)}}

{{Carrie Underwood singles}}

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Category:Songs about domestic violence

Category:Songs about children

Category:2014 songs

Category:2015 singles

Category:Carrie Underwood songs

Category:Arista Nashville singles

Category:Songs written by Carrie Underwood

Category:Songs written by Chris DeStefano

Category:Songs written by Hillary Lindsey

Category:Song recordings produced by Mark Bright (record producer)

Category:Music videos directed by P. R. Brown