Stays in Mexico
{{Infobox song
| name = Stays in Mexico
| cover = Stays In Mexico.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Toby Keith
| album = Greatest Hits 2
| released = August 16, 2004
| recorded = 2004
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Country
| length = 3:35
| label = DreamWorks Nashville
| writer = Toby Keith
| producer = James Stroud
Toby Keith
| prev_title = Hey, Good Lookin'
| prev_year = 2004
| next_title = Mockingbird
| next_year = 2004
}}
"Stays in Mexico" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Toby Keith. It was released in August 2004 as the lead off single from his compilation album Greatest Hits 2. The song peaked at number 3 in the U.S. on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
Content
The song features a man named Steve, an insurance salesman from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and a woman named Gina, a first-grade school teacher from Phoenix, Arizona. Both are in Cabo San Lucas without their spouses and meet in the Cabo Wabo Cantina. Steve and Gina engage in a tequila-fueled weekend affair. The song's chorus repeats that "what happens down in Mexico stays in Mexico."
The song's title is a pun on the phrase "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas".https://genius.com/Toby-keith-stays-in-mexico-lyrics
Critical reception
Kevin John Coyne, reviewing the song for Country Universe, gave it a mixed rating. He stated that the song is "great until you process the depth of its immorality; then, you’re just sick to your stomach."{{cite web|url=http://www.countryuniverse.net/2004/08/09/single-review-toby-keith-stays-in-mexico/ |title=Toby Keith - "Stays in Mexico"|last=Coyne|first=Kevin John|date=2004-08-09|work=Country Universe|accessdate=2010-06-17}}
Music video
The music video was directed by Michael Salomon and premiered on the television network CMT on August 19, 2004. The video was filmed on July 5, 2004, and featured Oklahoma Sooners football administrative coordinator, Matt McMillen and actress Chanel Hart as Gina. It was filmed in Acapulco, Mexico.{{Cite web |date=2004-09-15 |title=OU: The Program -- The man behind the man |url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/news/story?page=program/mcmillen |access-date=2024-08-15 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}
Chart positions
"Stays in Mexico" debuted at number 27 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks for the week of August 14, 2004.
| class="wikitable sortable"
!align="left"|Chart (2004) !align="center"|Peak |
| align="left"|Canada Country (Radio & Records)[https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/2000s/2004/RR-2004-11-12.pdf Radio & Records: November 12, 2004, page 46] worldradiohistory.com
|align="center"|2 |
| {{singlechart|Billboardcountrysongs|3|artist=Toby Keith|artistid=32325}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardhot100|51|artist=Toby Keith|artistid=32325}} |
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| scope="col"|Chart (2004)
!scope="col"|Position |
|---|
| US Country Songs (Billboard){{Cite web | url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2004/hot-country-songs| title=Best of 2004: Country Songs | work=Billboard | publisher=Prometheus Global Media | date=2004| accessdate=July 11, 2012}}
| align="center" | 39 |
References
{{reflist}}
{{Toby Keith 2000s singles}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stays In Mexico}}
Category:Songs written by Toby Keith
Category:Song recordings produced by James Stroud
Category:DreamWorks Records singles