Sweeter (song)

{{Quote box|width=25%|align=left|quote="There is always that risk and trying to get that correct is a fine line. Some people will hate you for sounding vulnerable at all, so you can't win 'em all, right? You have to accept that stuff... The things that make writing challenging are things that make it the most enjoyable."|source=—Gavin DeGraw talking to Billboard about the song.}}

The song finds DeGraw fantasizing about another guy's girl. He told Billboard magazine many of the songs on the album "ride the vulnerability spot." Amy Sciarretto wrote for "Artist Direct" that while experimenting with new sounds, it resulted in a "potent, swaggering strut, both musically and lyrically, on sexually charged songs like the R&B-infused "Sweeter"."{{cite news|last=Sciarretto|first=Amy|title=Gavin DeGraw to Release "Sweeter" on August 9th|url=http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/news/article/0,,8939270,00.html|access-date=September 22, 2011|newspaper=Artist Direct|date=May 17, 2011}} On the chorus, he sings "I just want to take someone else’s holiday/Sometimes the grass is greener/And someone else’s sugar, someone else’s sugar’s sweeter".

In an interview with Amanda Hensel from "Pop Crush", DeGraw explained the recording sessions with Tedder:

"That day we wrote the song ‘Sweeter,’ which became the title track to the record. We were really excited about it, we felt it has something very gritty about it, but at the same time very soulful. There’s an element of the Black Keys to it, there’s an element of Sly and the Family Stone to it and it still had that anesthetic hook, which we were stoked about."{{cite news|last=Hensel|first=Amanda|title=Gavin DeGraw Talks 'Sweeter' and Ryan Teddet, Denies Being a Sex Symbol|url=http://popcrush.com/gavin-degraw-sweeter-ryan-tedder-sex-symbol/|access-date=April 1, 2012|newspaper=Pop Crush|date=January 20, 2012}}

Stephen Thomas Erlewine from Allmusic picked the song as one of the best tracks, alongside Not Over You and "You Know Where I'm At". Entertainment Weekly's Melissa Maerz also picked it as one of the album's highlights, calling it a "white-boy gospel track."{{cite news|last=Maerz|first=Melissa|title=Sweeter (2011) - Review - Music Reviews and News |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20524415,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111211211610/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20524415,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 11, 2011|access-date=September 22, 2011|newspaper=Entertainment Weekly|date=August 31, 2011}} Andy Baber from musicOMH wrote a positive review for the song, saying that "the album starts promisingly, opening with the pop-funk title track, Sweeter. The chugging guitar and piano combination provides the track with real drive, and when you add DeGraw’s strong and soulful vocals on top, it all makes for a purposeful opening."{{cite news|last=Baber|first=Andy|title=Gavin DeGraw – Sweeter – album reviews – musicOMH|url=http://www.musicomh.com/albums/gavin-degraw_1111.htm|access-date=February 3, 2012|newspaper=MusicOMH}} Kristen Coachman wrote for Seattle Pi that "The guitar in the beginning gets in your head to the point that you cannot help, but groove along to it throughout the song. There's a confident, yet sexy swagger to the track, as DeGraw sings about wanting to get with another guy's girl."{{cite news|last=Coachman|first=Kristen|title=Music Review: Gavin DeGraw – Sweeter|url=http://www.seattlepi.com/lifestyle/blogcritics/article/Music-Review-Gavin-DeGraw-Sweeter-2180064.php|access-date=February 3, 2012|newspaper=Blog Critics|date=September 20, 2011}}

File:sweeter-video.png

A music video for the song was shot in February. It was shot at 4 am and. On set, Gavin told VH1 News that the video is about a girl being "Under-appreciated by her man. She decides she’s going to get out of the place and grab me on her way out.” With a cheeky grin on his face, he adds, “And I’m a guy, so I’m going to go along with this!". The video premiered on March 15, 2012, on E! News at 7 pm PT/ET and later on E! Online at 5 pm PT/8pm ET.{{cite web|title=Gavin DeGraw's "Sweeter" Music Video Premiere: Watch Now! | E! Online|url=http://www.eonline.com/news/gavin_degraws_sweeter_music_video/301300?%3Fcmpid=eonline-twitter&dlvrit=48939|publisher=E! Online|access-date=March 15, 2012}} It began airing on his VEVO account on March 16.

The video directed by Lenny Bass and shot in Brooklyn and features Sports Illustrated model Genevieve Morton. The video begins in a bar setting where DeGraw woos Morton away from a less than enthusiastic boyfriend and they take off on an afternoon adventure together.{{cite news|title="Sweeter" Video Premiere Tonight | The Official Gavin DeGraw Site|url=http://www.gavindegraw.com/news/sweeter-video-premiere-tonight|access-date=March 15, 2012|newspaper=Gavin Degraw.com|date=March 15, 2012}}

The song debuted at number ninety on the Netherlands Singles chart on the week of October 22, 2011. In its second week, it reached its peak position of number seventy-six. It stayed for five weeks, descending the charts, until it dropped out. Altogether, the song stayed for seven weeks on the charts.

Even though is not officially released, the song is being played on many American radio stations and is charting on the Hot Adult Pop Songs chart on the All Access's Mediabase chart and is currently at number forty-five.{{cite news|title=ONLY MEMBERS – Hot AC 7-Day Report | Published (U.S.) Panel | Rolling Chart | Mediabase 24;7 Charts|url=http://www.allaccess.com/mediabase/q/report/sevenDay/format/A2/panel/R/detail/C/reportType/R|access-date=March 20, 2012|newspaper=All Access}} Officially, the song debuted at number forty on the Billboard Adult Pop Songs chart.{{cite news|title=Gavin DeGraw Music News & Info | Billboard.com|url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=gavin degraw|chart=all}}|access-date=March 31, 2012|newspaper=Billboard}} It later, climbed to number thirty-seven.{{cite news|title= Gavin DeGraw Album & Song Chart History | Billboard.com|url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=gavin degraw|chart=Adult Pop Songs}}|access-date=March 31, 2012|newspaper=Billboard}} In the third week, the song climbed to number thirty-two.{{cite magazine|title=Gavin DeGraw Music News & Info | Billboard.com|url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=gavin degraw|chart=all}}|magazine=Billboard|access-date=April 13, 2012}} In the fourth week, the song rose to number 28 and it has reached number 18, so far.

Gavin performed the song for the first time on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on March 18, 2012.{{cite news|last=TJ|title=Video: Gavin DeGraw Performs "Sweeter" On 'Jay Leno'|url=http://neonlimelight.com/2012/03/29/video-gavin-degraw-performs-sweeter-on-jay-leno/|access-date=March 31, 2012|newspaper=Neon Limelight|date=March 29, 2012}} On May 1, 2012, Gavin performed the song on Dancing with the Stars, where DeGraw was a contestant on the season, but was eliminated.{{cite news|last=Sciarretto|first=Amy|title=Gavin DeGraw Returns to 'DWTS' Stage to Perform 'Sweeter'|url=http://popcrush.com/gavin-degraw-dwts-perform-sweeter/|access-date=May 22, 2012|newspaper=Popcrush|date=May 1, 2012}} The camera switched back and forth, focusing on DeGraw as he sang while his former partner Karina Smirnoff danced with Louis Van Amstel. Gavin performed the song on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on May 21, 2012.{{cite news|title=Gavin DeGraw Performs "Sweeter"|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24VDnfyCIC8|access-date=May 22, 2012|newspaper=YouTube/Jimmy Kimmel Live!|date=May 21, 2012}}

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