Wait in the Truck
{{Use American English|date=November 2022}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Wait in the Truck
| cover = Hardy Wait in the Truck.png
| alt = Cover art depicting Hardy and Lainey Wilson sitting in a truck
| type = single
| artist = Hardy featuring Lainey Wilson
| album = The Mockingbird & the Crow
| released = August 29, 2022
| genre = * Country
| length = 4:38
| label = Big Loud
| writer = * Michael Hardy
- Hunter Phelps
- Jordan Schmidt
- Renee Blair
| producer = * Hardy
- Joey Moi
- Derek Wells
- Jordan Schmidt
| chronology = Hardy
| prev_title = The Worst Country Song of All Time
| prev_year = 2021
| next_title = Jack
| next_year = 2022
| misc = {{Extra chronology
| type = single
| artist = Lainey Wilson
| prev_title = Heart Like a Truck
| prev_year = 2022
| title = Wait in the Truck
| year = 2022
| next_title = Save Me
| next_year = 2023
}}
}}
"Wait in the Truck" (stylized in all lowercase) is a song by American country music singer Hardy featuring American country music singer Lainey Wilson. It was released on August 29, 2022, as the lead single from Hardy's second studio album The Mockingbird & the Crow. The song is a murder ballad about a male protagonist killing an abuser.{{Cite magazine |last=Roland|date=September 14, 2022 |title=Makin' Tracks: HARDY, Lainey Wilson Team on a Killer Story Song, 'Wait in the Truck' |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/country/hardy-lainey-wilson-wait-in-the-truck-makin-tracks-1235138623/ |access-date=October 13, 2022 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US}} It is his highest charting single in the US.
Background and content
The idea for the song came from a conversation between two of its songwriters, Hardy and Hunter Phelps. When discussing what they would do if their fiancées were attacked, Hardy mentioned he would direct the attacker towards himself and then tell his fiancée to "wait in the truck". The pair then realized that "wait in the truck" was a good song title. In March 2021, they worked up the song at Jordan Schmidt's home studio, taking inspiration from the song "Ol' Red". They recorded a demo that night, with Schmidt adding an artificial siren to the end of the third verse, and his fiancée, singer-songwriter Renee Blair, providing the female vocals and adding a vamp of the phrase "have mercy". Producer Joey Moi would later re-record the primary instrumentation and add a gospel choir for the closing vamp.
Wilson cited Garth Brooks' "The Thunder Rolls" and The Chicks' "Goodbye Earl" as inspiration for her performance, and said she hoped the song "brings light to a situation that is more common than we'd like to admit" and "haunts" domestic abusers.{{Cite web |last=Dowling |first=Marcus K. |title=HARDY, Lainey Wilson discuss their powerful 'murder ballad' duet 'Wait In The Truck' |url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/entertainment/2022/08/26/hardy-lainey-wilson-discuss-their-powerful-murder-ballad-duet-wait-truck/7892857001/ |date=August 26, 2022|access-date=October 14, 2022 |website=The Tennessean |language=en-US}}
The song depicts a man who, upon finding a battered woman on the side of the road, confronts her abuser in his trailer, shooting him when he reaches for his shotgun, killing the abuser.{{Cite web |date=August 30, 2022 |title=Hardy says he's "excited to see the impact" of "Wait in the Truck" as the song sees impressive early success|url=https://weisradio.com/2022/08/30/hardy-says-hes-excited-to-see-the-impact-of-wait-in-the-truck-as-the-song-sees-impressive-early-success/ |access-date=October 31, 2022 |website=weisradio.com |language=en-US}} The song ends with the man in prison, 60 months into a sentence.
<span class="anchor" id="Music Video"> Music video </span>
A music video was released with the song, directed by Justin Clough and produced by Taylor Vermillion and Ben Skipworth. The video follows the song, depicting a character played by Hardy killing the abuser of a character played by Wilson, as well as scenes of Wilson's character testifying in court and visiting Hardy in prison.{{Cite web |last=Vaughn |first=Grace Lenehan|title=WATCH: Hardy Plays the Hero to Lainey Wilson in Heart-Pounding 'Wait in the Truck' Video |url=https://tasteofcountry.com/hardy-lainey-wilson-video-wait-in-the-truck/ |access-date=October 13, 2022 |website=Taste of Country |date=August 29, 2022 |language=en}} The video was described as "Video of the Year-worthy" by Madeleine O'Connell, writing for Country Now.{{Cite web |last=O'Connell |first=Madeleine |date=August 26, 2022 |title=HARDY and Lainey Wilson Join Forces For Powerful New Song 'wait in the truck' – See The Cinematic Music Video |url=https://countrynow.com/hardy-and-lainey-wilson-join-forces-for-powerful-new-song-wait-in-the-truck/ |access-date=October 13, 2022 |website=Country Now |language=en-US}} The music video won Collaborative Music Video of the Year at the 2023 CMT Music Awards, and was nominated for Video of the Year.
Charts
{{col-start}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Weekly chart performance for "Wait in the Truck" ! scope="col"| Chart (2022–2023) ! scope="col"| Peak |
| {{single chart|Canada|42|artist=Hardy|rowheader=true|access-date=January 31, 2023}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardcanadacountry|2|artist=Hardy|rowheader=true|access-date=April 1, 2023}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardglobal200|118|artist=Hardy|rowheader=true|access-date=January 31, 2023}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardhot100|23|artist=Hardy|rowheader=true|access-date=January 31, 2023}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardcountryairplay|2|artist=Hardy|rowheader=true|access-date=April 23, 2023}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardcountrysongs|5|artist=Hardy|rowheader=true|access-date=January 31, 2023}} |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+2022 year-end chart performance for "Wait in the Truck" ! scope="col"| Chart (2022) ! scope="col"| Position |
| scope="row"| US Hot Country Songs (Billboard){{cite magazine|title=Hot Country Songs – Year-End 2022|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2022/hot-country-songs|magazine=Billboard|access-date=December 1, 2022}}
| 74 |
|---|
| scope="row"| US Digital Song Sales (Billboard){{cite magazine|title=Digital Song Sales – Year-End 2022|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2022/digital-songs|magazine=Billboard|access-date=December 31, 2022}}
| 59 |
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ 2023 year-end chart performance for "Wait in the Truck" ! scope="col"| Chart (2023) ! scope="col"| Position |
| scope="row"| US Billboard Hot 100{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2023/hot-100-songs/|title=Hot 100 Songs – Year-End 2023|magazine=Billboard|access-date=November 22, 2023}}
| 54 |
|---|
| scope="row"| US Country Airplay (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2023/country-airplay-songs|title=Country Airplay – Year-End 2023|magazine=Billboard|access-date=November 22, 2023}}
| 14 |
| scope="row"| US Hot Country Songs (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2023/hot-country-songs|title=Hot Country Songs – Year-End 2023|magazine=Billboard|access-date=November 22, 2023}}
| 15 |
{{col-end}}
Certifications
{{certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|award=Platinum|number=3|certyear=2024|title=Wait in the Truck|artist=Hardy|type=single|access-date=August 9, 2024|relyear=2022}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Hardy (singer)}}
{{Lainey Wilson}}
{{CMA Musical Event of the Year}}
{{CMA Video of the Year}}
Category:Songs written by Hardy (singer)
Category:Songs written by Jordan Schmidt
Category:Song recordings produced by Joey Moi