You and Tequila
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2012}}
{{Infobox song
| name = You and Tequila
| cover = Kenny-Chesney-2011-You and Tequila single.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Kenny Chesney featuring Grace Potter
| album = Hemingway's Whiskey
| released = {{Start date|2011|05|31}}
| recorded = 2010
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Country
| length = {{Duration|m=4|s=03}}
| label = BNA
| writer = Matraca Berg
Deana Carter
| producer = Buddy Cannon
| chronology = Kenny Chesney
| prev_title = Live a Little
| prev_year = 2011
| next_title = Reality
| next_year = 2011
}}
"You and Tequila" is a song written by Matraca Berg and Deana Carter, and recorded by American country music artist Kenny Chesney. It was released in May 2011 as the fourth single from his album Hemingway's Whiskey (2010). Chesney's version of the song features a guest vocal from Grace Potter, lead singer of Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. On November 30, the song received two nominations in 54th Grammy Awards for Best Country Song and Best Country Duo/Group Performance. A live version of the song appears on Chesney's 2012 album Welcome to the Fishbowl.
Background and writing
Deana Carter and Matraca Berg co-wrote the song, and both recorded their own versions: Carter on her album I'm Just a Girl (2003),{{cite web|url=http://allmusic.com/album/im-just-a-girl-r632061/review|title=I'm Just a Girl review|last=Erlewine|first=Stephen Thomas|publisher=Allmusic|access-date=May 23, 2011}} and Berg on her 2011 album The Dreaming Fields.{{cite web|url=http://allmusic.com/album/the-dreaming-fields-r2117415/review|title=The Dreaming Fields review|last=Jurek|first=Thom|work=Allmusic|access-date=May 23, 2011}}
Carter told Taste of Country that Berg was inspired to write the song after having been out on the town. According to Carter, the two began talking about relationships, when Carter said, "Yeah, it's just like men… they get in your blood!" Also, Carter added several references to California, because she was living there at the time.{{cite web|url=http://tasteofcountry.com/kenny-chesney-grace-potter-you-and-tequila-lyrics/|title=Kenny Chesney Feat. Grace Potter, 'You and Tequila' – Lyrics Uncovered|last=Conaway|first=Alanna|work=Taste of Country|date=May 13, 2011 |access-date=May 23, 2011}}
Chesney first heard the song when he and Carter toured together back in 2003. He said that he identified with it more after he rented a house in Malibu, California. Chesney said that he chose to record the song because it reminded him of driving the Pacific Coast Highway.{{cite web|url=http://www.cmt.com/news/cmt-blog/1647893/kenny-chesney-grace-potter-you-and-tequila.jhtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101216055543/http://www.cmt.com/news/cmt-blog/1647893/kenny-chesney-grace-potter-you-and-tequila.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 16, 2010|title=Kenny Chesney, Grace Potter, "You and Tequila"|last=Bonaguro|first=Alison|date=September 15, 2010|work=CMT|access-date=May 23, 2011}} He also told National Public Radio host David Green that "there are some commonalities about getting someone out of your mind and drinking and trying to quit."{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130104926|title=Kenny Chesney: Hemingway And Country Music|date=September 24, 2010|work=National Public Radio|access-date=May 23, 2011}}
Song information
Chesney and Potter's version of the song is set in the key of G{{flat}} major with a vocal range from G{{flat}}2 to E{{flat}}4. The main chord pattern is G{{flat}}5-G{{flat}}/B{{flat}}-B{{flat}}sus2-G{{flat}}5.{{cite web|url=http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtdFPE.asp?ppn=MN0095025&|title="You and Tequila" sheet music|work=Musicnotes.com|date=July 11, 2011 |access-date=September 18, 2011}} The sheet music indicates that the song is recorded a semitone lower than written.
Critical reception
Chesney's version of the song has received positive reviews from music critics. Chris Talbott of the Associated Press called it a "melancholy love-hate song",{{cite web|url=http://www.thonline.com/article.cfm?id=297489|title=So much for taking a break During his year of 'rest,' Kenny Chesney works overtime on his new album.|last=Talbott|first=Chris|date=October 3, 2010|agency=Associated Press|access-date=May 23, 2011}} and an uncredited review in HitFix called the song "exquisite" and one of Chesney's "career high notes".{{cite web|url=http://www.keyt.com/entertainment/?feed=bim&id=103995954|title=Review: Kenny Chesney's 'Hemingway's Whiskey'|date=September 29, 2010|work=Hitfix.com|access-date=May 23, 2011}} Bobby Peacock of Roughstock rated the song four-and-a-half stars out of five, praising Chesney's and Potter's vocals and the "understated simplicity" of the lyrics.{{cite web|url=http://www.roughstock.com/blog/kenny-chesney-feat-grace-potter-you-and-tequila-single-review|title="You and Tequila" review|last=Peacock|first=Bobby|date=May 17, 2011|work=Roughstock|access-date=May 23, 2011}} Bill Friskics-Warren of The Washington Post thought that the song had an Americana influence and made the album Chesney's "most stylistically wide-ranging to date."{{cite news |url=http://blog.washingtonpost.com/clicktrack/2010/09/album_review_kenny_chesney.html |title=Click Track – Album review: Kenny Chesney, "Hemingway's Whiskey" |last=Friskics-Warren |first=Bill |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=September 28, 2010|access-date=May 23, 2011}}
Music video
Potter appears in the song's music video, which was filmed in Malibu, California and directed by Shaun Silva.{{cite web|url=http://www.cmt.com/news/news-in-brief/1662716/kenny-chesney-chooses-you-and-tequila-for-next-single.jhtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110428230135/http://www.cmt.com/news/news-in-brief/1662716/kenny-chesney-chooses-you-and-tequila-for-next-single.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 28, 2011|title=Kenny Chesney Chooses "You and Tequila" for Next Single|date=April 26, 2011|work=CMT|access-date=May 23, 2011}}
Chart performance
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable"
! Chart (2011) ! Peak |
| {{singlechart|Canada|62|artist=Kenny Chesney|artistid=49903}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardcanadacountry|5|artist=Kenny Chesney}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardhot100|33|artist=Kenny Chesney|artistid=49903}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardcountrysongs|3|artist=Kenny Chesney|artistid=49903}} |
=Year-end charts=
Certifications
{{certification Table Top}}
{{certification Table Entry|type=single|region=United States|artist=Kenny Chesney|title=You and Tequila (feat. Grace Potter)|award=Platinum|number=3|certyear=2022|relyear=2011|access-date=November 18, 2022}}
{{certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|streaming=true|noshipments=true}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Kenny Chesney 2010-2029 singles}}
{{Grace Potter and the Nocturnals}}
{{CMA Video of the Year}}
Category:Songs written by Matraca Berg
Category:Songs written by Deana Carter
Category:Music videos directed by Shaun Silva
Category:Song recordings produced by Buddy Cannon