Love Me Like You Mean It Explained

Love Me Like You Mean It
Cover:Kelsea Ballerini - Love Me Like You Mean It (Digital single cover).jpg
Caption:Artwork for initial digital release
Type:single
Artist:Kelsea Ballerini
Album:The First Time and the EP Kelsea Ballerini
Recorded:2014
Genre:Country pop
Length: (album version)
(video version)
(single version)
Label:Black River
Producer:Forest Glen Whitehead
Next Title:Dibs
Next Year:2015

"Love Me Like You Mean It" is a song co-written and recorded by American country pop singer Kelsea Ballerini. Ballerini co-wrote the song with Josh Kerr, Forest Glen Whitehead and Lance Carpenter.[1] It was released on July 8, 2014, as Ballerini's debut single and the lead single from her debut studio album, The First Time, released on May 19, 2015, by Black River Entertainment.[2] [3] The song is about a young woman showing interest in a man. The song was previously released in promotion of Ballerini's 2014 self-titled EP.[4]

"Love Me Like You Mean It" peaked at number one on the Billboard Country Airplay chart, making Ballerini the first solo female to top that chart with her debut single since Carrie Underwood's "Jesus, Take the Wheel" in 2006 and the first female country music artist to accomplish that on an independent label. It also charted at number five on the Hot Country Songs chart and number 45 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and has sold 596,000 units in the US as of May 2016. It achieved similar chart success in Canada, peaking at number three on the Canada Country chart and number 61 on the Canadian Hot 100. It garnered a Gold certification from Music Canada, denoting sales of 40,000 units in that country.

The accompanying music video for the song, directed by Kristin Barlowe, was shot in Nashville and features Ballerini playing party games outside with her friends and performing throughout various locations.

On April 5, 2024, in honor of the song's tenth anniversary, Ballerini released a new version of the song entitled "Love You Like You Mean It (Reimagined)".[5]

Content

The song is a mid-tempo country pop song that, according to the digital sheet music published by Hal Leonard Music Publishing, is composed in the key of E major, in cut time with a primary chord pattern of E–B–Fm74–A2. Ballerini's vocal ranges one octave, from B to B.[6] Natalie Wiener of Billboard called "Love Me Like You Mean It" a song "about being a young woman who's openly expressing interest in a man," making the song a subtle message of feminism.[7] She compared the song's opening line, "Oh hey, boy with your hat back/Mmm I kind of like that/if you wanna walk my way," to Carly Rae Jepsen's 2012 hit, "Call Me Maybe".[7]

Reception

Critical

Taste of Country reviewed the single favorably, saying that "Ballerini mixes modern production techniques with a straight-up country message to create an identifiable country-pop blend."[8] In 2017, Billboard contributor Chuck Dauphin placed "Love Me Like You Mean It" at number one on his top 10 list of Ballerini's best songs.[9]

Commercial

"Love Me Like You Mean It" debuted at number 60 on the US Billboard Country Airplay chart for the week of October 18, 2014,[10] and debuted at number 48 on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for the week of December 13, 2014. It reached number one on the Country Airplay chart for the week of July 4, 2015, making Ballerini the first solo female to send her debut single to the top of that chart since Carrie Underwood did with "Jesus, Take the Wheel" in 2006; it also made her the first female country music artist to do so on an independent label.[11] The song was certified Gold by the RIAA on July 14, 2015, and certified Platinum on August 4, 2016. The song has sold 596,000 copies in the US as of May 2016.[12] In Canada, the song reached the top three of the Canada Country chart and peaked at number 61 on the Canadian Hot 100. It was certified Gold by Music Canada on September 12, 2016.

Music video

An acoustic music video was directed by Robert Chavers and premiered in November 2014.[13] The official music video, directed by Kristin Barlowe,[14] was filmed in Nashville[15] and premiered in March 2015.[16] In it, Ballerini is seen playing games like musical chairs and Twister with her friends outside, while performing the song from various locations inside a trailer and in the doorway of a house.

Reception

The video was nominated at the 2015 CMT Music Awards in the category of Breakthrough Video of the Year, but lost to Sam Hunt's "Leave the Night On".[17] [18]

Charts and certifications

Year-end charts

Chart (2015)Position
US Country Airplay (Billboard)[19] 36
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[20] 27

Certifications

Release history

CountryDateFormatVersionLabel
WorldwideJuly 8, 2014Digital downloadOriginalBlack River
United StatesSeptember 22, 2014Country radio[21]
WorldwideAugust 28, 2015Digital downloadCountry Dance Mix[22] [23] [24]
February 12, 2016Dave Audé Dance Mix[25]
WorldwideApril 5, 2024Reimagined [26]

Notes and References

  1. News: Ward. Jaimie. "Love Me Like You Mean It" The Debut Single By Kelsea Ballerini Is Digitally Available Now. March 3, 2015. Music News Nashville. July 13, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20150402164940/http://www.musicnewsnashville.com/love-like-mean-debut-single-kelsea-ballerini-digitally-available-now/. April 2, 2015. dead.
  2. Web site: Love Me Like You Mean It (2014) Kelsea Ballerini MP3 Downloads 7digital United States. 7digital (US). October 13, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161018213321/https://us.7digital.com/artist/kelsea-ballerini/release/love-me-like-you-mean-it?h=01&f=20%2C19%2C12%2C16%2C17%2C9%2C2. October 18, 2016. dead.
  3. Web site: Thompson. Gayle. Kelsea Ballerini Announces Debut Album, 'The First Time'. March 3, 2015. The Boot. February 18, 2015.
  4. News: Parker. Eric T.. Black River Releases Breakout EP By Kelsea Ballerini. February 15, 2022. . November 24, 2014.
  5. Web site: Kelsea Ballerini’s Reimagined ‘Love Me Like You Mean It’ Shows Her Growth. Taste of Country. April 5, 2024.
  6. Web site: Kelsea Ballerini "Love Me Like You Mean It" Sheet Music in E Major (transposable). Musicnotes.com. Hal Leonard Music Publishing. September 9, 2015.
  7. Wiener. Natalie. 'Yeah Boy': Why Kelsea Ballerini Is Country Radio's Gutsiest Songwriter. October 13, 2016. Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. June 30, 2015.
  8. Web site: Taste of Country Staff. Kelsea Ballerini, 'Love Me Like You Mean It' [Listen]]. December 1, 2014. Taste of Country. Townsquare Media. March 3, 2015.
  9. Kelsea Ballerini's 10 Best Songs: Critic's Picks. Dauphin. Chuck. Chuck Dauphin. Billboard. August 21, 2017. May 15, 2020.
  10. Web site: Morris. Edward. Blake Shelton Tops Album List With Bringing Back the Sunshine. https://web.archive.org/web/20150402092604/http://www.cmt.com/news/1731728/blake-shelton-tops-album-list-with-bringing-back-the-sunshine/. dead. April 2, 2015. March 3, 2015. Country Music Television. October 10, 2014.
  11. Kelsea Ballerini first female to lead with debut single since 2006. Trust. Gary. June 22, 2015. Billboard. 5. June 23, 2015.
  12. News: Top 30 Digital Country Singles Chart: April 18, 2016. Matt. Bjorke. April 18, 2016 .
  13. Web site: CMT : Videos : Kelsea Ballerini : Love Me Like You Mean It (Acoustic). https://web.archive.org/web/20141203014500/http://www.cmt.com/videos/kelsea-ballerini/1101602/love-me-like-you-mean-it-acoustic.jhtml. dead. December 3, 2014. Country Music Television. March 3, 2015.
  14. Web site: EXCLUSIVE: Kelsea Ballerini Takes You Behind the Scenes of Her "Love Me Like You Mean It" Video. Country Weekly. American Media. May 28, 2015.
  15. Web site: Ragusa. Tammy. EXCLUSIVE: Kelsea Ballerini Takes You Behind the Scenes of Her "Love Me Like You Mean It" Video. Country Weekly. American Media. July 21, 2015. March 5, 2015.
  16. Web site: CMT : Videos : Kelsea Ballerini : Love Me Like You Mean It. https://web.archive.org/web/20150308153541/http://www.cmt.com/videos/kelsea-ballerini/1175899/love-me-like-you-mean-it.jhtml. dead. March 8, 2015. Country Music Television. March 12, 2015.
  17. News: Parton. Chris. Carrie Underwood Leads 2015 CMT Awards Nominations. October 13, 2016. Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. May 13, 2015.
  18. News: CMT.com Staff. 2015 CMT Music Awards: The Winners. https://web.archive.org/web/20150612075329/http://www.cmt.com/news/1755206/2015-cmt-music-awards-the-winners/. dead. June 12, 2015. October 13, 2016. CMT. Viacom. June 10, 2015.
  19. Best of 2015: Country Airplay . . . 2015 . December 9, 2015.
  20. Best of 2015: Hot Country Songs . . . 2015 . December 9, 2015.
  21. Web site: Future Release for Country Radio . All Access Media Group . October 13, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140922072742/http://www.allaccess.com/country/future-releases . September 22, 2014 . dead .
  22. Web site: Love Me Like You Mean It – Single by Kelsea Ballerini. iTunes Store (AU). Apple Inc. November 16, 2015.
  23. Web site: Love Me Like You Mean It – Single by Kelsea Ballerini. iTunes Store (UK). Apple Inc. November 16, 2015.
  24. Web site: Love Me Like You Mean It – Single by Kelsea Ballerini. iTunes Store (US). Apple Inc. November 16, 2015.
  25. Web site: Love Me Like You Mean It (feat. Kelsea Ballerini) [Dance Mix] – Single by Dave Audé]. iTunes Store (Canada). Apple Inc. October 13, 2016.
  26. Web site: Kelsea Ballerini’s Reimagined ‘Love Me Like You Mean It’ Shows Her Growth. Taste of Country. April 5, 2024.