White Horse (Chris Stapleton song) explained

White Horse
Cover:Chris Stapleton - White Horse.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Chris Stapleton
Album:Higher
Released:July 21, 2023
Studio:RCA Studio A (Nashville, Tennessee)
Genre:
Length:4:27
Label:Mercury Nashville
Producer:
Prev Title:We Don't Fight Anymore
Prev Year:2023
Next Title:Think I'm in Love with You
Next Year:2024

"White Horse" is a song by American singer-songwriter Chris Stapleton, released on July 21, 2023 as the lead single from his fifth studio album Higher. It was written by Stapleton and Dan Wilson and produced by Dave Cobb, Chris and Morgane Stapleton. The song stayed at the number two position for two weeks on the Country Airplay chart, behind Nate Smith's smash hit "World on Fire". It was nominated and won the Grammy Awards for Best Country Solo Performance and Country Song at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards.[1]

Background

Chris Stapleton stated via iHeart Country:

"White Horse" was a song that I wrote with my friend, Dan Wilson. We were out in Los Angeles, it was about I think probably late 2012, early 2013, and there was a movie called The Lone Ranger that was coming out, and I walked in the room to write with Dan at his house, and he said, "Hey they're looking for songs for this Lone Ranger movie." I said, "Cool. Let's write something. What do you know about it?" He goes, "Well, we don't really know anything." I was like, "Well, let's just make a song that might sound like that." And so, that's kind of where that came from, and we got to talking about how it would be cool to have a kind of rock-driven-western-themed song, and that's kind of where the song came from and we kind of built it around a guitar riff, really.[2]

Composition

"White Horse" is a blues rock-inspired country song,[3] [4] [5] featuring an intro of electric guitar riffs and drumbeats. Lyrically, Stapleton tells his imaginary partner that he needs time to open his heart to her and confesses he is not ready to be the man she desires, so she must wait: "If you want a cowboy on a white horse / Ridin' off into the sunset / If that's the kinda love you wanna wait for / Hold on tight, girl, I ain't there yet".[6] [7] However, he also wishes this is not the situation.

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2023–2024)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Australia Country Hot 50 (The Music)[8] 6
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[9] 18

Year-end charts

Chart (2023)! scope="col"
Position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[10] 55

Notes and References

  1. https://www.grammy.com/artists/chris-stapleton/15418
  2. Web site: Fisher . Kelly . Chris Stapleton Kicks Off New Era With 'White Horse,' Reveals Album Details . iHeart Country . 27 August 2023 . July 21, 2023.
  3. Web site: Dukes . Billy . Chris Stapleton, 'White Horse' Lyrics Describe a Smoldering Love [Listen] ]. Taste of Country . 27 August 2023 . July 21, 2023.
  4. Nicholson . Jessica . Chris Stapleton Releases 'White Horse,' the First Glimpse at Upcoming Album 'Higher' . . 27 August 2023 . July 21, 2023.
  5. Web site: O'Connell . Madeleine . Chris Stapleton's 'White Horse' Makes Historic Debut At Country Radio . Country Now . 27 August 2023 . July 25, 2023.
  6. Web site: Pointer . Flisadam . Chris Stapleton's 'White Horse' Single Is Readying Fans For His Emotionally Raw And Brutally Honest 'Higher' Album . . 27 August 2023 . July 21, 2023.
  7. Web site: Wade . Noah . Chris Stapleton – Wild Horse . Euphoria . 27 August 2023 . July 27, 2023.
  8. Web site: Countrytown Hot 50 – 2024, Week 21. https://web.archive.org/web/20240524124126/http://web.archive.org/screenshot/https://countrytown.com/charts/countrytown-hot-50?year=2024&week=21. May 24, 2024. Countrytown. May 24, 2024.
  9. Web site: NZ Hot Singles Chart. Recorded Music NZ. July 31, 2023. November 18, 2023.
  10. Hot Country Songs – Year-End 2023. Billboard. November 22, 2023.