| "Little Toy Guns" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single byCarrie Underwood | ||||
| from the albumGreatest Hits: Decade #1 | ||||
| Released | February 16, 2015[1] | |||
| Recorded | 2014 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:31 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Songwriters |
| |||
| Producer | Mark Bright | |||
| Carrie Underwood singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Little Toy Guns" onYouTube | ||||
"Little Toy Guns" is a song recorded by Americancountry music artistCarrie Underwood for her compilation albumGreatest Hits: Decade #1. It was released on February 16, 2015 throughArista Nashville as the album's second single.[2] It was written by Underwood,Chris DeStefano, andHillary Lindsey, and produced byMark Bright.
The song was nominated forBest Country Solo Performance at the58th Grammy Awards.
"I’ve seen it firsthand from different people in my life and seen how the tumultuous parental relationship [...] can affect a child. So that’s kind of what it’s about, but it’s a really tempo-driven song as well, so it’s kind of a bit of a juxtaposition as far as the story content and the music … It sounds rockin’, but it has a positive message."
The song was written by Underwood with frequent collaboratorsChris DeStefano andHillary Lindsey, and was produced byMark Bright. Drawing oncountry androck influences in its composition, "Little Toy Guns" features a "heavy and orchestral" arrangement with emotionally resonant lyrics and an "uplifting" melody.[4][5] Critics have also called the song aprequel of sorts to her 2012 hit "Blown Away" for the songs' similar thematic content and "stormy" sonic aesthetic.[4][5]Lyrically, the song tells a story of domestic violence revolving around a young child overhearing her parents fighting and wanting to escape from the pain.[2][4] Underwood narrates the chorus from the child's perspective, stating that she wishes the angry words were fake "like little toy guns" so they wouldn't hurt.[2]
The song received mostly positive reviews with acclaim going to Underwood's vocals, production of the song, and the lyrics. Allmusic editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine called this song "bombastic."[6] News OK called this song "meaningful" and added that it "sounds fresh enough to have fans craving another new studio collection sooner rather than later."[7] Pipy Ellwood concluded that the song is "a mid-tempo number that will appeal to fans of Underwood’s more uptempo moments."[8]Renowned for Sound described that Underwood's "strong vocals create a vigorous atmosphere that fans old and new are going to love."[9] Digital Journals editor Markos Padatados agreed, stating that, "yet again, [Underwood] showcases her trademark pipes."[10]
"Little Toy Guns" entered theBillboardHot Country Songs at number 40 and peaked at number six. It debuted at number 99 on the Hot 100 chart and peaked at number 47.[11] It peaked at number 2 on the Country Airplay Chart, number seven on the Canadian Country Chart, and number 70 on Canadian Hot 100. As of September 2015, the single has sold 437,000 copies in the US.[12]
The song was officially certifiedPlatinum by theRIAA on July 23, 2020.[13]
Underwood posted a teaser video to her social media accounts on January 28, 2015 with the caption "Friday..." and thehashtags #LittleToyGuns and #CUX1 (Carrie Underwood Decade 1, aninitialism for her greatest hits album),[14] which was later confirmed as a preview for the "Little Toy Guns" video premiering viaFacebook on January 30, 2015.[2][15] The video was directed byP. R. Brown, who has previously collaborated with Underwood's on her "Two Black Cadillacs" video. The video managed to reach 7.5 millionFacebook views on its debut week before being deleted offFacebook and being officially released toVevo andYouTube.The video received positive feedback and was nominated for "Female Video of the Year" at the 2015 CMT Music Awards; however, it lost to another of Carrie's videos, the one for her previous single "Something in the Water" (which also won "Video of the Year" at the ceremony).
The video stars Grace Rundhaug, who starred alongside Underwood inThe Sound of Music Live! television special, as a girl who escapes her parents' fighting by mentally transporting herself to a "storybook land" where she plays a mythical hero and reunites her captive parents. Sara Antonio plays the mother and Kris Wente plays the father, who start the video with a "vicious fight (sans any music at all)."[16] Underwood can be seen in between, singing the song in various locations of the forest.[17][18] Beville Dunkerley atRolling Stone noted that the end of the video provides a more peaceful resolution than the lyrics of the song.[18]
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | "Little Toy Guns" | Female Video of the Year | Nominated |
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | "Little Toy Guns" | Best Country Solo Performance | Nominated |
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | "Little Toy Guns" | Choice Country Song | Won |
| Chart (2015) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[19] | 70 |
| CanadaCountry (Billboard)[20] | 7 |
| USBillboard Hot 100[21] | 47 |
| USCountry Airplay (Billboard)[22] | 2 |
| USHot Country Songs (Billboard)[23] | 6 |
| Chart (2015) | Position |
|---|---|
| USCountry Airplay (Billboard)[24] | 47 |
| USHot Country Songs (Billboard)[25] | 22 |
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[13] | Platinum | 1,000,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
| Some Hearts | |
|---|---|
| Carnival Ride | |
| Play On | |
| Blown Away | |
| Greatest Hits: Decade #1 | |
| Storyteller | |
| Cry Pretty | |
| My Gift | |
| Denim & Rhinestones | |
| Collaborative songs | |
| Other songs | |
