The Way I Talk
"The Way I Talk" is a song recorded by American country artist Morgan Wallen.[1] The song was co-written by Jessi Alexander, Ben Hayslip, and Chase McGill.[2] It was Wallen's debut single[3] and the lead single from his debut studio album If I Know Me.[4]
"The Way I Talk" | ||||
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Single by Morgan Wallen | ||||
from the album If I Know Me | ||||
Released | September 12, 2016 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:28 | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | ||||
Morgan Wallen singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"The Way I Talk" on YouTube | ||||
EP cover | ||||
EP cover |
Background
The song was written by Ben Hayslip, Jessi Alexander, and Chase McGill, but Wallen felt a personal connection to the song upon hearing it. He stated "It’s about “the things that I’m proud of and the way that I live, and it was just a perfect match to me."[5]
Critical reception
Whiskey Riff gave a favourable review of the song, highlighting the lyric “Man it ain’t my fault, I just live the way I talk” stating they "wish more people would live that way as well".[6] The Country Note noted Wallen's "dynamic vocal delivery", stating the track "features a sound straight out of the modern South, combining elements of both country and rock".[7]
Commercial performance
"The Way I Talk" reached peaks of #35 on Billboard Hot Country Songs,[8] #30 on Country Airplay,[9] and #50 on Canada Country.[10] This marked Wallen's first entries on each chart. It has been certified Gold by Music Canada.[11]
Music video
The music video was directed by TK McKamy and premiered on April 6, 2017.[12] The video featured Wallen and his friends doing various activities such as chasing chickens or boxing for fun.[13][14]
Track listings
Digital download - single[2]
- "The Way I Talk" – 3:28
Digital download - EP[2]
- "The Way I Talk" – 3:28
- "Chain Smokin'" – 3:42
- "Whiskey Glasses" – 3:54
- "Stand Out" – 3:14
- "American Nights" – 3:22
Charts
Chart (2017) | Peak position |
---|---|
Canada Country (Billboard)[10] | 50 |
US Country Airplay (Billboard)[9] | 30 |
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[8] | 35 |
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Canada (Music Canada)[11] | Gold | 40,000 |
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Release history
Region | Date | Format | Label | Ref. |
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Various | January 1, 2016 |
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Big Loud | [2] |
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United States / Canada | September 12, 2016 | Country radio | [15] |
References
- "MORGAN WALLEN CHARMS COUNTRY RADIO WITH "THE WAY I TALK"". Big Loud Records. May 16, 2017.
- "The Way I Talk - Morgan Wallen". AllMusic. Retrieved January 23, 2021.
- Nicholson, Jessica (September 27, 2016). "Big Loud Records' Morgan Wallen Trades Baseball Ambitions For Country Music Dreams". MusicRow. Retrieved April 23, 2017.
- Lorie Hollabaugh (April 11, 2018). "Morgan Wallen Releases Track Listing For 'If I Know Me'". Music Row. Retrieved March 12, 2019.
- Morgan, Emily (December 13, 2020). "Morgan Wallen's 'The Way I Talk': Story Behind the Country Star's First Hit Song". Outsider.
- "Real Country Folks Will Get Something Out Of Morgan Wallen's Heatin' Up Single "The Way I Talk"". Whiskey Riff. November 21, 2016.
- "Morgan Wallen Charms Country Radio With "The Way I Talk"". The Country Note. May 13, 2017.
- "Morgan Wallen Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 23, 2021.
- "Morgan Wallen Chart History (Country Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved January 23, 2021.
- "Morgan Wallen Chart History (Canada Country)". Billboard. Retrieved January 23, 2021.
- "Canadian single certifications – Morgan Wallen – The Way I Talk". Music Canada. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
- "Morgan Wallen - The Way I Talk (Official Video)" (video). YouTube. April 6, 2017. Retrieved February 4, 2021.
- Weatherby, Taylor (May 12, 2017). "Morgan Wallen Takes Fans Behind the Scenes of 'The Way I Talk' Video, Talks Touring With Florida Georgia Line: Exclusive". Billboard. Retrieved February 4, 2021.
- Brickley, Kelly (April 9, 2017). "MORGAN WALLEN CELEBRATES UPBRINGING IN VIDEO FOR 'THE WAY I TALK'". Sounds Like Nashville. Retrieved February 4, 2021.
- "MORGAN WALLEN – THE WAY I TALK". Daily Play MPE. Destiny Media Technologies. August 22, 2016.