Walker Hayes had no idea when he and his oldest child, daughter Lela Hayes, posted a clip of a dance to his song “Fancy Like” that everything was about to change for him. The song, written by Hayes along with Cameron Bartolini, Josh Jenkins, and Shane Stevens, quickly went viral, making Hayes’ career explode.
Hayes had already been releasing music when “Fancy Like” came out, with moderate success. He had a Top 10 hit with “You Broke Up With Me”, out in 2017. He also released songs like “Craig” and “90s Country”, which became fan favorites, even though they didn’t chart on the radio.
Videos by American Songwriter
But when Hayes and his daughter released the video clip of “Fancy Like”, the song took off, making Hayes a household name almost overnight.
“The whole world did the dance,” Hayes tells American Songwriter. “I get to look at my daughter for the rest of our life and go, ‘Look at what the Lord allowed us to be a part of.’ The whole world did this dance with us. They stopped for a minute, and dads danced with their daughters all over the world.”
Walker Hayes Reflects on the Success of “Fancy Like”
Hayes drew inspiration from his own life, including his marriage to his wife, Laney, in writing “Fancy Like”. The song says, “Yeah, we fancy like Applebee’s on a date night / Got that Bourbon Street steak with the Oreo shake / Get some whipped cream on the top, too / Two straws, one check, girl, I got you / Bougie like Natty in the styrofoam / Squeaky-squeakin’ in the truck bed all the way home / With some Alabama-jamma, she my Dixieland delight / That’s how we do, how we do, fancy like.“
Hayes had no idea when he was writing “Fancy Like” how much the song would resonate with people all over the country and beyond.
“I wish I’d have known magic was happening, but then I think if I knew, I probably would have messed it up,” Hayes tells Rolling Stone. “We had zero expectations. Like most artists, it’s not like I had some bangin’ tour scheduled for this fall.”
“Fancy Like” became an 18-week No. 1 hit for Hayes. It also became a Top 5 pop hit and earned him a Grammy nomination for Best Country Song. More importantly, it gave Hayes and his career a big boost, one he says he desperately needed.
“I was in a place where I needed some music to get some traction, and I wasn’t really counting on it,” Hayes reflects. “I was hoping I still had a job in the music biz and could maybe find my way on country radio pretty soon — I needed to.”
Photo by Erika Goldring/WireImage
More Behind The Song
-
Jamaican singer Jimmy Cliff performs on stage at Porte de Pantin, in Paris. (Photo by John van Hasselt/Sygma via Getty Images) -
Left to right: Robert Plant, John Paul Jones and Jimmy Page, of British heavy rock group Led Zeppelin, performing at Earl's Court, London, May 1975. The band were initially booked to play three nights at the venue, from 23rd to 25th May, but due to public demand, two more concerts were later added, for 17th and 18th May. Total ticket sales were 85,000. (Photo by Michael Putland/Getty Images) -
Portrait of country singer Eddie Rabbitt in Memphis, Tennessee, May 31, 1981. (Photo by Paul Natkin/Getty Images) -
LOS ANGELES – FEBRUARY 22: 31st Annual Grammy Awards. Broadcast February 22, 1989. Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, California. Pictured accepting award is Bobby McFerrin. His song "Don't Worry, Be Happy" won Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male. Also Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Male. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images) -
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – APRIL 03: Singers Mike McGuire (L) and Marty Raybon of Shenandoah attend the 51st Academy of Country Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 3, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Rick Diamond/ACM2016/Getty Images for dcp) -
Photo by Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images -
The three founding members of Talking Heads on a Manhattan rooftop, US, 1976. (Jerry Harrison would join the group at the beginning of 1977.) (L-R) Bassist Tina Weymouth, singer-guitarist David Byrne and drummer Chris Frantz. (Photo by Linda D. Robbins/Getty Images) -
Patty Smyth of Scandal at the Poplar Creek Music Theater in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, June 3, 1983. (Photo by Paul Natkin/Getty Images)