"She Had Me at Heads Carolina"
Single by Cole Swindell
from the album Stereotype
ReleasedJune 21, 2022 (2022-06-21) (original) November 7, 2022 (2022-11-07) (remix)
StudioSound Stage Studios (Nashville)[1]
GenreCountry[1]
Length
  • 3:27 (original)
  • 3:43 (remix)
LabelWarner Music Nashville
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Zach Crowell
Cole Swindell singles chronology
"Never Say Never"
(2022)		 "She Had Me at Heads Carolina"
(2022)		 "Drinkaby"
(2023)

"She Had Me at Heads Carolina" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer Cole Swindell. It is the third single from Swindell's fourth studio album Stereotype, and his thirteenth overall. The song contains lyrical and melodic references to Jo Dee Messina's 1996 debut single "Heads Carolina, Tails California", and credits that song's writers Mark D. Sanders and Tim Nichols as co-writers. The song peaked at number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100, Swindell's highest charting appearance to date. A remix version of the song featuring Messina was released on November 7, 2022 and the duo performed it at the 56th Annual Country Music Association Awards.[2]

Content

For the creation of Swindell's 2022 album Stereotype, he wanted to collaborate with Thomas Rhett. He met Rhett at a songwriting collaboration in Nashville, Tennessee, in early 2022 along with Ashley Gorley and Jesse Frasure. Swindell had toured with Rhett in 2021, at which point the two of them decided they wanted to record a song that referenced a country music song from the 1990s. When a song publisher told Swindell of the popularity of Jo Dee Messina's 1996 hit "Heads Carolina, Tails California", Swindell and Frasure chose to use that song as inspiration.[1]

Originally, the four writers conceived the song as a duet between Swindell and Rhett. Their first idea was to structure the song similarly to Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney's 1982 hit "The Girl Is Mine". As Rhett did not feel comfortable singing this lyrical theme, the two decided not to make the song a duet. They then decided to create a storyline where the song's narrator falls in love with a woman who sings "Heads Carolina, Tails California" at a karaoke bar. The song contains interpolations from "Heads Carolina, Tails California", although it is in a different key than that song. Because of this, producer Zach Crowell chose to have the musicians play that song's guitar riff in the altered key instead of sampling it. Guitarist Sol Philcox-Littlefield plays this riff, while Madeline Merlo provides backing vocals on the chorus.[1]

Because of the interpolation, "Heads Carolina, Tails California" co-writers Tim Nichols and Mark D. Sanders are also credited. According to Swindell, when he contacted them for permission to do so, "they loved it".[3] Swindell explained to Taste Of Country that he also approached Messina and stated that he would not have released the song without her permission and told her that "I want her to be a part of it, as much of it or as little of it as she wants to, because she's the original."[4] The duet version featuring Messina was released on November 7.

Music video

The accompanying music video was released on August 11, 2022. Directed by Spidey Smith, it features Swindell performing on stage at a bar, while one of his friends tries to capture the attention of the girl singing "Heads Carolina, Tails California". His friend is ultimately successful, as seen at the end of the video where the girl flips a quarter to decide where he will take her, also a reference to Messina's original hit. Messina also makes a cameo appearance as the bartender.[5]

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for "She Had Me at Heads Carolina"
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[18] Gold 40,000‡
United States (RIAA)[19] 3× Platinum 3,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Tom Roland (June 21, 2022). "Makin' Tracks: Cole Swindell Brings New Life to Jo Dee Messina's 'Heads Carolina'". Billboard. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
  2. ↑ "She Had Me at Heads Carolina (Remix) - Single on Apple Music". Apple Music. November 7, 2022. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
  3. ↑ Katherine Yeske Taylor (April 8, 2022). "Defying the Stereotype: Cole Swindell Releases His Fourth Album". American Songwriter. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
  4. ↑ "WATCH: Cole Swindell + Jo Dee Messina Star in Fun-Filled 'She Had Me at Heads Carolina' Video".
  5. ↑ "WATCH: Cole Swindell + Jo Dee Messina Star in Fun-Filled 'She Had Me at Heads Carolina' Video". Taste of Country.
  6. ↑ "Cole Swindell Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  7. ↑ "Cole Swindell Chart History (Canada Country)". Billboard. Retrieved October 4, 2022.
  8. ↑ "Cole Swindell Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
  9. ↑ "Cole Swindell Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
  10. ↑ "Cole Swindell Chart History (Country Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  11. ↑ "Cole Swindell Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Canadian Hot 100 – Year-End 2022". Billboard. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  13. ↑ "Hot 100 Songs – Year-End 2022". Billboard. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  14. ↑ "Country Airplay – Year-End 2022". Billboard. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
  15. ↑ "Hot Country Songs – Year-End 2022". Billboard. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
  16. ↑ "Country Airplay – Year-End 2023". Billboard. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
  17. ↑ "Hot Country Songs – Year-End 2023". Billboard. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
  18. ↑ "Canadian single certifications – Cole Swindell – Is he Had Me at Heads Carolina". Music Canada. Retrieved October 4, 2022.
  19. ↑ "American single certifications – Cole Swindell – She Had Me at Heads Carolina". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
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