It Happens
Encyclopedia
"It Happens" is the title of a song recorded by the American country music
duo Sugarland. It is the third single from their third album, 2008's Love on the Inside
. The duo's members, Jennifer Nettles
and Kristian Bush
, wrote the song along with Bobby Pinson
, with whom the duo also co-wrote the album's first two singles, "All I Want to Do
" and "Already Gone
".
and electric guitar
. In it, the female narrator (Jennifer Nettles
, the duo's lead singer) tells of oversleeping and coming to work late. She borrows her neighbor's car to drive to "Wal-Mart
" in the second verse, and is involved in an accident with her ex-husband and his new girlfriend. A "Pssh" sound precedes the phrase "It happens" on all but the second chorus, so as to make the phrase sound like "shit happens
".
critic Chris Willman said that the song recalled "cheekily potty-mouthed hits like Blake Shelton
's 'Some Beach
'." Thom Jurek of Allmusic cited the song as an example of the album's personal influence, as Nettles had gone through a divorce while writing it. Matt Bjorke described the song favorably as well in his review for the Roughstock website. He called it "a playful, irreverent song" and considered it a better single choice than "Love" (which was originally slated as the album's third single), because he thought that "It Happens" showed a more traditionally country sound than "Love" did.
Matt C., in his review of the album for The 9513, said that Nettles seemed to show more interest in "frivolous tracks" such as "It Happens" as compared to the more serious tracks. Country Universe critic Blake Boldt gave it a C rating, saying that it was a "needless novelty" but a "necessary evil in a corporate radio world".
Hot Country Songs
charts dated for February 28, 2009. The song became the duo's fifth U.S. Number One song on the chart week of May 23, 2009, holding that position for two weeks.
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
duo Sugarland. It is the third single from their third album, 2008's Love on the Inside
Love on the Inside
Love on the Inside is the third album by the American country music duo Sugarland, released in 2008 on Mercury Nashville Records. It was first released on July 22, 2008 as a Deluxe Fan Edition, including five bonus tracks, with the regular edition following one week later...
. The duo's members, Jennifer Nettles
Jennifer Nettles
Jennifer Nettles is an American country music artist. She is known primarily for her role as lead vocalist of the duo Sugarland alongside Kristian Bush. Before Sugarland's inception, she also fronted Atlanta, Georgia-based bands called Soul Miner's Daughter and Jennifer Nettles Band...
and Kristian Bush
Kristian Bush
Kristian Merrill Bush is an American folk rock and country musician. From 1990 to 2001, Kristian was a member of the folk rock duo Billy Pilgrim along with Andrew Hyra...
, wrote the song along with Bobby Pinson
Bobby Pinson
Bobby Olen Pinson is an American country music artist. Signed to RCA Records in 2005, Pinson made his debut that year with his album Man Like Me. Its lead-off single, "Don't Ask Me How I Know", peaked at #16 on the Hot Country Songs charts, and was his only Top 40 country hit...
, with whom the duo also co-wrote the album's first two singles, "All I Want to Do
All I Want to Do
"All I Want to Do" is a song written by Dennis Wilson and Steve Kalinich. It was recorded by American rock band The Beach Boys for their 1969 album 20/20. It was later released as the b-side to "I Can Hear Music", a single which charted at #24 in the U.S...
" and "Already Gone
Already Gone (Sugarland song)
"Already Gone" is a single by American country music duo Sugarland. It is the second single released from their third album, titled Love on the Inside, which was released on July 29, 2008...
".
Content
"It Happens" is an up-tempo accompanied by steel-string acoustic guitarSteel-string acoustic guitar
A steel-string acoustic guitar is a modern form of guitar descended from the classical guitar, but strung with steel strings for a brighter, louder sound...
and electric guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
. In it, the female narrator (Jennifer Nettles
Jennifer Nettles
Jennifer Nettles is an American country music artist. She is known primarily for her role as lead vocalist of the duo Sugarland alongside Kristian Bush. Before Sugarland's inception, she also fronted Atlanta, Georgia-based bands called Soul Miner's Daughter and Jennifer Nettles Band...
, the duo's lead singer) tells of oversleeping and coming to work late. She borrows her neighbor's car to drive to "Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
" in the second verse, and is involved in an accident with her ex-husband and his new girlfriend. A "Pssh" sound precedes the phrase "It happens" on all but the second chorus, so as to make the phrase sound like "shit happens
Shit happens
"Shit happens" is a common slang phrase, used as a simple existential observation that life is full of imperfections, either "Así es la vida" or "C'est la vie". The phrase is an acknowledgment that bad things happen to people for no particular reason. Phrases with similar meaning are such as "stuff...
".
Reception
In his review of the album, Entertainment WeeklyEntertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
critic Chris Willman said that the song recalled "cheekily potty-mouthed hits like Blake Shelton
Blake Shelton
Blake Tollison Shelton is an American country music artist. In 2001, he made his debut with the single "Austin". Released as the lead-off single from his self-titled debut album, "Austin" went on to spend five weeks at Number One on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts...
's 'Some Beach
Some Beach
"Some Beach" is the title of a song written by Rory Lee Feek and Paul Overstreet, and recorded by American country music singer Blake Shelton. It was released in July 2004 as the second single from Shelton's 2004 album Blake Shelton's Barn & Grill, and his third Number One hit...
'." Thom Jurek of Allmusic cited the song as an example of the album's personal influence, as Nettles had gone through a divorce while writing it. Matt Bjorke described the song favorably as well in his review for the Roughstock website. He called it "a playful, irreverent song" and considered it a better single choice than "Love" (which was originally slated as the album's third single), because he thought that "It Happens" showed a more traditionally country sound than "Love" did.
Matt C., in his review of the album for The 9513, said that Nettles seemed to show more interest in "frivolous tracks" such as "It Happens" as compared to the more serious tracks. Country Universe critic Blake Boldt gave it a C rating, saying that it was a "needless novelty" but a "necessary evil in a corporate radio world".
Awards
"It Happens" was nominated at the 52nd Grammy Awards for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group, though lost to Lady Antebellum's "I Run To You."Personnel
The following musicians play on this track.- Brandon Bush – Hammond B-3 organ
- Kristian BushKristian BushKristian Merrill Bush is an American folk rock and country musician. From 1990 to 2001, Kristian was a member of the folk rock duo Billy Pilgrim along with Andrew Hyra...
– acoustic guitarSteel-string acoustic guitarA steel-string acoustic guitar is a modern form of guitar descended from the classical guitar, but strung with steel strings for a brighter, louder sound...
, background vocals - Paul Bushnell – bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Dan Dugmore – acoustic guitar
- Shannon Forrest – drums, percussion
- Michael Landau – electric guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
- Jennifer NettlesJennifer NettlesJennifer Nettles is an American country music artist. She is known primarily for her role as lead vocalist of the duo Sugarland alongside Kristian Bush. Before Sugarland's inception, she also fronted Atlanta, Georgia-based bands called Soul Miner's Daughter and Jennifer Nettles Band...
– lead vocals, background vocals
Chart performance
"It Happens" debuted at #40 on the BillboardBillboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
charts dated for February 28, 2009. The song became the duo's fifth U.S. Number One song on the chart week of May 23, 2009, holding that position for two weeks.
| Chart (2009) | Peak Position |
|---|