Babe (Sugarland song)
"Babe" is a song recorded by American country music duo Sugarland, featuring guest vocals from American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. It was released by Big Machine Records on April 20, 2018, as the second single from Sugarland's sixth studio album, Bigger (2018). "Babe" is a midtempo country pop[1] ballad and breakup song. It peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Digital Songs chart, number 8 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs, and at number 72 on the Billboard Hot 100.
"Babe"
The song was originally written by Swift and Pat Monahan of the American band Train, for Swift's fourth studio album, Red (2012); however, it did not make the final track-list. Swift re-recorded the song for her second re-recorded album, Red (Taylor's Version) (2021).
Composition[edit]
"Babe" is an acoustic, midtempo country ballad about breaking up.[21][22][23] According to Rolling Stone's Brittney McKenna, the "foot-stomping" song bears a resemblance to Swift's Speak Now era. Nettles handles the lead vocals while Swift contributes to the song's backing vocals, which can be heard echoing in the chorus and the bridge.[24][25] Lyrically, the song addresses an unfaithful lover.[26]
Commercial performance[edit]
The song debuted at No. 27 on Country Airplay dated April 28, 2018,[27] The following week it was released for sale, and the song reached No. 8 on Hot Country Songs with 38,000 copies in the first sales week. The song peaked at number 72 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and at number two on Digital Song Sales chart.[28][29][30] It has sold 166,000 copies in the United States as of November 2018.[31] Additionally the song peaked at number 94 in Canada and number 64 in Scotland.
Live performances[edit]
Sugarland performed the song for the first time on Live with Kelly and Ryan on May 8, 2018.[44] On June 6, 2018, they performed it on The Today Show live from Blake Shelton's bar, Ole Red.[45] The song is also included in the Still the Same Tour set list. Swift included the song on her pre-show playlist on her Reputation Stadium Tour and sang it as the surprise song at her Cleveland show.[46] Sugarland joined Swift as the special guest at the second show in Arlington on the tour, where they performed the song together live for the first time.[47] Swift performed the song as a surprise song on the Eras Tour in mashup with Death by a Thousand Cuts during the fourth show in Singapore.[48]