Easy (Rascal Flatts song)

"Easy" is a song written by Katrina Elam and Michael Mobley and recorded by the American country music group Rascal Flatts as a duet with British pop singer Natasha Bedingfield. It was released in June 2011 as the third and final single from Rascal Flatts' album Nothing Like This. It became Rascal Flatts' fifth AC Top 20 hit. As of the chart dated July 21, 2012, the song has sold 917,000 copies in the US.[1]

"Easy"
Single by Rascal Flatts featuring Natasha Bedingfield
from the album Nothing Like This and Strip Me (Deluxe)
ReleasedJune 27, 2011 (2011-06-27)
GenreCountry pop
Length3:38 (Album Version)
3:33 (Radio Edit)
LabelBig Machine
Songwriter(s)Katrina Elam, Michael Mobley
Producer(s)Dann Huff, Rascal Flatts
Rascal Flatts singles chronology
"I Won't Let Go"
(2010)		 "Easy"
(2011)		 "Banjo"
(2012)
Natasha Bedingfield singles chronology
"Jet Lag"
(2011)		 "Easy"
(2011)		 "As Long As We Got Love"
(2011)

Content

"Easy" is a midtempo ballad in 6/8 time signature with a vocal range from C♯4 to C6. The song begins in C-sharp minor and modulates up to E minor halfway through the second verse.[2] The song is about hiding the saddening emotions from a breakup. Rascal Flatts lead singer Gary LeVox sings the first verse and chorus, while Bedingfield sings the second verse and chorus. Both sing the third and final chorus.

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Country Universe (B)[3]
Taste of Country [4]

Jessica Phillips of Country Weekly called the song a "sizzling duet".[5] Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic was less favorable, calling it a "questionable stab at pop radio crossover".[6] Ben Foster of Country Universe gave the song a B, saying that the lyrics are simple, but effective at telling the story of two ex-lovers who are in denial of the strong feelings they still harbor for one another.[3] Billy Dukes of Taste of Country gave the song four stars out of five, calling it "a daring collaboration and fits right into the Rascal Flatts wheelhouse."[4]

Music video

The music video for the song premiered on CMT.com on July 1, 2011.[7] It was filmed at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in downtown Nashville. It is a re-telling of the story of Cinderella, with Bedingfield playing the fairy tale princess. The video shows the members of Rascal Flatts getting out of a limo and walking a red carpet amidst paparazzi as they proceed to a party. After they are inside, Natasha Bedingfield is shown arriving to the same party in a separate limo. She gets out and makes her way inside as well. Eventually, Gary LeVox and Natasha Bedingfield single each other out through the crowd and meet in the middle of the room, where they perform the song to each other. When the clock strikes midnight, Bedingfield dashes off, leaving one of her high heels behind on the steps. The video ends with LeVox picking up her shoe and holding it.

Charts
Chart (2011–12) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100[8] 43
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[9] 20
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[10] 3

Year-end charts
Chart (2011) Position
US Country Songs (Billboard)[11] 54
Chart (2012) Position
US Country Songs (Billboard)[12] 57

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[13] Platinum 1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. "Chart Watch Extra: Country's Top 100". Chart Watch. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
  2. ""Easy" sheet music". Musicnotes.com. 2011-09-19. Retrieved 6 October 2011.
  3. Foster, Ben (July 19, 2011). "Single Review: Rascal Flatts featuring Natasha Bedingfield, "Easy"". Country Universe. Retrieved July 14, 2012.
  4. Dukes, Billy (June 20, 2011). "Rascal Flatts Feat. Natasha Bedingfield, 'Easy' – Song Review". Taste of Country. Retrieved June 25, 2011.
  5. Phillips, Jessica (2010-11-17), Nothing Like This : Rascal Flatts - Reviews - Country Weekly Magazine, Country Weekly, retrieved 2010-12-30
  6. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Nothing Like This review". Allmusic. Retrieved 30 August 2011.
  7. ""Easy" music video". CMT. Retrieved 30 August 2011.
  8. Grein, Paul (August 3, 2011). "Week Ending July 31, 2011. Songs: Perry Chases A Record". Yahoo! Music. Yahoo! Inc. Retrieved August 3, 2011.
  9. "Rascal Flatts Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
  10. "Rascal Flatts Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  11. "Best of 2011: Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2011. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
  12. "Best of 2012: Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2012. Retrieved December 14, 2012.
  13. "American single certifications – Rascal Flatts – Easy". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved June 7, 2013. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH. 
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