Get ready to hit the lake with Little Big Town's ultimate summer anthem!
The Song
"Pontoon" is a laid-back, mid-tempo country track that perfectly encapsulates the joy of a leisurely summer day on the water. Released in April 2012, it served as the lead single from Little Big Town's fifth studio album, "Tornado". The song was penned by a powerhouse trio of Nashville songwriters: Natalie Hemby, Luke Laird, and Barry Dean.
The inspiration for the song actually came from a happy accident. A publisher misheard the title of "Fine Tune," a song Hemby and Laird had written for Miranda Lambert, and thought it was "Pontoon." The idea sparked, and the trio decided to write a song around the concept of a pontoon boat party. The opening line, "Back this bitch up into the water," reportedly came spontaneously from Natalie Hemby during the writing session, leading to laughter among the co-writers.
The Artist
Little Big Town is an American country music vocal group founded in 1998 in Nashville, Tennessee. The group has maintained its original four members since its inception: Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Phillip Sweet, and Jimi Westbrook. Their distinctive sound is characterized by rich, four-part vocal harmonies, with all four members often sharing lead vocal duties.
Before "Pontoon," Little Big Town had already established themselves with hits like "Boondocks," but "Pontoon" marked a significant career milestone for the quartet. The band members grew up with personal experiences on pontoon boats, making the song's theme particularly relatable and authentic to them.
Chart Performance
"Pontoon" made a splash, debuting at number 51 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in May 2012. It steadily climbed, eventually becoming Little Big Town's first number one hit on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for the week of September 15, 2012, a significant achievement after over a decade in the music business.
The song also crossed over to the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 22. Its commercial success was undeniable, selling 2.66 million copies in the United States as of June 2016, and earning a Platinum certification from the RIAA.
Cultural Impact
"Pontoon" quickly became a quintessential summer anthem, perfectly capturing the carefree spirit of lake life and warm-weather fun. Its infectious melody and relatable lyrics about relaxing on a boat, making waves, and "motor-boatin'" resonated widely with audiences, especially in the country music demographic. The song's popularity contributed to a rise in pontoon boat sales, solidifying its place as a seasonal favorite.
The song garnered significant critical acclaim and industry recognition. At the 2012 CMA Awards, "Pontoon" won Single of the Year, marking Little Big Town's first-ever CMA win. This success was followed by an even bigger accolade: a Grammy Award in 2013 for Best Country Duo/Group Performance, their first Grammy win after multiple nominations.
Fun Facts
- The music video for "Pontoon" was directed by Declan Whitebloom and premiered in May 2012.
- The video was filmed at Percy Priest Lake in Nashville, Tennessee, specifically in a section known for "party cove" gatherings.
- The double-decker pontoon boat featured in the video is named "Boondocks," a clever nod to one of Little Big Town's earlier hit songs.
- The production of the song featured a unique reverb effect on Karen Fairchild's lead vocal, which the band felt was crucial to its sound, despite initial doubts about radio play.
- A viral video circulated featuring various country stars, including Darius Rucker, Luke Bryan, Lady Antebellum, and Carrie Underwood, lip-syncing and showing their love for "Pontoon."