
Peak
2
Weeks
23
Score
3,767
Chart Year
2008
The music video was directed by Declan Whitebloom. The music video was first leaked on September 7, 2008, through AOL, initially restricted to Canada and then released on September 16, 2008, on iTunes. The video now has over 165 million hits on YouTube. It consists of Archuleta on a vacation trying to get the attention of a girl (played by Hagood Coxe) on whom he apparently has a crush. At the beginning, several teens go swimming in the lake near their summer house, with one of the guys flirting with the girl in the water. After they have finished swimming, the guy runs off, while Archuleta stays behind to help the girl out of the lake. The group is also shown in a cabin playing a game involving post its, while Archuleta is also shown playing his guitar in the cabin. Another scene shows the group by a campfire with several of them paired off into couples. At the end, Archuleta goes out on the deck of the cabin, and the girl follows him out, showing that she shares his feelings. Archuleta is also shown playing the piano near a lake throughout the video.
"Crush" was the debut single for the American Idol seventh season runner-up David Archuleta. It entered the Hot 100 at #2, making it the highest chart entry by an Idol contestant for a song never performed on the show. The record had previously been held by Carrie Underwood, whose version of The Pretenders' "I'll Stand By You" debuted at #6 in May 2007. This song about the emotional and physical rush of having a crush became the highest charting "crush song" in Hot 100 history. Previously both The Jets' "Crush on You" and Jennifer Paige's "Crush" peaked at #3. The song was produced by Emanuel Kiriakou, who co-wrote it with Jess Cates and David Hodges. With Cates, Kiriakou also produced and co-wrote Nick Lachey's Top 10 single "What's Left Of Me" and "Inconsolable" by the Backstreet Boys. Hodges is best known for being a member of Evanescence (he co-wrote many of the songs on their Fallen album) and his production work for Kelly Clarkson on her Breakaway album, including "Because Of You." David Archuleta told Digital Spy that this song is about "not being sure exactly what you feel for someone. You're like, 'Is this real, or is it just one of those normal everyday crushes?' It's really about the confused emotions that arise in that situation." This was only the second time that the American Idol runner-up has outperformed the winner on the Hot 100 with their debut single. (David Cook's coronation single "The Time of My Life" peaked at #3.) The previous instance was in 2003 when runner-up Clay Aiken's debut single "This Is The Night" went straight in at #1, while the second season winner Ruben Studdard's "Flying Without Wings" peaked at #2. This was the first song the label played to Archuleta. After singing so many adult ballads, the American Idol runner-up was immediately attracted to its youthful edge. He told the Los Angeles Times: "They played just a rough demo of it, and I was just like, 'wow.'" Raised Mormon, Archuleta went through what he called a "faith crisis" when he realized he was gay, as same-sex relationships are forbidden in the church. He didn't come out until 2021, when he was 30. When he started dating men, he really connected to this song for the first time. "I was like, 'Oh, so this is what it feels like to like someone,'" he told People in 2022. "Now I see why everyone relates to my song."
I hung up the phone tonight Something happened for the first time deep inside It was a rush, what a rush 'Cause the possibility That you would ever feel the same way about me It's just too much, just too much Why do I keep running from the truth? All I ever think about is you You got me hypnotized, so mesmerized And I've just got to know Do you ever think when you're all alone All that we can be, where this thing can go? Am I crazy or falling in love? Is it real or just another crush? Do you catch a breath when I look at you? Are you holding back like the way you do? 'Cause I'm trying and trying to walk away But I know this crush ain't goin' away-ay-ay-ay-ayy Goin' away-ay-ay-ay-ayy Has it ever crossed your mind When we're hanging, spending time girl, are we just friends? Is there more, is there more? See it's a chance we've gotta take 'Cause I believe that we can make this into something that will last Last forever, forever Do you ever think when you're all alone All that we can be, where this thing can go? Am I crazy or falling in love? Is it real or just another crush? Do you catch a breath when I look at you? Are you holding back like the way I do? 'Cause I'm trying and trying to walk away But I know this crush ain't goin' away-ay-ay-ay-ayy Goin' away-ay-ay-ay-ayy Why do I keep running from the truth? All I ever think about is you You got me hypnotized, so mesmerized And I've just got to know Do you ever think when you're all alone All that we can be, where this thing can go? Am I crazy or falling in love? Is it real or just another crush? Do you catch a breath when I look at you? Are you holding back like the way you do? 'Cause I'm trying and trying to walk away But I know this crush ain't goin' away-ay-ay-ay-ayy This crush ain't goin' away-ay-ay-ay-ayy Goin' away-ay-ay-ay-ayy Goin' away-ay-ay-ay-ayy Goin' away-ay-ay-ay-ayy
| Week | Chart Date | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aug 30, 2008 | 2 | 124 |
| 2 | Sep 6, 2008 | 15 | 111 |
| 3 | Sep 13, 2008 | 31 | 95 |
| 4 | Sep 20, 2008 | 32 | 94 |
| 5 | Sep 27, 2008 | 32 | 94 |
| 6 | Oct 4, 2008 | 15 | 111 |
| 7 | Oct 11, 2008 | 20 | 106 |
| 8 | Oct 18, 2008 | 25 | 101 |
| 9 | Oct 25, 2008 | 22 | 104 |
| 10 | Nov 1, 2008 | 21 | 105 |
| 11 | Nov 8, 2008 | 20 | 106 |
| 12 | Nov 15, 2008 | 20 | 106 |
| 13 | Nov 22, 2008 | 22 | 104 |
| 14 | Nov 29, 2008 | 21 | 105 |
| 15 | Dec 6, 2008 | 23 | 103 |
| 16 | Dec 13, 2008 | 27 | 99 |
| 17 | Dec 20, 2008 | 35 | 91 |
| 18 | Dec 27, 2008 | 43 | 83 |
| 19 | Jan 3, 2009 | 45 | 81 |
| 20 | Jan 10, 2009 | 27 | 99 |