Peak
12
Weeks
29
Score
3,195
Chart Year
2023
Not to be confused with Taylor Swift's 2008 song of the same title, Chris Stapleton's "White Horse" is a plea to his lover for patience. In literature and film, the cowboy is a timeless symbol of heroism and salvation, representing law and order in the wild American West. The cowboy was the one who could be counted on to bring criminals to justice and save damsels in distress. White horses have a special significance in the mythologies of cultures around the world. They are often associated with heroes and saviors, and they are said to bring hope and prosperity to those who see them. In the Book of Revelation 19:11-16, John the Revelator describes a vision of Jesus Christ returning to earth. Jesus is riding a white horse, accompanied by armies of angels. In Stapleton's song, he's no ready-made hero; he warns his girl he needs time to unlock his heart and deal with something first. If you want a cowboy on a white horse Ridin' off into the sunset If that's the kinda love you wanna wait for Hold on tight, girl, I ain't there yet If she's seeking a picture-perfect love story, she'll have to brace herself for a wait. Stapleton co-wrote "White Horse" with Dan Wilson in 2013. The pair first teamed up with The Preservation Hall Jazz Band to write songs for That's It!, the group's first album of original music. When Stapleton returned to Los Angeles, he come to Wilson's house where they wrote this song. "'There was a movie called The Lone Ranger that was coming out, and I walked in the room to write with Dan at his house," said Stapleton. "He said, 'Hey they're looking for songs for this Lone Ranger movie.' I said, 'Cool. Let's write something. What do you know about it?' He goes, 'Well, we don't really know anything.' I was like, 'Well, let's just make a song that might sound like that.' And so, that's kind of where that came from, and we got to talking about how it would be cool to have a kind of rock-driven-western-themed song, and that's kind of where the song came from and we kind of built it around a guitar riff, really." During their time writing in LA, Stapleton and Wilson also penned "When The Stars Come Out," which Stapleton recorded for his 2015 album, Traveller. Stapleton co-produced "White House" with his wife, Morgane Stapleton, and his longtime producer, Dave Cobb. Stapleton laid "White Horse" down at Nashville's historic RCA Studio A, playing the electric guitar and singing. The other musicians are: J.T. Cure: bass Derek Mixon: drums Lee Pardini: Hammond B3 organ and piano Stapleton released "White Horse" on July 21 2023, as the lead single from his fifth studio album, Higher.
This love is getting kinda dangerous Feels like it's a loaded gun My, my, it's turning like a cloud of dust My heart always wants to run Oh, oh, oh-oh-oh If you want a cowboy on a white horse Riding off into the sunset If that's the kinda love you wanna wait for Hold on tight, girl, I ain't there yet No, I ain't there yet No, I ain't there yet White horse Someday, maybe you could have your way Right now's just not the time Some things a man's just got to do I wish you could change my mind Oh, oh, oh-oh-oh If you want a cowboy on a white horse Riding off into the sunset If that's the kinda love you wanna wait for Hold on tight, girl, I ain't there yet No, I ain't there yet No, I ain't there yet White horse If you want a cowboy on a white horse Riding off into the sunset If that's the kinda love you wanna wait for Hold on tight, girl, I ain't there If you want a cowboy on a white horse Riding off into the sunset If that's the kinda love you wanna wait for Hold on tight, girl, I ain't there yet No, I ain't there yet No, I ain't there yet White horse
| Week | Chart Date | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aug 5, 2023 | 31 | 95 |
| 2 | Aug 12, 2023 | 79 | 47 |
| 3 | Aug 19, 2023 | 59 | 67 |
| 4 | Aug 26, 2023 | 53 | 73 |
| 5 | Sep 2, 2023 | 54 | 72 |
| 6 | Sep 9, 2023 | 63 | 63 |
| 7 | Sep 16, 2023 | 57 | 69 |
| 8 | Sep 23, 2023 | 61 | 65 |
| 9 | Sep 30, 2023 | 68 | 58 |
| 10 | Oct 7, 2023 | 57 | 69 |
| 11 | Oct 14, 2023 | 38 | 88 |
| 12 | Oct 21, 2023 | 51 | 75 |
| 13 | Oct 28, 2023 | 43 | 83 |
| 14 | Nov 4, 2023 | 36 | 90 |
| 15 | Nov 11, 2023 | 54 | 72 |
| 16 | Nov 18, 2023 | 29 | 97 |
| 17 | Nov 25, 2023 | 12 | 114 |
| 18 | Dec 2, 2023 | 27 | 99 |
| 19 | Dec 9, 2023 | 50 | 76 |
| 20 | Dec 16, 2023 | 53 | 73 |