Walker Hayes’ “Fancy Like” Lyrics Meaning

As far as what the term “fancy like” actually means, well, it was created by Walker Hayes and his songwriting buddies. They created it as sort of a way to mock rich people who, due to their extravagance, may have lost touch with some of the simpler pleasures in life. 

Or phrased differently, a “date night” at Applebee’s is an experience that only a working-class person, like the character Walker is portraying, would refer to as being “fancy”. So even though the featured narrative is put into a romance context, it isn’t only about the vocalist celebrating spending time with this particular lady whom he’s smitten with. 

Rather, with the numerous namedropping of brands listeners based in the United States would be familiar with, it also serves as ode to the affordable pleasures that virtually any of us can enjoy with a loved one(s).

Key Sentiments of “Fancy Like”

And again, as alluded to in the lyrics, the sentiments expressed were inspired by us all being subject to a popular music and overall entertainment industry that tends to, even if not always intentionally, present riches as the key to happiness. 

But Walker is like nah. He isn’t interested in that. He has this lady. She brings him all the joy in the world. And the two of them being able to enjoy the time of their lives chillin’ at places and enjoying the types of consumables that any working-class person can enjoy, you know, on payday is priceless. 

So we’ll conclude by saying that whereas blinging may be the order of the day, country musicians, in cases such as these, tend to be relics, if you will, of a less-materialistic time. 

Or let’s say that whereas it may be ultra-cool whippin’ a Tesla for instance, types like Walker are here to remind us of something very important. They remind us that if you’re with someone you truly love, even riding a much-humbler Vespa can prove to be an equally-edifying experience.

Writing Credits

This is a song that Walker Hayes, a singer from Mobile, Alabama, co-wrote with the following names:

• Josh Jenkins
• Shane Stevens
• Cameron Bartolini

And the producers of the track are Joe Thibodeau alongside industry stalwart Shane McAnally.

When was “Fancy Like” released?

This track is from Walker Hayes’ EP Country Stuff. Monument Records released it on 4 June 2021. It officially came out as a single.

Thus far Hayes’ most-notably project to date was his second LP Boom (2017). The said LP in addition to making it onto the top 10 of the Top Country Albums chart (as did Country Stuff) also broke the top 40 of the Billboard 200 proper.

Achievements of “Fancy Like”

This particular song is actually Walker Hayes’ biggest hit to date as far as critical success is concerned. For instance, it topped Billboard’s Hot Country Songs list. Furthermore, it was a top-20 hit on the Hot 100. In that latter regard, it performed much better than any other song he has ever dropped.

As if that wasn’t enough, “Fancy Like” also made it to #1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs listing. This feat gave Walker the first no 1 song on this highly prestigious chart.

“Fancy Like” also went on to chart respectably in the following places:

• Australia
• Canada
• New Zealand

Simply put, it was globally successful.

Explosion on TikTok

Even though Walker Hayes, concurrently at 41 years of age, doesn’t necessarily fit the profile of an artist who suddenly goes viral on TikTok, such has actually been the case as far as “Fancy Like” is concerned. 

That is to say that, like any wise musician these days, Walker decided to create a dance associated with the song. However, in his case, apparently he didn’t do so for commercial purposes per se. Rather it was more of a family affair, where he came up with more than one dance video for “Fancy Like”. And one of them (which involved him dancing alongside his daughter named Lela) blew up. And accordingly, it’s success on TikTok took the song with it.

The aforementioned Lela, who is 15 years old at the time, is actually the eldest of Walker Hayes’s six children in conjunction with Laney Hayes, his wife. And as implied earlier, they all actually created a number of dances to various songs. Most of these videos were made possible due to the COVID-19 lockdowns. During the peak of the Covid pandemic, Walker got to spend a lot of time at home with his family. That gave birth to the aforementioned videos on TikTok and of course the success of “Fancy Like”.

Even More Success for “Fancy Like”

And it is not only the likes of Walker Hayes, TikTok and Monument Records who have reaped the associated success of the song. For instance, in the chorus the singer namedrops Applebee’s. Applebee’s is a very popular franchise of restaurants in the United States. And they have gone about propagating their own brand by including “Fancy Like” in advertisements and on social media. Even the ever-lovable Shaquille O’Neal got involved in that latter regard.

Moreover, the overall success of the tune resulted in Applebee’s reinstituting the Oreo Cookie Shake (a drink namedropped in the lyrics). Anyone familiar with this drink knows that it was suspended prior considering that, like virtually all American restaurant chains, this franchise was also negatively affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

But thanks to “Fancy Like”, the Oreo Cookie Shake received a new lease of life!