The fancy like dance has taken off in a big way, and people are getting creative with it. A couple married under the TikTok name thestrohshow did a great job of dancing to the song, while a Pittsburgh-based chiropractor who shares stretching tips took the video to the next level.
The craze for the dance has led to an increase in the song’s country airplay chart ranking, and this week it made the biggest jump into the Mediabase Top Ten since Gretchen Wilson’s “Redneck Woman” back in 2004. Even advertising executives are paying attention. In a case of art influencing commerce, Applebee’s produced an entire commercial around the song and in an apparent act of corporate altruism, the chain brought back its Oreo shake (shout out to lyrics that mention it).
Walker Hayes is as surprised as anyone that his twang-filled ode to date nights at Applebee’s has turned into one of 2021’s biggest country hits. After all, he had a couple of good singles and a dedicated fan base, but there was always the chance that his luck would run out and he’d be left as an occasional guest on country radio.
But the viral success of “Fancy Like” has changed all that. As the OG clip of his dad and daughter dance routine on the front porch has racked up millions of views, the wholesome appeal of the song’s lyrics (and the dance) have been opening ears and hearts far beyond Hayes’ usual country music audience.
