Not Over You

"Not Over You" is a song by American recording artist Gavin DeGraw, released as the lead single from his fourth studio album, Sweeter, on May 17, 2011.^[1] The song was written by DeGraw and Ryan Tedder, and produced by Tedder.^[2] The song peaked at No. 18 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it DeGraw's most successful song on the chart since his breakout hit "I Don't Want to Be", becoming his fourth Top 40 hit. It also became his first song to reach the top spot on the Adult Pop Songs.^[3] Sara Evans covered the song as a duet with DeGraw on her 2014 album Slow Me Down.

"Not Over You"
Single by Gavin DeGraw
from the album Sweeter
Released	May 17, 2011^[1]
Recorded	2011
Genre	Pop rock blue-eyed soul
Length	3:38^[1]
Label	RCA
Songwriter(s)	Gavin DeGraw Ryan Tedder^[2]
Producer(s)	Ryan Tedder Jerrod Bettis
Gavin DeGraw singles chronology
"Dancing Shoes" (2009) "Not Over You" (2011) "Sweeter" (2012)

Background

The first single from singer-songwriter Gavin DeGraw's fourth album, Sweeter, was a collaboration with OneRepublic's lead singer and songwriter Ryan Tedder.^[2] According to "Songfacts", the pair initially met when they performed on the same bill and the two, both groove-minded piano players, decided to write together.^[2] Not Over You is one of two songs DeGraw co-wrote with Tedder for the LP.^[2] While talking about the collaboration with Tedder, Gavin told The Examiner: "I think Ryan did a great job with featuring piano up front with the vocals."^[4]

Composition

"You create this scenario - you see them in your dreams and if you bumped into them, you would let them know that you're doing fine and you're past the breakup - but you'd be lying."

—Gavin DeGraw told AOL Music about the song meaning.^[2]

The song emotionally evokes the difficulty of getting over someone. "'Not Over You' is about trying to get past someone emotionally," DeGraw explained to AOL Music. DeGraw expanded on the song: "It's kind of riding that line between vulnerability and pride. You're saying 'If I saw you, even though I'm missing you, I wouldn't tell you I was missing you.' That may or may not be a masculine trait, but I do know it's prideful and vulnerable. I've been there, so that's why I got behind the song, and I know a lot of people have been there too, it's just real. You don't always have to be romantic - sometimes it's important to just be real."^[2] Scott Schelter from "Pop Crush" realized that "The song finds DeGraw in a seriously depressed place. He sings about listening to the radio while staring at a picture of his ex and wishing they could still be together."^[5] It features a jangly piano and artificial drum beat.^[6]

Critical reception

Scott Schelter wrote a very positive review for "Pop Crush", writing that "the music manages to stay vibrant thanks to lively drums and DeGraw’s keys. While commenting that "the hook is a bit more thoughtful and complex than many choruses in pop music."^[5] Emily Exton wrote for "Pop Dust" that "“Not Over You” is standard DeGraw fare: introspective tales from the nice guy, with a piano-driven melody, becoming catchy to the point of delirium."^[7] Ken Capobianco wrote for Boston Globe that the song is "a manipulative slice of mope pop."^[8] Andy Baber of musicOMH wrote that "Its slick production and niggly technical effects clearly align the song with Tedder’s previous work, yet DeGraw’s excessively worded chorus comes across as awkward and emotionally faux."^[6]

Music video

 

A screen capture from the four-minute music video, where DeGraw is pictured on the right singing the song emotionally into a microphone while playing the piano with a band, and the band's drum is pictured on the left.

The music video was released on his page on YouTube/VEVO on June 28, 2011.^[9] It features shots of DeGraw and his love interest (played by Marjorie Levesque) being separate from one another throughout much of the video in various parts of the city, but meeting and kissing in the end. The video has garnered over 20 million views on YouTube/Vevo.^[10]

Storyline

The video begins with DeGraw lost in thought and in full search of his girlfriend from the past. Later, the girl is shown watering plants. Suddenly, the shot goes to a split screen of her and the heartbroken man. The video continues with the split shots periodically, bouncing back and forth from two DeGraws to two of the girl scouting around town. In comparing the split screen images, it becomes evident that DeGraw is on this girl's mind, too, as they seem to be doing the same things at the same time, only in different places. She finally gets the nerve to go to his place, but unfortunately, it is just a minute after he has left home looking for her. By the end, the girl runs off into the streets and bumps into him, and they share an emotional embrace and decide to get back together.^[11]

Live performances

DeGraw first performed "Not Over You" on the Today Show on September 15, 2011^[12] and then the next day on Live! with Regis and Kelly.^[13] The song was also performed by DeGraw on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on September 20, 2011,^[14] and on Fox & Friends on September 21, 2011.^[15] On January 9, 2012, he sang "Not Over You" on Conan^[16] and also on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.^[17] DeGraw performed the song during the finale of The Voice of Holland's second season.^[18][19] DeGraw performed "Not Over You" and "Sweeter" on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on May 21, 2012.^[20]

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2011–2012) Peak position Australia (ARIA)^[21] 37 Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)^[22] 12 Canada (Canadian Hot 100)^[23] 23 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[24] 13 Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[25] 16 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[26] 8 Norway (VG-lista)^[27] 12 US Billboard Hot 100^[28] 18 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)^[29] 9 US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)^[30] 1 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)^[31] 7

Year-end charts Chart (2011) Position Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[32] 48 Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[33] 62 US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)^[34] 34 Chart (2012) Position Canada (Canadian Hot 100)^[35] 79 US Billboard Hot 100^[36] 60 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)^[37] 18 US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)^[38] 13 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)^[39] 44

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)^[40]	Platinum	70,000^^
New Zealand (RMNZ)^[41]	Gold	7,500^*
United States (RIAA)^[42]	4× Platinum	4,000,000^‡
^* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ^‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

1. "iTunes - Music - Not Over You - Single by Gavin DeGraw". iTunes. Apple Inc. Retrieved September 14, 2011.
2. "Not Over You by Gavin DeGraw - Songfacts". Songfacts. Retrieved September 14, 2011.
3. Trust, Gary (January 26, 2012). "Weekly Chart Notes: Adele, Kelly Clarkson, Gavin DeGraw". Billboard. Retrieved January 28, 2012.
4. Tuin, Marian (June 22, 2011). . The Examiner. Archived from the original on April 2, 2012. Retrieved September 14, 2011.
5. Shelter, Scott (May 17, 2011). "GAVIN DEGRAW, 'NOT OVER YOU' – SONG REVIEW". Pop Crush. Retrieved September 14, 2011.
6. Baber, Andy. . MusicOMH. Archived from the original on February 4, 2012. Retrieved February 3, 2012.
7. Exton, Emily (June 22, 2011). "The Singles Bars: Gavin DeGraw - Not Over You". Pop Dust. Retrieved September 14, 2011.
8. Capobianco, Ken (September 20, 2011). . Boston Globe. Archived from the original on May 16, 2012. Retrieved September 22, 2011.
9. "Gavin DeGraw - Not Over You - YouTube". YouTube. June 28, 2011. Retrieved September 14, 2011.
10. Gavin DeGraw - Not Over You. YouTube. Archived from the original on December 11, 2021.
11. Hensel, Amanda. "GAVIN DEGRAW HITS THE STREETS IN NEW 'NOT OVER YOU' VIDEO". Pop Crush. Retrieved September 14, 2011.
12. "Gavin's Interview And Performance On The Today Show". gavindegraw.com. September 15, 2011. Retrieved January 28, 2012.
13. "Gavin's Appearance on Live! With Regis and Kelly Rescheduled". gavindegraw.com. August 10, 2011. Retrieved January 28, 2012.
14. "Watch an Encore Performance of Gavin DeGraw on Jimmy Kimmel Live!". gavindegraw.com. September 30, 2011. Retrieved January 28, 2012.
15. "Gavin DeGraw Performs 'Not Over You' From New Album 'Sweeter' on Fox and Friends". Fox News Insider. September 21, 2011. Retrieved January 28, 2012.
16. "Watch Gavin's Performance on Conan O'Brien". gavindegraw.com. January 10, 2012. Retrieved January 28, 2012.
17. "Gavin DeGraw Performs 'Not Over You'". The Ellen DeGeneres Show. WarnerBros.com. January 9, 2012. Retrieved January 28, 2012.
18. "The Voice of Holland - Gavin Degraw, Not Over You". Retrieved January 28, 2012.
19. "Birdy, Taio Cruz en Gavin DeGraw in The Voice-finale" (in Dutch). nu.nl. January 17, 2012. Retrieved January 28, 2012.
20. "Gavin DeGraw Performs "Sweeter"". YouTube/Jimmy Kimmel Live!. May 21, 2012. Retrieved May 22, 2012.
21. "Gavin DeGraw – Not Over You". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
22. "Gavin DeGraw – Not Over You" (in Dutch). Ultratip.
23. "Gavin DeGraw Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard.
24. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Gavin DeGraw" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
25. "Gavin DeGraw – Not Over You" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
26. "Gavin DeGraw – Not Over You". Top 40 Singles.
27. "Gavin DeGraw – Not Over You". VG-lista.
28. "Gavin DeGraw Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
29. "Gavin DeGraw Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard.
30. "Gavin DeGraw Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard.
31. "Gavin DeGraw Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
32. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 2011". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
33. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 2011". MegaCharts. Retrieved December 15, 2019.
34. "Adult Pop Songs – Year-End 2011". Billboard. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
35. "Canadian Hot 100 – Year End 2012". Billboard. Retrieved August 14, 2019.
36. "Best of 2012 - Hot 100 Songs". Billboard. Retrieved December 14, 2012.
37. "Adult Contemporary Songs – Year-End 2012". Billboard. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
38. "Adult Pop Songs – Year-End 2012". Billboard. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
39. "Pop Songs – Year-End 2012". Billboard. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
40. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2012 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
41. "New Zealand single certifications – Gavin DeGraw – Not Over You". Recorded Music NZ.
42. "American single certifications – Gavin DeGraw – Not Over You". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved July 7, 2022.