"Long Shot" is a song by American singer Kelly Clarkson, from her fourth studio album, All I Ever Wanted (2009). The song was written by Katy Perry, Glen Ballard, and Matt Thiessen, it was originally recorded by Perry (along with the single " I Do Not Hook Up") for an unreleased album and was later re-recorded by Clarkson. It is a pop song about taking a chance on pursuing a flawed relationship in spite of it being a "long shot."

The song received mixed to positive reviews from critics, who found it to be a "fun" pop song but also generic and unmemorable. ^[1] In early 2010, the song was played on Canadian radio and entered that country's hot adult contemporary airplay chart despite no official single release or promotion from Clarkson's label. ^[2]

Background and recording

The song was written by Katy Perry, Glen Ballard, and Matt Thiessen as a track for an unreleased album by Perry conceived sometime between the recording of Katy Hudson (2001) and One of the Boys (2008). ^[3] When Perry was dropped from the Def Jam label and the project was scrapped, "Long Shot" and " I Do Not Hook Up" were given to RCA Records for Clarkson to record for her then-upcoming album, All I Ever Wanted. ^{[3] [4]} Clarkson's rendition was recorded by Mike Plotnikoff in 2008 at Bay7 Studios, Sparky Dark Studio, and Sunset Sound Studios, all located in Los Angeles County, California. ^[5]

Composition

"Long Shot" is a pop song ^[7] with a duration of three minutes and thirty-six seconds (3:36). According to the digital sheet music published by MusicNotes.com through Alfred Publishing Co., Inc., it is composed in the key of D minor and is set to a moderately fast tempo of 114 BPM. ^[8] Clarkson's vocal range spans from C₄—C₅. ^[8] The song's instrumentation consists of keyboard, drums, guitar, and bass, which were performed by Howard Benson, Josh Freese, Paul Bushnell, and Phil X, respectively. ^[5]

The song's lyrics explore the inherent risk of starting or continuing a romantic relationship. ^[9] Some critics have suggested the song implies a flawed relationship, which Clarkson is fighting to keep together. ^{[10] [11]} Elements in the lyrics such as the lines "The chance is we won't make it / But I know if I don't take it there's no chance" deliver a message of perseverance and taking risks to reach your goals.

Critical reception

Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic praised the cover for "illustrating why [Clarkson]'s a better pop star" than co-writer Katy Perry, writing that the former sounds "impassioned and invested" in her performance, but "better still... relatable." ^[6] Ann Powers of The Los Angeles Times also noted that Clarkson "removes the cartoon mannerisms" characteristic of Perry's songs in her version of "Long Shot". ^[12] On the other hand, Claire Lobenfeld of Vibe was critical of Clarkson for what he deemed to be her mimicking Perry's "silly and saucy" style. ^[13] Daniel Brockman of The Boston Phoenix and Evan Sawdey of PopMatters both cited "Long Shot" as a highlight of the album, with the latter describing the song as a "sturdy, memorable pop number" that succeeds at playing it safe in a "fun" way. ^{[14] [7]}

Commercial performance

In February 2010, two Hot AC stations in Canada began playing "Long Shot" as a potential radio single, leading it to enter the New and Active category for the week ending March 6, 2010 with 82 plays. ^[15] The album's fourth official single, " All I Ever Wanted", impacted Hot AC radio on March 6, 2010. ^[16] "Long Shot" reached a peak airplay position of 33, in May 2010, before "All I Ever Wanted" entered the chart. ^[2]

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the All I Ever Wanted liner notes. ^[5]

Personnel

Chart performance

References