In an interview with Billboard Walker stated, "Music should provoke some type of emotion in people, whether it be sad, romantic, or happy, and 'Then What?' is definitely a pick-me-upper." He also stated, "As an entertainer, being on the road so much, I hope to have a song that will go over good live. And this is probably the best song live that we've had since my first single."[2]
Critical reception
Larry Flick of Billboard wrote "The island feel of this track's production gives Walker's new single a fresh, bouncy, and totally appealing sound. Walker's vocal is teeming with personality, and this little number should find instant favor among programmers looking for a sunny winter offering."[3]The Dallas Morning News wrote, "A quasi-calypso ditty - you can't get more innocuous than this - the song's accompanying video comes complete with Gilligan's Island motif and the usually stiff Mr. Walker donning sandals and singing with his denim shirt wide open.[4]
Kevin John Coyne of Country Universe listed "Then What?" as the 377th greatest contemporary country single and wrote, "With this out-of-left-field smash, Walker has the dubious honor of bringing Caribbean-flavored country back to the forefront."[5]
Music video
The music video was directed by Martin Kahan. It has a very summery beachy theme, with Walker performing the song against an aquarium backdrop with a huge shark with its mouth wide open in the middle to an audience, and at a boat marina both on a pier and a boat singing to the customers as they are boarding. Other scenes feature Walker inside a huge crocodile prop, a couple going into a huge fish head only to run out again, people painting green balls, and a reggae band playing on a beach.[6]
Chart performance
This song debuted at number 60 on the Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart dated December 27, 1997. It charted for 27 weeks on that chart, and peaked at number 2 on the chart dated April 11, 1998. It also peaked at number 65 on the Billboard Hot 100.
^Schmitzer, Lauren. "Country radio warms up to laid-back Caribbean sounds." Billboard 110.13 (1998): 24. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 18 May 2011.
^Flick, Larry Billboard Single Reviews DECEMBER 20, 1997
^The Dallas Morning News You can cut a disc, but can you cut a deal? (8 March 1998).