Lean Into It

Album: The Reason Why (2010)
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Songfacts®:

  • This album-closing ballad was written by the group together with the album's co-producer Wayne Kirkpatrick. The quartet felt a personal connection to the lyric about hope, perseverance and overcoming adversity. "It was Wayne's lyrical idea, his hook," Karen Fairchild told Reuters. "He said he was thinking about us and our story."
  • Phillip Sweet of Little Big Town told us: "'Lean Into It' was one I really love on this record that I think was a very focused emotion that we wanted to talk about and write about. And I just love that whole lyric and what it says about us. It's our story of persevering through tough times and I just love that song.

    It was a group effort. The idea started with Wayne. He was inspired by our story of perseverance and we're always having to fight these little battles along the way, and it's never just been an easy path, like when you have one big song and you skyrocket to the top. It's always been a slower build for us, but it's always been strong and solid. So he was inspired by that story of us persevering and always holding our heads high. It builds strength when you can really work your muscles like that, emotional muscles. And instead of backing down when something scares you a little bit, just push through it. You're going to be okay on the other side of it. And I think we've kind of learned that by experience. So the years together and being together and having each other to hold one another's hand, so to speak, through the dark times, it's been the most rewarding thing. And I know I have great friends above all else, and that's really cool." (See our full interview with Phillip Sweet.)

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