Songfacts®:

• Michaelson told Billboard magazine why she released this ukulele-strumming one-off single in between her third and fourth album: "It's very poppy and different from what I've done in the past, which is pretty much straight down-the-middle, singer/songwriter stuff," she explained. "I just felt like I wanted to put something out. I'm not ready to put a full album out, so we thought we'd put this out and see how people take it or don't take it."
• The song's sound was influenced by Train's, "Hey Soul Sister," which brought the ukulele to the forefront of a big hit. "I heard that song and I was like, 'Wait a second... oh well, there goes that'," Michaelson said with a laugh. "What I did is now stamped on that song forever - that very, very catchy song that will never go out of our brains."
• Michaelson penned this song with Los Angeles based songwriter/producer Marshall Altman.
• The song was originally recorded in 2009 by Girls Aloud member and X-Factor judge Cheryl Cole. Her version peaked at #5 on the UK singles chart.
• This song represents a step in a new direction for Michaelson. She told Spinner: "I'm very happy with where I am, but I'm really getting bored to tears with the whole singer-songwriter thing. I've done everything I can in that realm. That's why 'Parachute' is really good for me. It's really poppy and I don't want to say balls in an interview, but it's got more balls. It has more power. It feels good. It feels strong."