Strip It Down

Album: Kill the Lights (2015)
Charted: 30
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Luke Bryan penned this mellow, romantic song with Ross Copperman (Brett Elderidge's "Lose My Mind," A Thousand Horses' "Smoke") and Jon Nite (Jake Owen's "Beachin'," Keith Urban's "We Were Us.") . The Georgia native said that he'd never really recorded a song like "Strip It Down" before. "I'm five albums in," said Bryan. "This is my fifth album and I've never really done like that slow dance, take your girl and have a big ole, big ole night of romance and all that, and 'Strip It Down' kind of does that and I'm interested to see how the fans react to that."
  • Luke Bryan had never written anything with Ross Copperman or Jon Nite prior to this song. "They come out to the house, we get set up, and Ross is kind of a track guy," the singer recalled to Taste of Country. "You know, a lot of people are writing with track guys these days, and it's pretty fun that these guys can build these ideas. I get to kind of sing along with them and write the song."

    "We just started doing lyrics, and singing lyrics with that mood," Bryan continued. "And then the title, 'Strip It Down,' came out of that."

    "Then we start into that chorus, where you talk about 'the belt turned loose from these old blue jeans,' and all that stuff was so visual," he added. "I remember we were feeling really, really good about this song in the moment."

    Nite and Copperman got together a few days later to complete the track and cut a demo. "The second I heard it, I was like, 'Home run!'" Bryan recounted. "Cuttin' it!"
  • Luke Bryan sings of a disconnected couple working to recapture that first spark they had. "We get busy in our lives," the singer told Billboard magazine. "Me and [wife] Caroline will be at dinner, and we'll be looking at our phones texting people. You know, sometimes you just have to strip it back, and I think everybody can relate to that."
  • Jon Nite was concerned that some of the song's sexual content such as, "Feel my belt turn loose from these old blue jeans," was just a little too specific. However, Bryan told Billboard that he had no intention of editing any of the lines. "I've never considered that once," he insisted. "When I was a kid, I used to sing 'When We Make Love' by Alabama, and I had no idea what the hell I was singing in the song. So I think the song is perfectly tasteful, perfectly sexy and perfectly real."
  • The song climbed to #1 on the country chart on October 3, 2015, becoming Luke Bryan's tenth chart-topping single.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Graham Nash

Graham NashSongwriter Interviews

Graham Nash tells the stories behind some of his famous songs and photos, and is asked about "yacht rock" for the first time.

Gary Lewis

Gary LewisSongwriter Interviews

Gary Lewis and the Playboys had seven Top 10 hits despite competition from The Beatles. Gary talks about the hits, his famous father, and getting drafted.

Motley Crue

Motley CrueFact or Fiction

Was Dr. Feelgood a dentist? Did the "Crüecifixion" really happen?

Into The Great Wide Open: Made-up Musicians

Into The Great Wide Open: Made-up MusiciansSong Writing

Eddie (played by Johnny Depp in the video) found fame fleeting, but Chuck Berry's made-up musician fared better.

Neal Smith - "I'm Eighteen"

Neal Smith - "I'm Eighteen"They're Playing My Song

With the band in danger of being dropped from their label, Alice Cooper drummer Neal Smith co-wrote the song that started their trek from horror show curiosity to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Steve Morse of Deep Purple

Steve Morse of Deep PurpleSongwriter Interviews

Deep Purple's guitarist since 1994, Steve talks about writing songs with the band and how he puts his own spin on "Smoke On The Water."