Look at You

Album: Gravity (2014)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The first single from Big & Rich's Gravity album, this was written by John Rich with former Muzic Mafia member Shannon Lawson. "We were just talking about, man have you ever been sitting somewhere, having a great time, and here she comes walking right in there, knowing you were going to be sitting there, and she comes in there looking like a million dollars, did it on purpose," Rich explained of the inspiration for the tune. "You're going, 'Yeah, that's me. I'm the idiot that let that go.'"
  • Big Kenny said he was immediately drawn into the song's message. "This is a song that, when I heard it, I found the lyric a little of an unusual twist," he explained. "Because it's really, when you get into the beginning of the chorus, it feels like you're looking at the person you love, and telling them how much you love them. Except they don't love you anymore in the song."

    "But the song doesn't necessarily feel that way. It doesn't even feel like that's what you're conveying," Big Kenny added. "But when you listen to the lyric, you realize that that's the conundrum."
  • The song was inspired by Rich's personal experience of an encounter with a former girlfriend. "She decided that she was going to come into the bar that she knew that I would be hanging out in, drowning in my sorrows and the breakup of several years with her," he recalled to Radio.com. "She knew exactly where I'd be. She shows up and has bought all new clothes. I don't know if she had a makeup artist or what. She looked like an absolute movie star. [She] comes walking in and I'm going, 'Oh my God, how hot does she look!'"

    Rich's ex took to the dance floor knowing he was watching her and proceeded to dance with every guy at the bar. "(This) is where the bridge of 'Look At You' comes in," Rich said. "I'm going, 'Okay. I could start a tab and run it up or close it up and head to my truck. Drive away as fast as I can and forget we never loved.'"

    "I remember being in that spot and I said, 'Man, I bet there's a lot of guys that have that same story and a lot of girls who have done that,'" he continued. "When you write country music you genuinely write from stuff you know. I screwed up. Even though looking back, I didn't really screw up. But at that time you're thinking, 'What did I let go of? How did I mess that one up?'"

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Dave Alvin - "4th Of July"

Dave Alvin - "4th Of July"They're Playing My Song

When Dave recorded the first version of the song with his group the Blasters, producer Nick Lowe gave him some life-changing advice.

Second Wind Songs

Second Wind SongsSong Writing

Some songs get a second life when they find a new audience through a movie, commercial, TV show, or even the Internet.

Jack Blades of Night Ranger and Damn Yankees

Jack Blades of Night Ranger and Damn YankeesSongwriter Interviews

Revisit the awesome glory of Night Ranger and Damn Yankees: cheesily-acted videos, catchy guitar licks, long hair, and lyrics that are just plain relatable.

Waiting For The Break of Day: Three Classic Songs About All-Nighters

Waiting For The Break of Day: Three Classic Songs About All-NightersSong Writing

These Three famous songs actually describe how they were written - late into the evening.

Jimmy Jam

Jimmy JamSongwriter Interviews

The powerhouse producer behind Janet Jackson's hits talks about his Boyz II Men ballads and regrouping The Time.

Donnie Iris (Ah! Leah!, The Rapper)

Donnie Iris (Ah! Leah!, The Rapper)Songwriter Interviews

Before "Rap" was a form of music, it was something guys did to pick up girls in nightclubs. Donnie talks about "The Rapper" and reveals the identity of Leah.