Take It or Leave It

Album: Melophobia (2013)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Vocalist Matt Shultz told the story of this song to MusicRadar.com: "We have a rehearsal cabin in Portland, Tennessee, which if you know anything about Portland, Tennessee, you know that only about 10 people live there," he said. "One day, the band was in the cabin, and Brad started playing this little guitar thing. Pretty soon, Jared started playing drums to it. Everyone jumped in and the song started to happen. It was one of those 'light-bulb' moments."

    "We put together the verse, but the chorus didn't want to come to us," Shultz continued. "That was always a big problem with the song. We cut the track in the studio, but there was still no chorus. After a while, we started to get really down in the dumps, because at first this was the most promising song of all, and now it was just sitting there."

    "One morning, I woke up in my living room, he concluded. "I picked up the guitar and the whole thing poured out. I literally sped down to Nashville to get to the studio to show it to the guys. We jumped right in and recorded it that day. Sometimes these things happen when they're gonna happen, and you just have to be patient."
  • The song's music video is set in a roller dancing contest. "I came up with the idea after seeing American Hustle," Shultz told Radio.com. "I just really liked the aesthetic, that kind of '70s disco, macho kind of thing. The video's kinda like Saturday Night Fever meets Skatetown USA, Patrick Swayze's first movie."

    Shultz added, "We're like the backing band to this roller skating disco competition and the skaters that we got were amazing. Everything looked really authentic. It was awesome."

    Look out for a surprise appearance from actress and singer Juliette Lewis before the roller dancing begins.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

AC/DC

AC/DCFact or Fiction

Does Angus really drink himself silly? Did their name come from a sewing machine? See if you can spot the real stories about AC/DC.

Rickie Lee Jones

Rickie Lee JonesSongwriter Interviews

Rickie Lee Jones on songwriting, social media, and how she's handling Trump.

Who's Johnny, And Why Does He Show Up In So Many Songs

Who's Johnny, And Why Does He Show Up In So Many SongsSong Writing

For songwriters, Johnny represents the American man. He has been angry, cool, magic, a rebel and, of course, marching home.

Grunge Bands Quiz

Grunge Bands QuizMusic Quiz

If the name Citizen Dick means anything to you, there's a chance you'll get some of these right.

Kerry Livgren of Kansas

Kerry Livgren of KansasSongwriter Interviews

In this talk from the '80s, the Kansas frontman talks turning to God and writing "Dust In The Wind."

Songs Discussed in Movies

Songs Discussed in MoviesSong Writing

Bridesmaids, Reservoir Dogs, Willy Wonka - just a few of the flicks where characters discuss specific songs, sometimes as a prelude to murder.