Shut it Down

Album: Crash My Party (2013)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This Tony Martin, Wendell Mobley and Neil Thrasher penned cut is built around the around the lyric "any hay to make can wait for now." Bryan commented that it's probably the first time he's done "a real, real sexy song."
  • The song finds Bryan singing about a farmer literally leaving the hay that he is making so that he and his wife can figuratively go make hay while the sun shines. The double meaning is based on the expression "make hay while the sun shines," meaning to act promptly when the opportunity arises. Other similar metaphors include "strike while the iron is hot" and "take time by the forelock."
  • Bing Crosby and Marion Davies sung a song titled "We'll Make Hay While the Sun Shines" in the 1933 movie Going Hollywood. It used the expression in a similar way:

    "Take me where the daisies
    Cover the country lanes
    We'll make hay while the sun shines
    We'll make love when it rains."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Bill Withers

Bill WithersSongwriter Interviews

Soul music legend Bill Withers on how life experience and the company you keep leads to classic songs like "Lean On Me."

Dick Wagner (Alice Cooper/Lou Reed)

Dick Wagner (Alice Cooper/Lou Reed)Songwriter Interviews

The co-writer/guitarist on many Alice Cooper hits, Dick was also Lou Reed's axeman on the Rock n' Roll Animal album.

Women Who Rock

Women Who RockSong Writing

Evelyn McDonnell, editor of the book Women Who Rock, on why the Supremes are just as important as Bob Dylan.

Tom Johnston from The Doobie Brothers

Tom Johnston from The Doobie BrothersSongwriter Interviews

The Doobies guitarist and lead singer, Tom wrote the classics "Listen To The Music," "Long Train Runnin'" and "China Grove."

Evolution Of The Prince Symbol

Evolution Of The Prince SymbolSong Writing

The evolution of the symbol that was Prince's name from 1993-2000.

Pete Anderson

Pete AndersonSongwriter Interviews

Pete produced Dwight Yoakam, Michelle Shocked, Meat Puppets, and a very memorable track for Roy Orbison.