Bottoms Up

Album: Here and Now (2011)
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Songfacts®:

  • This rocker finds Nickelback frontman Chad Kroeger singing about kicking it back with the guys until the clock runs out. The song was made free for listening on the band's official website on September 22, 2011 and was released on September 26 concurrently with the other lead single from Here and Now, "When We Stand Together."
  • The pair of singles represent two different sides of the band with this song being more of a rave up, whilst "When We Stand Together" maintains a Country shuffle. Frontman Chad Kroeger told Nekesa Mumbi Moody of the Associated Press: "When you listen to this record, it sounds like it could be from four different artists. We always try and do the same thing: We try to do something heavier than we've ever done, more melodic than we've ever done, every single time we do this, and I think we've achieved it again. I think we've tried new things and explored new ideas, and I like it when people hear the songs and people say, 'This doesn't sound like Nickelback, this sounds like something different for you guys,'" he continued.
  • The phrase "Bottoms Up" meaning "cheers" or "good health" originates from the British Navy where it was used in the 18th century as a drinking toast. The bottoms are those of the glasses as they are tilted up over the drinkers' mouths.
  • Surprisingly the band found it more challenging penning drinking songs like this one for Here and Now, rather than the pro-social tunes such as "When We Stand Together." "It's a drinking anthem. I mean, it's harder to write those songs than it is to write those social-awareness type songs, it really is," Kroeger admitted to MTV News. "Because for us, they've got to be good. Some of the stuff's got to be a little tongue-in-cheek, there's got to be some clever stuff there, you know, and you've got to be descriptive. But when you get done listening to it, you need to have the feeling of just wanting to grab a bottle of Jack. And I think we got there, because we'd bring friends over all the time and it was just like, 'You are now a test subject! Hit play; turn it up nice and loud.' And the song's over and they'd be like, 'I want to drink. I want to drink something right now.' And we were like 'Yes!'"

Comments: 2

  • Aaden from Lake Cityhi i love your songs
  • Lila from Stevensville, MtThis is one of my FAVORITE songs!!!
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