Songfacts®:

• Thomas Rhett told the story of this cut, which he penned with Jon Pardi producer Bart Butler and Ray Stevens' bass player Larry McCoy. "This song came out because I had just been listening to 'Stayin' Alive' by the Bee Gees," he explained, "and I went into a room with a few buddies. We wanted to write a song with country lyrics, but we wanted it to have the old '80s dance feel. That's kind of why this song has such a funky groove and is a great song to play live."
• The song showcases an R&B side to Rhett. "I've got a lot of that in me," he told Billboard magazine. "I grew up listening to '(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay,' Aretha Franklin, Muddy Waters, and all the Rolling Stones stuff. I think that's where the soulful side of my voice comes from. It's not 100% bluesy, but I come from a lot of that. So to put out a song like this is really fun for me."
  
  "It's just a song that makes you feel good," Rhett added. "You just want to crank the windows down and have a good time with it."
• The video was directed by TK McKamy, who also helmed Rhett's "It Goes Like This" and" Get Me Some of That" clips. The visual was shot in Nashville and features the singer performing a number of dance moves, which didn't necessarily come naturally at first. "Making this video put me a little outside my comfort zone," Rhett said. "I wanted it to have a little swagger in a loose, fun way and reflect that sort of Bee Gees feel the song has. I've never claimed to be a dancer, but me and my band love to goof off on stage, especially to this song. I wanted the video to reflect that and let everyone know it's OK to shake your hips a little bit."
• Billboard magazine chose this as their best country song of 2014. So what sets it apart? They said it was "the '70s R&B-influenced production that melds with Rhett's southern twang to make for a record that would make Otis Redding smile."
• Rhett wrote this the day after he'd watched the movie Airplane. He recalled to Radio.com: "My grandma used to love watching that movie, and Grease, with me. When I'd go to her house, she'd always try to teach me all the dances they used to do in the '50s and '60s. And so I've always been intrigued by that period of music."
  
  "So when 'Make Me Wanna' was written, it was written from that scene in Airplane when they are playing 'Staying Alive' by the Bee Gees," he continued. "I was like, 'I want to go write that melody with a country lyric,' and that's what we did."
• Bart Butler told The Boot the story of the writing of the song: "Thomas was running late," he recalled. "He shows up, and he says, 'Guys, I'm sorry. But do you know who the Bee Gees are? I was watching the movie Airplane last night. You know that whole Saturday Night Live Fever thing?' I go, 'Yeah.' He said, 'I like that feel, the disco feel. I've got this little riff.'"
  
  "Of course, Larry's sitting there, and [Rhett] started playing a chord," Butler continued. "He goes, 'Man, I can't figure out exactly how to finish this chord, but I hear [hums chorus melody].' Larry finished the chord with him, and they started working on that melody."
  
  "All of a sudden, I said, 'What about "Make Me Wanna"?' I've got this title laying around, and we went from there," he added. "I think that whole energy that day was amazing because Thomas - he said the movie made him feel good, and he came in with a good idea, and boom."
  
  "I think we knew we had something," Butler concluded. "But I think when I heard the official demo that they did, I knew we had a hit."
• Lauren Rhett usually loves her husband's music, but there's one song she's never enjoyed. "She hated 'Make Me Wanna' with a passion. Still does," Thomas Rhett said in 2019. "Every year she asks me, 'Are you taking 'Make Me Wanna' out of the setlist this year?'"