Image Courtesy Republic NashvilleFlorida Georgia Line‘s Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley knew “Burnin’ It Down” was a big hit as soon as they co-wrote it with songwriter Rodney Clawson. So, why did they give it away to Jason Aldean?
It turns out the song was written about a year ago, and FGL had just finished up recording the new tracks for the re-release of their debut album, Here’s to the Good Times. They knew they wouldn’t be able to put it out for at least a year or more if they held on to it.
“The timing was tough on it,” Tyler tells ABC News Radio. “We were listening to it one day, and I think it was B.K. that said, ‘Hey dude, I think Jason would kill this song. We should try to give it to him, and at least let him hear it.’ And next thing we know, he’s cutting it.”
“Burnin’ It Down” has gone on to become a huge hit for Jason as the lead single from his just-released album, Old Boots, New Dirt. Having a superstar record one of their songs is a big dream-come-true for Florida Georgia Line, too.
Says Tyler, “We’re songwriters at heart, first and foremost. To get an outside cut’s big for us. I mean, that’s what we dreamed of for years.”
As for that line in the song about laying “naked in my bed,” Brian says they gave Jason the option of not singing it all. While recording the song’s demo, Tyler explains, “We threw in ‘dreaming [in my bed]’ on the second chorus, ’cause we didn’t know who was gonna cut it.”
Jason sang that “naked” line with no hesitation, and Brian couldn’t be happier with the end result.
He says, “You know when the right song gets to the right person when you hear it back like that. It sounds incredible. He crushed it.”
Florida Georgia Line isn’t hurting for hit songs at all, though. Their latest single, “Dirt,” is included on the duo’s sophomore album, Anything Goes, due out next week.
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