{{Infobox song | name = Shake Me Down | cover = Shake-Me-Down-320x320.jpg | alt = | type = single | artist = Cage the Elephant | album = Thank You, Happy Birthday | released = November 22, 2010 | recorded = 2010 | studio = | venue = | genre = Alternative rock | length = 3:32 | label = Relentless (UK)<br />Jive/RED (US) | writer = Jared Champion, Lincoln Parish, Brad Shultz, Matt Shultz, Daniel Tichenor | producer = Jay Joyce | prev_title = Back Against the Wall | prev_year = 2009 | next_title = Around My Head | next_year = 2011 | misc = {{External music video|type=single|{{YouTube|v27TRan1SBI|"Shake Me Down"}}}} }}
"'''Shake Me Down'''" is the first single and fourth track on Cage the Elephant's second album ''Thank You, Happy Birthday''. A music video for the single was released on January 11, 2011.<ref name="buzzworthy.mtv.com">{{Cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/music/2011/01/11/video-premiere-cage-the-elephant-shake-me-down/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180926234059/http://www.mtv.com/news/music//2011/01/11/video-premiere-cage-the-elephant-shake-me-down/|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 26, 2018|title=News - Entertainment, Music, Movies, Celebrity|website=MTV News|access-date=7 June 2021}}</ref> Both the song and the video gained much critical acclaim,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://musicdune.com/reviews/track-review-cage-the-elephant-shake-me-down |title=Track Review: Cage the Elephant – Shake Me Down - MusicDune |access-date=2011-07-23 |archive-date=2011-10-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111028214135/http://musicdune.com/reviews/track-review-cage-the-elephant-shake-me-down |url-status=dead }}</ref> and earned a nomination for Best Rock Video at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bgdailynews.com/amplifier/music/cte-video-nominated-for-mtv-video-music-awards-best-rock-video/article_f6122805-5b26-506c-bead-bc72ee5dc499.html|title=CTE video nominated for MTV Video Music Award's Best Rock Video|first=Kim|last=Mason|website=Bowling Green Daily News|access-date=7 June 2021}}</ref> Rolling Stone described the song as a "all dreamy Beatlesque psychedelia."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rosen |first=Jody |date=2011-01-11 |title=Thank You Happy Birthday |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/thank-you-happy-birthday-101423/ |access-date=2026-05-08 |website=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Composition== The song features Cage the Elephant percussionist Jared Champion playing on a set of toy drums. The guitar riff was borrowed from a song that bassist Daniel Tichenor's father had written and the bass line was inspired by the Shins.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.songfacts.com/facts/cage-the-elephant/shake-me-down|title=Shake Me Down by Cage the Elephant - Songfacts|website=Songfacts.com|access-date=7 June 2021}}</ref> The song is Matthew Shultz singing about life's many depressing aspects in the verses, while the chorus is a short burst of optimism.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://songmeanings.com:443/songs/view/3530822107858851585/|title=Cage the Elephant - Shake Me Down Lyrics|website=SongMeanings.com|access-date=7 June 2021}}</ref> The song features quiet verses broken by loud drum interludes.
==Music video== In the music video, directed by Isaac Rentz, a middle-aged jogger relives vivid memories of his life through a surreal, nostalgic journey.<ref name="buzzworthy.mtv.com"/> At the end of the video, the man sees his deceased friends and family members, including his wife. The video then shows that the man was dreaming the entire time, and died in his sleep. As his wife cries by his side, the video fades with a blurred view of the man standing next to the shore at a beach. Singer Matthew Shultz is occasionally seen singing in a tent in the man's childhood hideout, while the rest of the band plays through various cut scenes. The music video achieved critical acclaim,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://thedeceptivecadence.com/?p=637 |title=Cage the Elephant – Shake Me Down [REVIEW] – the Deceptive Cadence |access-date=2011-07-24 |archive-date=2012-03-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120328040923/http://thedeceptivecadence.com/?p=637 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and garnered a nomination for Best Rock Video at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1667707/cage-the-elephant-video-music-award-nomination-reaction/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151121154522/http://www.mtv.com/news/1667707/cage-the-elephant-video-music-award-nomination-reaction/|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 21, 2015|title=Cage The Elephant's VMA Nod 'A Total Surprise'|first=James|last=Montgomery|website=MTV News|access-date=7 June 2021}}</ref>
==Chart performance== The single proved to be their most successful in the UK despite not being their highest charting; it spent 6 weeks in the top 100 at number 99, 87, 78, 58, 55, then a final week at number 67. "In One Ear" and "Ain't No Rest for the Wicked" both spent 2 weeks in the top 100.
===Weekly charts=== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" !Chart (2011) !Peak<br />position |- {{single chart|Billboardcanadianhot100|51|artist=Cage the Elephant|rowheader=true|access-date=August 17, 2021}} |- {{single chart|Billboardcanadarock|1|artist=Cage the Elephant|rowheader=true|access-date=August 17, 2021}} |- {{single chart|Scotland|56|date=2011-03-27|rowheader=true|access-date=August 17, 2021}} |- {{single chart|UK|55|date=2011-03-27|rowheader=true}} |- {{single chart|Billboardhot100|78|artist=Cage the Elephant|rowheader=true|access-date=August 17, 2021}} |- {{single chart|Billboardrocksongs|1|artist=Cage the Elephant|rowheader=true|access-date=August 17, 2021}} |- |}
===Year-end charts=== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |- ! scope="col"| Chart (2011) ! scope="col"| Position |- ! scope="row"| US Hot Rock Songs (''Billboard'')<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2011/hot-rock-songs|title=Hot Rock Songs – Year-End 2011|magazine=Billboard|access-date=August 17, 2021}}</ref> | 2 |}
==Certifications== {{Certification Table Top}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|title=Shake Me Down|artist=Cage the Elephant|type=single|award=Platinum|relyear=2010|certyear=2019|access-date=August 17, 2021}} {{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{YouTube|v27TRan1SBI|"Shake Me Down" Music video}}
{{Cage the Elephant}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shake Me Down}} Category:2010 singles Category:Cage the Elephant songs Category:Rock ballads Category:Song recordings produced by Jay Joyce Category:2010 songs Category:Relentless Records singles Category:Jive Records singles Category:Songs written by Matt Shultz (singer)