"Shake Me Down" is the first single and fourth track on Cage the Elephant

Cage the Elephant

Cage the Elephant is an American rock band from Bowling Green, Kentucky, that formed in mid-2006. Since their formation, the band has gained a large following in the US as well as the UK and Canada for their sound and their high-energy live performances. The band released their self-titled debut...

's second album Thank You, Happy Birthday

Thank You, Happy Birthday

Thank You, Happy Birthday is the second studio album by American rock band Cage the Elephant. It was released on January 11, 2011 to positive critical reception...

.
A music video for the single was released on January 11, 2011. Both the song and the video gained much critical acclaim , and earned a nomination for Best Rock Video at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards

2011 MTV Video Music Awards

The 2011 MTV Video Music Awards took place on August 28, at Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, honoring the best music videos from the previous year. On July 20, the nominees were announced...

 

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

The Shins

The Shins are an American indie rock band comprising singer, songwriter, and guitarist James Mercer, guitarist/bassist Dave Hernandez, Eric Johnson of Fruit Bats, drummer Joe Plummer and bassist Ron Lewis. Their sound draws on several musical genres, including pop, alternative rock, indie rock,...

. The song Matthew Shultz

Matthew Shultz

Matt Shultz is the lead singer for the American Alternative rock band, Cage The Elephant. Matt also plays guitar on the bonus track "Cover Me Again" off of their self-titled album...

 singing about life's many depressing aspects in the verses, while the chorus is a short burst of optimism. The song features quiet verses broken by loud drum interludes.

Music video

In the music video, directed by Isaac Rentz

Isaac rentz

Isaac Rentz is a music video and commercial director.- Biography :Rentz was born in Japan, and was raised in Tempe, Arizona. He was signed to Draw Pictures for UK and US music video representation until 2010...

, a middle-aged jogger relives vivid memories of his life through a surreal, nostalgic journey. At the end of the video, the man sees his deceased friends and family members, including his mother. 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

Matthew Shultz

Matt Shultz is the lead singer for the American Alternative rock band, Cage The Elephant. Matt also plays guitar on the bonus track "Cover Me Again" off of their self-titled album...

 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 , and garnered a nomination for Best Rock Video at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards

2011 MTV Video Music Awards

The 2011 MTV Video Music Awards took place on August 28, at Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, honoring the best music videos from the previous year. On July 20, the nominees were announced...

.

Chart performance

The single has proved to be their most successful in the UK despite not being their highest charting, it spent 6 weeks in the top 100 at #99, #87, #78, #58, #55, then it spent a final week at #67, In One Ear (song)

In One Ear (song)

"In One Ear" is a song by American rock band Cage the Elephant. It was released as the second, then re-released as the fifth single from the band's 2009 self-titled debut album...

 and Ain't No Rest for the Wicked

Ain't No Rest For the Wicked

"Ain't No Rest for the Wicked" is the third single by the American rock band Cage the Elephant. It was released as a CD single on June 16, 2008 by Relentless Records and became the first Top 40 hit for the band in the UK. A music video was filmed for this song which was directed by of Pulse Films...

 both spent 2 weeks in the top 100.

>

Chart (2010–2011)	Peak position
Canadian Hot 100 Canadian Hot 100 The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007...	51
U.S. Billboard Alternative Songs	1
U.S. Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks	10
U.S. Billboard Rock Songs Rock Songs Rock Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks the airplay of songs on alternative, mainstream rock and triple A radio stations. The first chart was published in the issue dated June 20, 2009. "Know Your Enemy" by Green Day was the first number-one song. The Rock Songs...	1
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	78
U.S. Billboard Heatseekers Songs	4