Sometimes in relationships, we can get a little ahead of ourselves and become so enamored with the other person that all we want them to do is lean forward, cut us off mid-sentence, and lay one on us. Mary Chapin Carpenter shared the perfect song for that feeling in 1994: “Shut Up and Kiss Me.”
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The song acted as the lead single for Carpenter’s Stones in the Road album and subsequently became her only No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. With Trisha Yearwood on background vocals and an infectious beat, it’s easy to surmise how this song became one of Carpenter’s biggest hits.
Did Carpenter pen this floor filler herself? Find out, below.
Who Wrote “Shut Up and Kiss Me”?
Given Carpenter’s prolific reputation as a songwriter, it’s no surprise she penned “Shut Up and Kiss Me” herself. Carpenter is credited as the sole songwriter for this hit as well as producer.
Carpenter has charted 27 singles throughout her career. Despite only securing one No. 1 hit, her discography is cherished by fans of folk and country.
“I find myself immersed in long periods of just writing every day, putting many, many hours a day sitting at my kitchen table,” Carpenter once told American Songwriter of her writing process. “I take a lot of walks, where I just kind of sing through songs that I’m working on and do a lot of thinking. I know that sounds kind of goofy, but that’s a large part of it. I don’t know how to explain it beyond that.
“I also feel like there’s a side to it that requires discipline, so that’s what I’m referring to when I talk about putting the hours in,” she continued. “There’s a discipline and a work ethic for me that’s part of the process.”
Mary Chapin Carpenter
Carpenter began her career in Washington D.C. While playing around the area, she garnered some attention from country radio, priming her for a lauded career in the genre.
Carpenter brought a folky singer-songwriter sensibility to country in the ’80s and ’90s. Her breakthrough came in 1992 with the album Come On Come On. While that album saw Carpenter add some contemporary, honky-tonk flavors into her sound, her subsequent efforts saw her return to her candid folk roots.
Stones in the Road was both folk-inspired and a commercial success, selling over 6 million copies. With “Shut Up and Kiss Me” leading the way, the album earned Carpenter two Grammys: one for Best Country Album and another for Best Female Vocal Performance.
Chapin has shared 16 studio albums across her career. Her most recent release is a live album titled One Night Lonely. The live album was captured in 2020 at Virginia’s legendary Wolf Trap. For the project, Carpenter performed to an empty house, filling up the space with her rich vocals.
Carpenter will head out on a headlining tour in 2023. Kicking off in June, the run sees Carpenter play a selection of dates around the U.S. Prior to the tour, Carpenter is slated to play at Stagecoach Festival in Indio, California on April 28.
Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images
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