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May 15, 2020
Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you chart-topping songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, country music duo Keifer and Shawna Thompson of Thompson Square fall in love, get engaged and tie the knot in their semi-autobiographical 2010 hit, “Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not.”
As the song begins, Keifer and Shawna are talking about “everything under the moon” on the roof of her mom’s house. He’s remembers the intoxicating smell of honeysuckle and her perfume. He also recalls how he was totally panicked — way too shy to make the first move.
Lucky for him, Shawna looks him straight in the eye and asks, “Are you gonna kiss me or not?” Later in the song, Keifer realizes that he wants the relationship to last forever, so he buys a ring and asks for her hand in marriage.
Keifer and Shawna share this key verse: “So I took a chance / Bought a wedding band and I got down on one knee / And you smiled and said to me / Are you gonna kiss me or not? / Are we gonna do this or what? / I think you know I love you a lot / I think we’ve got a real good shot / Are you gonna kiss me or not?”
Written by Jim Collins and David Lee Murphy, “Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not” sold more than two million copies and zoomed to #1 on both the Billboard US Hot Country Songs chart and the Billboard Canada Country chart. It was the second single released from Thompson Square’s self-titled debut album.
The song also earned Grammy nominations for Best Country Duo/Group Performance and Best Country Song.
Even though Keifer and Shawna didn’t write the song, its theme very closely mirrored their own love story.
“The first time we heard it, we fell in love with it,” Keifer told The Boot. “We knew we had to record it. It was semi-autobiographical. We just gravitated towards it. We were definitely blessed to get a hold of it.”
“We got real lucky with Thompson Square,” Collins admitted to The Boot. “They’re husband and wife, and it was kind of their story — how they fell in love, even though I don’t know if it was exactly up on the roof! When we wrote it, I thought it was a good song. But when I heard their record, the way they cut it, I thought, ‘Man! This could be a hit!'”
Born in Miami, OK, Keifer Thompson met his future wife, a native of Chatom, AL, at a singing competition in Nashville, TN. Together, they have produced three albums and placed 10 singles on the Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts.
Please check out the video of Thompson Square’s live performance from the Bing Lounge in 2013. The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…
“Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not” Written by David Lee Murphy & Jim Collins. Performed by Thompson Square.
We were sittin’ up there on your momma’s roof Talkin’ ’bout everything under the moon With the smell of honeysuckle and your perfume All I could think about was my next move
Oh, but you were so shy, so was I Maybe that’s why it was so hard to believe When you smiled and said to me
Are you gonna kiss me or not? Are we gonna do this or what? I think you know I like you a lot But you’re ’bout to miss your shot Are you gonna kiss me or what?
It was the best dang kiss that I ever had Except for that long one after that And I knew if I wanted this thing to last Sooner or later I’d have to ask for your hand
So I took a chance Bought a wedding band and I got down on one knee And you smiled and said to me
Are you gonna kiss me or not? Are we gonna do this or what? I think you know I love you a lot I think we’ve got a real good shot Are you gonna kiss me or not?
So, we planned it all out for the middle of June From the wedding cake to the honeymoon And your momma cried When you walked down the aisle
When the preacher man said, “Say I do” I did and you did too, then I lifted that veil And saw your pretty smile and I said Are you gonna kiss me or not?
Are we gonna do this or what? Look at all the love that we got It ain’t never gonna stop Are you gonna kiss me or not?
Yeah baby, I love you a lot I really think we’ve got a shot Are you gonna kiss me or not?
Credit: Screen capture via YouTube.com/987TheBull.
