Ashley McBryde is very close to her mom Martha and her aunt Gloria. "Leave the light on in the kitchen" is a phrase they use to let each other know they're thinking of them and they miss them; the idea is that even if you aren't coming home that night, I'll leave a light on for you anyway to show I care. She gave an example in an interview with Taste Of Country. "I would be getting on stage at night and I may get to my phone after I've gotten off stage, and have a message from aunt Gloria, or from my mom saying 'Headed to bed, the light's on,'" she said. "What a cool thing to have happen, and if it's happening for my family, there's a good chance it's happening for other families." It's a valued tradition for Ashley, who worked this song around it.

McBryde wrote the song with Connie Harrington and Jessi Alexander, who injected bits of their childhoods into it as well. Harrington co-wrote the Reba McEntire tear-jerker "Every Other Weekend"; Alexander's cuts include "I Drive Your Truck" by Lee Brice and "Don't Think Jesus" by Morgan Wallen.

The black-and-white music video re-creates McBryde's childhood home, with sets for her bedroom and the kitchen. It was shot in one take without special effects, so when the camera moved away from a scene, there was a lot of running around to quick change for when it would come around again. McBryde's real-life mom makes an appearance at the end, bringing it full circle.