Brett Young has built his career on songs that capture the fragile balance between vulnerability and romance. From the aching honesty of “Mercy” to the heartfelt promises of “In Case You Didn’t Know,” his voice has always carried the weight of emotion. But with “Not Yet,” from his 2021 album Weekends Look a Little Different These Days, Brett offered something more urgent and more tender—a celebration of love so intoxicating that you’re desperate to make the moment last forever.
Written by Brett alongside Chris DeStefano and Justin Ebach, the song paints the picture of a night that feels too perfect to let end. It’s about those fleeting, magical hours with someone you love, when time seems to move too quickly and every second feels precious. “Don’t say the night’s done, when the world’s still young,” he pleads, capturing the universal feeling of not wanting to let go of something so good.
For Brett, the song reflected his own life as a husband and father. After years of chasing dreams and living on the road, he had learned how quickly time slips away, how fast children grow, and how easily beautiful moments can vanish if we’re not paying attention. “Not Yet” became his way of freezing time—of putting into words the wish we all share: to hold onto love a little longer.
The production mirrors the urgency of the lyrics. With a driving beat and soaring chorus, the song is both romantic and anthemic. It feels like a song you’d want to play with the windows down on a summer night, or at the end of a wedding when no one wants to leave the dance floor. Yet, underneath the energy, Brett’s smooth, soulful voice carries a tenderness that makes the plea feel deeply personal.
For older listeners, “Not Yet” resonates in a powerful way. It speaks to the wisdom of knowing how fleeting time is, how quickly life changes, and how important it is to savor the present. Many fans hear it and think not only of young love but of marriages decades strong, of family dinners that end too soon, or of holding someone’s hand a little tighter because you know the moment won’t last forever.
When Brett performed “Not Yet” live, the song often transformed the audience. Couples swayed closer, groups of friends threw their arms around each other, and strangers sang along, all clinging to the same universal desire: to keep joy alive for just a little longer. The song reminded everyone that no matter your age or stage of life, there are moments you wish could last forever.
That’s why “Not Yet” stands out in Brett Young’s catalog. It isn’t just a love song—it’s a reminder to pause, to savor, to live fully in the now. It teaches us that while tomorrow may be uncertain, tonight is ours. And through Brett’s heartfelt delivery, the song becomes more than music—it becomes a promise to hold onto the moments that matter most, for as long as we can.
