Shake Hands With Danger began as an American workplace safety short film released in 1980, made to warn workers about preventable accidents around heavy machinery. Its earnest country style title song became the most memorable part, and the short later found a second life through television screenings and online clips. Shared as a meme, the intro is now shorthand for someone ignoring an obvious hazard, with the brief riff alone signalling carelessness long before the accident shown on screen actually happens.