"Take You Down" received mixed reviews from contemporary music critics; some noted it as one of the album's highlights while others deemed it of lesser quality of similar R&B songs.

"Take You Down" was written by Brown, Harvey Mason, Jr., Damon Thomas, Steve Russell, James Fauntleroy and Lamar Edwards.

[6] The video was taken from Chris Brown's 2007 and 2008 Up Close and Personal Holiday Exclusive Tour in Nashville at Sommet Center.

It features Brown and two backup dancers, all dressed in black, performing sexual dance moves while on a revolving stage.

[7] Nick Levine of Digital Spy gave the song a two star rating, calling it a "fairly unremarkable R&B slow jam" while commenting that "The only excitement comes in guessing whether the semi-titillating lyrics offer any clues about Brown and Rihanna's bedroom antics.

"[3] Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine linked "Take You Down" to musical compositions by American singer-songwriter Prince, commenting that they "lack the provocative, industrious quality that made him more than simply a good musician and producer.

"[8] Allison Stewart of The Washington Post wrote about the song's lyrical content, noting it as "one of many examples of junior varsity horn-dogging.

[15] In the United Kingdom, the song debuted at number 92 in the issue dated January 24, 2009, where it spent just one week.