Unless you have been living under a rock or selectively tuning out every radio and/or person singing in down the street recently, you have heard of Taylor Swift. This pop star and her quirky personality are taking the pop music world by storm (not like she wasn’t a pop musician before). Now that she officially declared her abandonment of country music, she can live to thrive another day in a genre where she belongs.
As her first single to her new album 1989, Taylor Swift’s “Shake it Off” has become (either willingly or unwillingly) a part of everyone’s lives. The song is meant to be a pump up jam for people everywhere to shake off all the haters and players of the world and live their lives. As with every Taylor Swift song, the lyrics are clearly referring to her past boy toys. If she was really over the copious amounts of boyfriends she’s had, then her “shaking it off” wouldn’t be talking about them even more.
Don’t get me wrong; the overall message of the song is motivational and catchy, but even past the constant boy complaining, there is one section that I just can’t deal with. The breakdown makes me physically cringe, so I thought I’d reenact my inner thoughts when listening to Taylor Swift and her rap sequence.
"Hey, hey, hey. Just think while you've been getting down and out about the liars and the dirty, dirty cheats of the world."
Are you hinting at something? Is this from personal experience Tay?
"You could've been getting down to this sick beat."
Is this like a self-motivational pep talk? Also, do people say “sick” anymore in any context, let alone in pop songs?
"My ex-man brought his new girlfriend."
Talking about boys again ... really, Taylor? Your originality is inspiring...
"She's like 'Oh, my god!' but I'm just gonna shake."
What are you shaking? Your VMA statue at Kanye West?
"And to the fella over there with the hella good hair..."
Although I appreciate the use of the word "hella," not here my dear Taylor. Not ... here.
"Won't you come on over, baby? We can shake, shake, shake."
Is this a flashback to Harry Styles again? Because we all know how well that went the first time...
The breakdown then fades back into the chorus after Taylor hits a high note, and allows me to recover from what I just experienced. And if that little rap segment didn’t make you uncomfortable, I prescribe a higher dosage of T-Swift in the form of a lovely music video.
If you haven’t felt squeamish and awkward in a while, I recommend watching the "Shake It Off" music video. Not only does it have T-Swift parading around like a noodle in various dance costumes, but just when you thought you’ve seen enough butts (shoutout to the "Anaconda" vid for that one), you see Taylor Swift crawling through twerking booties Army-style.
In every scene of Taylor pretending to be a dance genre - although I didn’t see country in there; too soon, Tay? - you are also graced with the presence of beyond awkward “mom dancing” that’s supposed to make you feel good about your own dancing. So you’re welcome; now, whatever dance moves you whip out at parties can be justified if you just explain that they weren’t as bad as Taylor Swift's.
With all that working against her, I have to give Taylor some credit. Regardless of how heinous the twerking girls in her video are or how she can’t rap to save her life, she came out with an insanely catchy and moderately motivational song that deserves to be the pop hit that it is.
So keep doing you, T-Swift, and if you are offended by this article in any way, just shake it off.
