That’s What People Say (ooh ooh)
"Shake It Off" deep dive episode out now!
In this deep dive episode, we get into the groove of Taylor Swift's “Shake It Off” from her album 1989 (Taylor’s Version). We start by discussing how the song acts as a strategic move by Swift to rebrand herself as a pop artist and connect with a larger audience. We look at how Taylor addresses the haters and criticisms she’s received over the years through her lyrics. And we make the case that this is not a simple song–it’s a therapeutic anthem of resilience, empowerment, and growth. Jodi and Jenn get flashbacks to grad school thinking about this song, and Maansi…well, listen to hear what Maansi really thinks about this song.
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🎒This Week’s Extra Credit - Brought to You by Jodi
It’s like I’ve got this music in my mind
Saying “it’s gonna be alright”
Pretend for a moment you’re not a Taylor Swift fan and you don’t have an immediate association with those lines. When you read them, what do you think they’re about?
I see someone who uses music as an escape. Someone who has a lot going on, and is comforted by the music that drowns out the noise in her head. Those two lines from the pre-chorus of “Shake It Off” articulate music’s, and therefore this song’s, power.
“Shake It Off” came out right as I started my first year of business school. After living basically my entire life within the same 20-mile radius in New York, I decided to quit my job, pack up my life, and mail it in 20 boxes to Michigan to get my MBA. Was this my decision? Yes. Was I excited? Of course. Was I scared that I’d made a huge mistake leaving everything I knew and was comfortable with behind? Absolutely. I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do with my life or my career. I had to make new friends and build a new life, in a new city.
And then here comes a song about shaking off doubt and moving forward despite negativity and criticisms.
The thing I love about music is how one song can resonate so deeply with so many people. Music can tap into our deepest, most personal feelings and validate them. Here’s a song Taylor wrote about the flack she got for being famous and the criticisms she got about her music—and yet, this song felt incredibly personal to ME. A non-famous, non-musical person who would never be mistaken for Taylor Swift even if I wasn’t 5 feet tall to her 5’11. What makes a song Taylor wrote about her situation become my anthem? What makes this same song one that helped Jenn feel like she was going to survive her own grad school experience? (Maybe this is simply an anthem for overachieving women in grad school everywhere?)
The Psychology of Pop Music
What is it about lyrics—pop lyrics, in particular—that make them not just catchy, but anthemic? Why do certain songs have the ability to touch millions of people and become cultural touchstones?
Pop music is designed to be accessible and relatable. Songs often feature simple melodies, repetitive hooks, and easy-to-understand lyrics. This makes it easier for listeners to connect with the music and internalize the song's messages. In the case of "Shake It Off," Taylor uses poetic repetition (epizeuxis, anyone?) to create her hooks, simple melodies, and often monosyllabic lyrics that make it easier for the song to resonate with a wide audience.
When we listen to a pop song, our brains release dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward. This chemical reaction reinforces our emotional connection to the music and makes us more likely to seek out similar songs in the future. With "Shake It Off," the upbeat tempo and catchy melody get us listening. Then, the song’s lyrics about empowerment, resilience, and self-worth deepen the emotional connection and create a deeper emotional response. "Shake It Off" is basically science!
Making Taylor’s Personal Song Everyone’s Anthem
So how do we relate to songs on a personal level when they're not about us? It's a common phenomenon—hearing a song on the radio (or Spotify, sorry, I’m old) and thinking “OMG this is about ME!”
"Shake It Off" is a prime example of a song that resonates with listeners personally, even if their circumstances are quite different from Taylor’s (because let’s be honest—most of our circumstances are a lil different than Taylor’s).
The key to this connection lies in the emotional universality of the song's message. While Taylor likely wrote "Shake It Off" in response to her own experiences with fame and criticism, the underlying themes of resilience, self-belief, and overcoming adversity are relatable to anyone facing challenges in their own lives. The lyrics remind us to shake off negativity, embrace our true selves, and keep moving forward.
Finding Resilience and Self-Worth In a Song
This makes “Shake It Off” more than just a catchy pop song: It’s self-soothing positive affirmation wrapped in a pop song. It’s what happens when we remember to talk to ourselves the way we’d want someone else to talk to us. Set aside self-doubt and self-depreciation, and start separating who other people think you are from who you truly are.
Got nothing in my brain—> That’s what people say
I’m lightning on my feet —> That’s what they don’t see
I'm dancin' on my own—> That’s what they don’t know
Whether you find yourself navigating the corridors of business school like me, getting stressed about other people’s expectations of you, or embarking on any new life challenge, "Shake It Off" stands as a rallying cry for perseverance amidst adversity. Its poppy rhythm and uplifting lyrics serve as a musical compass for overcoming obstacles and embracing self-assurance, making it a personal anthem for anyone striving to shake off doubt and carve their own path.
What further distinguishes "Shake It Off" from other pop songs is its innate ability to evoke a sense of personal connection among listeners. Despite Taylor’s stature as a global icon, her vulnerability and authenticity radiate through her music, particularly this song, inviting fans to find fragments of their own stories mirrored within her lyrics.
“Shake It Off" is not just a pop song—it’s a resilience anthem. It transcends its role as a mere melody and emerges as a testament to the transformative powers of music, capable of elevating spirits, instigating change, and binding us in the collective odyssey of figuring out who we are and why we matter separate from what anyone else thinks about us. After all, no matter what else happens in the world…”it’s gonna be alright.”
Extra Extra Credit
You read this far, well done. A+. If you listened to this week’s episode already, you heard Jodi talk about “Shake It Off” as her identity at business school. Well…here’s some proof: