"Shake It Off " - Taylor Swift - Pop Song Review

Hot 100: 1

Pop Radio play: 2
Taylor Swift Factor: Strong

I never bought into the Taylor Swift hype as a pop listener. I think her over exposure in the media tabloids kept me away from her, and  listening to her music. The stories about her boyfriends really kept me away from listening to her more. I really could care less about it. I know I don’t have a shot dating her ,so why should give a rat ass about who is dating who in Hollywood.  She is an important part of the pop music landscape, and always keeps people attention. Her attention is always noticed when she releases a new song especially if it about a new relationship.

Her last album, Red had only one single I didn’t mind on the radio, “I Knew You Were Trouble.” I mainly like it ,because of the catchiness and dubstep production.  Taylor Swift is a success story in that she was able to keep her main audience entertain, but also was able bring a new pop audience with her last album.  I don’t believe  that this is her first pop album.  Red to me was first full on pop album from Taylor Swift, with the three big singles coming from the pop producer, Max Martin. It is hard to believe that Taylor Swift hasn’t release a new album in two years, but we are now gearing for a new one to come out in November.

According to Taylor Swift, “Shake it Off” is her first full on pop single coming from the album 1989.  She goes back to producer Max Martin for another hit single with “Shake It Off.” The song uses an horn riff throughout the song as part of the instrumentation. It is not as sexy and sleazy as the Mr. Saxobeat saxophone riff, but keeps it playful, and sweet.  I feel like this song was made for high school and college marching bands as a song to be played during games.  I do like the instrumentation to the song. It is catchy, danceable, and easy to play if you want to learn it. 

Taylor Swift sounds pretty good except for the bridge. Who decided we needed Taylor Swift to rap in a bratty teenager voice?  It wasn’t needed in this song, and sounds like Taylor Swift deserves some of the haters she gets.  I hate when she resorts to the bratty teenage voice like here on this song.    No more valley girls in pop music, please.

There is not much to, “Shake It Off” lyrically,  but it keeps it simple compare to the last song review I did.

We start with an 8 bar intro from song production with the drums before the first line of lyrics.

I stay up too late, got nothing in my brain

That is an easy fix. Having a set time to go to sleep  makes that problem go away.  This was on the brain though, for me. 

That's what people say mmm, that's what people say mm

It is one of these songs. The haters are the worst, but that comes from a being famous celebrity. Also who the first person to use the word, "haters?" I have no idea.

I go on too many dates, but I can't make 'em stay

Is this another thought about your personal life? Who give a {clean version (banana bread)} if you date too much? At least you give multiple people a shot in Hollywood. I heard Justin Bieber is around.

At least that's what people say mmm, that's what people say mmm

You are still acknowledging them on the fourth line of the song.  I guess the haters really do bother you. Secretly you know this is true. 

 But I keep cruising, can't stop, won't stop moving
It's like I got this music in my body and it's gonna be all right.

Taylor Swift does not have time for the haters.  The music is her salvation away from her haters? Wait a minute, something doesn’t make sense.

Acknowledging the haters sounds like you do care about them to a certain degree. Who gives a flying <green eggs and ham> if you think they have anything important to say? I wonder how bad the chorus is going to be. 

Cause the players gonna play, play, play, play, play
And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate

Players do play, and haters are going to hate. I bet this a  new concept for Taylor. The haters line seems to be meme around the internet since this song came out especially on YouTube. This song link below I believe is where some of the inspiration comes from the Taylor Swift song.

Baby, I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake
I shake it off, I shake it off

That’s right you shake off the haters, Taylor Swift. Are we going to shake it like a salt shaker, or a sprinkler? I’ll get my dancing moves ready then.

Heartbreakers gonna break, break, break, break, break
And the fakers gonna fake, fake, fake, fake, fake

I’m just gonna repeat something multiple times so it sticks in the brain. Fakers are going to fake? This chorus was written by a four year old. I could have written this chorus easily.   How about a rewrite of the lyrics using popular social media websites?

Tweeters gonna tweet, tweet, tweet, tweet

Facebookers gonna like, like, like, like, and hate being on there.

Redditors gonna reddit, reddit, reddit, reddit

Viners gonna vine, vine, vine

I’m just going to click my precious time away, click it away, and click it away.

I'll never a beat, I'm lightning on my feet.

And that's what they don't see mmm, that's what they don't see mmm

So much for dance lessons from Taylor Swift. I think you miss a few  beats on the last song.  I guess we are on the same level of skill of dancing from the VMAs earlier this year. 

I'm dancing on my own (dancing on my own), I'll make the moves up as I go (moves up as I go)

That is how most of us dance, Taylor Swift. Just don’t clear the dance floor with those moves. I wonder if Taylor Swift knows how to twerk.

Hey, hey, hey, just think while you've been getting down and out about the liars and dirty, dirty cheats in the world you could have been getting down to this sick beat

I’m sure they got down to this beat unless you are one of Taylor Swift’s exes. 

My ex-man brought his new girlfriend
She's like "oh my God", but I'm just gonna shake it
And to the fella over there with the hella good hair

OMG! , must be a case of Taylor Swift making an appearance shock. It is like winning one of those massive bigger than life checks. 

The music video for “Shake It Off” is pretty good. It shows off a care free Taylor Swift dancing around as the song suggests that nothing brings her down. The video did generate some controversy when it first came out as stereotyping black people. I disagree highly. Mainly it shows Taylor Swift dancing around in different outfits, and I didn’t see any controversy coming from it.

This is easily Taylor Swift best lead single even though as I stated before I am not a big fan of hers. While it is simple, and a bit repetitive in the chorus; it doesn’t bother me as much as Red lead single. If she took out the rap bridge I would like it the single more.  The lyrics are about why people think she is annoying and how she shakes off critics. The lyrics don’t add up in spots; however,  I think Taylor Swift did a good job with this song. It is a fun, catchy, and pretty memorable track for 2014 unlike when rap artists try to address “haters” in their songs. Taylor Swift new single comes out in five days as of writing this review, and I’m sure Max Martin will hand his hand on writing it again. 

Final score: (3.5/5)

Production: It is another horn induced flavored pop song.

Vocals: Pretty good, except for the rap bridge. Stop using that voice Taylor Swift.

Lyrics:  A bit repetitive from Taylor Swift, but overall not awful.

Since I am in a good mood, and appreciating good art of pop music what else is on the radio?

Oh, <Frogs> me.