Shake It Out

Not Shake It Off

Shake It Out by Florence + The Machine

"This is my 'dance it out' song whenever I feel like I gotta get all my energy out. I'll just jam to this and sing and dance around my room. It's kind of therapeutic haha"

Okay, so I must say, after reading your description, I was expecting something a little happier.

Sure, this song is ultimately positive, assuming that by the end of the song, you succeed in shaking out the pessimism you've been harboring; however, it starts out kind of sad and serious. It's slow, and Florence's voice is pretty dark, and the lyrics spend a lot of time focusing on whatever negativity has brought you to this point in the first place.

It helped me stay lighthearted about the whole thing when I learned the context: Florence Welch wrote this song while suffering from a hangover (x).

So yeah, those regrets? Darkest moments? The horse she's dragging around? The devil on her back?

Wine. Beer. Vodka. Tequila.

#Relatable

I like the development from the first verse where regrets collect like old friends to the third verse where she asks herself whether given half a chance, she'd take any of it back. So maybe she's letting go of some of those regrets...or realizing they aren't really regrets at all.

You live, you love, you learn.

The more I listen to this track, the more I get used to the dark warmth of Florence's voice, and the more I'm thinking that it is a pretty upbeat, happy song. Especially compared to this remix by The Weeknd, where it could literally be on the soundtrack for a horror movie.

Shake It Out was released to widespread critical acclaim, and it was even nominated for a Grammy in 2013 (x).

Full disclosure, so you don't judge Welsh's writing process:

"I don't want everyone to think that I always write songs with a hangover! Cause I don't, I really don't. But with this one I have to say there was a bit of one lurking in my mind as I wrote it. It was like I was trying to write a hangover cure..."

"It was one of those strange days where you're not really sure where a song comes from. [Producer] Paul [Epworth] just had these chords on the organ, and they sounded optimistic and sad at the same time. And I was thinking of regrets, like, you know when you feel like you're stuck in yourself, you keep repeating certain patterns of behavior, and you kind of want to cut out that part of you and restart yourself. [...] sometimes I have to write songs for myself, reminding me to let it go. But then, the end refrain of 'What the hell' is really important as well, because you'll dance with the devil again at some point, and maybe it will be fun. I've heard he does a really good foxtrot." (x).

Overview:

Genre:
Gothic Pop / Indie Rock

Favorite Lyrics:
It's always darkest before the dawn.

Verdict:
no energy now, but maybe i'll dance to this tomorrow