Taylor Swift's 'You Need to Calm Down' Lyrics Send a Musical Message to the Trolls
Taylor Swift's second single, "You Need to Calm Down," from her upcoming album Lover is here, just a couple hours after Swift announced it was coming on her 5 P.M. Instagram Live. "You Need to Stay Calm" acts as Swift's sassy response to internet trolls that drag her and others. It's poppy, infectious, and makes a case for positivity.
Swift just released the audio for the song tonight. She said on her Instagram earlier that the video would be out Monday on Good Morning America. "I wanted you to hear the song first, then see the video," she explained on why she isn't releasing the song and music video together. "Because the video is very worth the wait. There's a lot going on in the video so I wanted that to be a separate discovery."
For context, Swift has talked a little about the impact social media has had on her. In her Entertainment Weekly interview, she candidly mused:
“Our priorities can get messed up existing in a society that puts a currency on curating the way people see your life. Social media has given people a way to express their art. I use it to connect with fans. But on the downside you feel like there are 3 trillion new invisible hoops that you have to jump through, and you feel like you’ll never be able to jump through them all correctly. I-along with a lot of my friends and fans-am trying to figure out how to navigate living my life and not just curating what I want people to think living my life is. I’m not always able to maintain a balance, and I think that’s important for everyone to know about. We’re always learning, and that’s something that I also had to learn-that I’ve got to be brave enough to learn. Learning in public is so humiliating sometimes…. Do I feel more balanced in my life than I ever have before? Um, probably yeah. But is that permanent? No. And I think being okay with that has put me in a bit of a better position.”
She also discussed it-learning how to laugh at petty bullying-as one of her birthday lessons in her 30 Things I Learned Before Turning 30 piece for ELLE. (It's number 27.)
With that background, here, the lyrics via Genius with any references to Swift's life annotated.
You are somebody that I don't know
But you're takin' shots at me like it's Patrón
And I'm just like damn it's 7 A.M.
Say it in the street, that's a knock-out
But you say it in a Tweet, that's a cop-out
And I'm just like, "Hey, are you okay?"
Pre-Chorus
And I ain't tryna mess with your self-expression
But I've learned a lesson that stressin' and obsessin' 'bout somebody else is no fun
And snakes and stones never broke my bones
Taylor Swift's social media was flooded with snake emojis during Kim Kardashian's Snapchat takedown of her three years ago. Swift has since reclaimed the snake, making it her own symbol during her Reputation era.
Chorus
So oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh
You need to calm down, you're being too loud
And I'm just like oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh (Oh)
You need to just stop, like can you just not step on my gown?
You need to calm down
Verse 2
You are somebody that we don't know
But you're comin' at my friends like a missile
Why are you mad when you could be GLAAD? (You could be GLAAD)
GLAAD is a LGBTQ advocacy organization that promotes equality and acceptance. It literally stands for: Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. Swift donated to GLAAD at the start of Pride month.
A post shared by GLAAD (@glaad) on May 31, 2019 at 9:06pm PDT
Sunshine on the street at the parade
But you would rather be in the dark age
Just makin' that sign must've taken all night
Swift is likely referring here to the minority protesting against gay marriage and LGBTQ acceptance at Pride Parades, which are the LGBTQ community and allies' annual rainbow-filled, festive celebrations of love and acceptance for all sexualities and gender identities.
Pre-Chorus
You just need to take several seats and then try to restore the peace
And control your urges to scream about the people you hate
'Cause shade never made anybody less gay
Swift has been a vocal supporter of LGBTQ rights. At the start of Pride Month, she Instagrammed her own petition in support of the Equality Act in Congress. "While we have so much to celebrate, we also have a great distance to go before everyone in this country is truly treated equally," she started. "In excellent recent news, the House has passed the Equality Act, which would protect LGBTQ people from discrimination in their places of work, homes, schools, and other public accommodations. The next step is that the bill will go before the Senate. I’ve decided to kick off Pride Month by writing a letter to one of my senators to explain how strongly I feel that the Equality Act should be passed. I urge you to write to your senators too. I’ll be looking for your letters by searching the hashtag #lettertomysenator."
"Our country’s lack of protection for its own citizens ensures that LGBTQ people must live in fear that their lives could be turned upside down by an employer or landlord who is homophobic or transphobic," she wrote later in her post. "The fact that, legally, some people are completely at the mercy of the hatred and bigotry of others is disgusting and unacceptable."
A post shared by Taylor Swift (@taylorswift) on May 31, 2019 at 9:05pm PDT
Chorus
So oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh
You need to calm down, you're being too loud
And I'm just like oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh (Oh)
You need to just stop, like can you just not step on his gown?
You need to calm down
Bridge
And we see you over there on the internet
Comparing all the girls who are killing it
But we figured you out
We all know now we all got crowns
You need to calm down
Swift is likely referring here to some fans comparing similar female artists-Swift, Ariana Grande, Selena Gomez, Miley Cyrus, Beyoncé, Rihanna, etc.-on their work and saying only one can be the best. Cyrus recently spoke about there being enough room for everyone to be on top when people thought she was taking a stance on the Cardi B and Nicki Minaj feud in her song "Cattitude."
Cyrus echoed the point Swift is making here lyrically: "When you are authentically yourself, no one can be you so you’re never worried about someone stealing your place because it can’t be taken because you’re the only one, and I think what they do is so different from each other. That’s why they both get a crown. They don’t have to share; they don’t have to break it in half; there’s no reason to fight over it. They’re both queens. And any time you want to feel powerful and strong, that’s my go-to: Cardi and Nicki."
Chorus
Oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh
You need to calm down (You need to calm down)
You're being too loud (You're being too loud)
And I'm like oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh (Oh)
You need to just stop (Can you stop?)
Like can you just not step on our gowns?
You need to calm down
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