Episode 2

As you listen to this song, I encourage you to ask yourself: What are the “haters” and “heartbreakers” in your own life? What are the things you need to shake off? Maybe it’s a critical voice in your head, a past disappointment, or the fear of not being good enough. Whatever it is, remember that you have the power to let it go.

Take a deep breath, or turn up the music — whatever your preference — and just like Taylor, shake it off. Shake off the negativity, the doubt, the fear. Embrace your imperfections, your quirks, your authentic self. Because you deserve to live a life that’s true to you and to find joy in the simple act of being.

Intro

Welcome back, Swifties, to the Oracle chamber. I’m your guide, Tamara, your resident decoder of all things Taylor and the mysteries of the human soul.

Today, we’re going to be looking into the Buddhist concept of non-attachment and see how Taylor Swift’s song, Shake It Off, from her 1989 album can serve as a modern mantra for letting go.

Musical Interlude 

[transition]

Hook

Alright, let’s cut to the chase. You don’t even need me to say the name of this song…

 … because that unmistakable beat is already playing in your head, isn’t it?

That’s right, it’s Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off.” 

It’s infectious, it’s fun, it’s Taylor at her poppiest. And I’ll be the first to admit, I love it.

For me, this song is more than just a pop song. It’s a time capsule of a specific moment in my life. I was living in Asia when this album dropped, and let me tell you, I spent a lot of time belting out “Shake It Off” in Japanese-style karaoke bars. 

But the more time I’ve spent with the song, the more I’ve realized that it speaks to some of the most profound truths about human experience. Seriously.

It’s a hidden message, a mantra for the modern age. It’s about rising above the noise, refusing to let negativity define us. “Shake It Off” champions radical self-acceptance, embracing our quirks and imperfections in a world that constantly pressures us to conform. It’s a subversive anthem, a celebration of individuality.

And it goes even deeper. This song speaks to the ancient wisdom of letting go, echoing the Buddhist concept of non-attachment. It’s about recognizing the impermanence of life, accepting what we can’t control, and finding joy even in the face of adversity.

“Shake It Off” might seem like just another pop hit, but its message resonates on a spiritual level. It’s a Trojan horse for wisdom, sneaking profound truths into our hearts under the guise of bubblegum pop.

So, join me as we unpack the layers of meaning hidden within “Shake It Off.” We’ll explore how it connects to ancient wisdom traditions like Buddhism and how it can help us navigate the challenges of modern life.

Introduction of Theme: Letting Go

(Sound of wind chimes fading into a soft, acoustic guitar melody)

Imagine sitting under a tree, the dappled sunlight filtering through the leaves, a gentle breeze rustling the branches in the company of five ascetics in a deer park a few miles outside the Indian holy city of Banaras. BANEREZ 

It’s 6th century BCE, and this is the serene setting where the Buddha chose to deliver his very first sermon after achieving enlightenment called “Setting in Motion the Wheels of the Dharma.” The subject is the “Four Noble Truths” which were his key discoveries during a six-year quest for enlightenment.

(Sound of a gentle breeze rustling through leaves)

The First Noble Truth is that life is full of suffering, or dukkha. It’s a truth we often try to avoid, but one we must face head-on if we want to find true peace. This suffering encompasses everything from physical pain and illness to emotional distress like heartbreak, disappointment, and the anxiety that comes with uncertainty. It’s the ache of longing, the sting of loss, and the nagging feeling that something is always missing.

From this realization of universal suffering, the Buddha drew two key insights that would shape his teachings and the entire Buddhist philosophy. First, he recognized the impermanence of all things. Everything in life, from the joy of a beautiful sunset to the pain of a broken heart, is fleeting and subject to change. Nothing lasts forever. Second, the Buddha saw through the illusion of self. The “I” that we cling to, the identity we construct around our thoughts and feelings, is ultimately an illusion. It’s a constantly shifting collection of experiences and perceptions, not a solid, unchanging entity.

The Second Noble Truth, Samudaya, which means the origin or source in sanskrit, unveils the root cause of our suffering. It’s not the external events themselves, but our attachment to them, our craving for things to be different than they are. We cling to fleeting pleasures, yearning for them to last forever. We resist pain and loss, wishing they never happened. This clinging and aversion, fueled by ignorance of life’s true nature, keeps us trapped in a cycle of dissatisfaction and suffering.  In essence, the second noble truth tells us that our own minds, with their endless desires and aversions, are the architects of our suffering. 

(Sound of a gentle rain falling)

The third noble truth, Nirodha, which means cessation, is a beacon of hope amidst the reality of suffering. It tells us that suffering doesn’t have to be our permanent state. It can end. We can find liberation.

Which, interestingly enough, is how Taylor Swift described the song in an interview with Access Hollywood:

3:20 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qW1q4iinQFY&ab_channel=AccessHollywood

This cessation of suffering isn’t about suppressing our emotions or pretending everything is okay. It’s about uprooting the very cause of suffering: our clinging and aversion. When we learn to let go of our obsessive attachments to things, people, and ideas, we create space for a new way of being. The third noble truth reminds us that there is a way out of suffering, a path that is open to all of us that begins with the simple act of letting go—or in the words of Taylor Swift, shaking it off.

(Sound of footsteps on a winding path)

The fourth noble truth, Magga, is like a map, a guide to navigating the terrain of our own minds and hearts. This path— called The Noble Eightfold Path is a holistic approach to life. It’s not about striving for perfection or becoming someone we’re not. It’s about cultivating a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world around us. It’s about learning to see things as they truly are, without the distortions of our desires and fears. It’s about living with integrity, speaking and acting in ways that uplift ourselves and others. And it’s about training our minds to be present, to be fully engaged in the unfolding of each moment.

(Music shifts to a modern, electronic beat that gradually incorporates elements of “Shake It Off”)

The Four Noble Truths sound great, right? Who doesn’t want to end their suffering? But sometimes, it can be hard to connect the dots between the wisdom of the Buddha over two millennia ago to our modern lives, filled with the constant buzz of social media, the pressure to succeed, and the endless distractions that pull us away from the present moment.

Well, that’s where Taylor Swift comes in… In this next segment, we’ll explore how “Shake It Off” can be seen as a modern-day mantra, a tool for practicing non-attachment and finding freedom in the present moment.

So, with that, let’s hand it over to Shake it Off by Taylor Swift.

Musical Interlude 

[transition]

Song Analysis

The first thing that grabs you about this song is the beat. Bam! Those opening chords hit, and it’s like an instant invitation to move. You’re pulled out of your head, your worries, whatever’s been swirling around in your mind, and dropped right into the present moment.

And that’s not by accident. Taylor Swift herself said in an ABC interview that she wanted the song to bring that person at a wedding reception, who doesn’t want to be there, out of her seat and onto the dance floor…

2:00 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5h8n_tda6f8&ab_channel=HollywoodBuzz

Right out of the gate, Taylor throws down a gauntlet. It’s a bold, almost defiant declaration. A playful middle finger to the tabloids, the critics, anyone who’s ever tried to put her in a box.

I stay out too late

Got nothing in my brain

That’s what people say, mm-mm

That’s what people say, mm-mm

I go on too many dates

But I can’t make ’em stay

At least that’s what people say, mm-mm

That’s what people say, mm-mm

As Taylor said in an interview for ABC, the song is a response to our take-down culture…

0:50 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5h8n_tda6f8&ab_channel=HollywoodBuzz

She’s taking the narrative they’ve spun about her – the party girl, the serial dater – and owning it. 

But there’s a twist. It’s not an apology, not a defense. It’s a reclamation. “That’s what people say.” It’s a simple phrase, repeated, almost like a mantra. She’s not denying the rumors, she’s acknowledging them, but with a wink and a smirk. She’s saying, “You think you know me? Think again.” 

In just a few lines, Taylor sets the stage for a song that’s not just about shaking off haters, but about shaking off the labels, the expectations, the entire narrative that’s been built around her. It’s a declaration of independence, a refusal to be defined by anyone but herself. 

It also echoes a profound truth in the first of the Four Noble Truths, which tells us that life is filled with suffering, including the suffering that comes from the expectations and judgements of others.

It’s easy to get stuck in the muck, to wallow in the pain and disappointment that life throws our way.  But Taylor doesn’t let us stay there. She offers a lifeline, a defiant anthem against despair. 

But I keep cruisin’

Can’t stop, won’t stop movin’

It’s like I got this music in my mind

Sayin’ it’s gonna be alright

It’s a declaration of resilience, a refusal to be defined by suffering. There’s a force within her, a rhythm that propels her forward, that won’t let her surrender to despair.

And just like that, we’re hit with that undeniably catchy chorus. You know, the one that makes you want to jump up and dance, even if you’re sitting in your car alone at a red light.

But there’s more to this earworm than meets the eye. Taylor’s not just telling us to dance our problems away. She’s dropping some serious truth on how to navigate the ups and downs of life…. 

‘Cause the players gonna play, play, play, play, play

And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate

Baby, I’m just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake

I shake it off, I shake it off (hoo-hoo-hoo)

Heartbreakers gonna break, break, break, break, break

And the fakers gonna fake, fake, fake, fake, fake

Baby, I’m just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake

I shake it off, I shake it off (hoo-hoo-hoo)

(Music returns, but at a lower volume, underscoring the host’s words)

The players gonna play, play, play” – she gets it. People are going to do what they do, and we can’t control that. “The haters gonna hate” – yep, that’s just the nature of the world sometimes. But instead of getting caught up in the drama, she chooses a different path.

“Baby, I’m just gonna shake, shake, shake.” This isn’t just about dancing. It’s about shaking off the need to control, the need to change others, the need to be anything other than yourself. It’s about recognizing the impermanence of things – the good, the bad, and the ugly – and accepting reality as it is.

Now, don’t get me wrong, this doesn’t mean we have to tolerate bad behavior. But it does mean understanding that people act based on their own stuff, their own baggage. We can’t change that, but we can change how we react to it.

(pause)

Verse two then kicks in, and it’s an ode to the Taylor who’s not afraid to be goofy, awkward, even a little bit silly—which threads through the entire music video. It’s a delightful display of self-deprecation, a reminder that it’s okay not to take ourselves too seriously.

I never miss a beat

I’m lightnin’ on my feet

And that’s what they don’t see, mm-mm

That’s what they don’t see, mm-mm

I’m dancin’ on my own (dancin’ on my own)

I make the moves up as I go (moves up as I go)

And that’s what they don’t know, mm-mm

That’s what they don’t know, mm-mm

This is where we see a deeper spiritual connection. It’s about shedding the layers of conditioning that tell us who we should be, how we should act, and what we should value. It’s about discovering our own unique rhythm, our own dance, our own path in life.

Spirituality, at its core, is about claiming our birthright in this world. It’s about finding our place, our purpose, our unique contribution to the grand tapestry of existence. And we can’t do that if we’re constantly trying to fit into someone else’s mold, if we’re afraid to be ourselves. 

“I’m dancing on my own, I make the moves up as I go” – it’s a mantra for authenticity, for living a life that’s true to our own hearts and souls. It’s a reminder that we are each here to dance our own dance, to create our own path, to discover our own unique way of being in the world.

(Pause)

And here it is, folks. The moment we’ve all been waiting for. The anthem. The mantra. The extension of chorus at the end of the song.

Shake it off, I shake it off

I, I, I shake it off, I shake it off

I, I, I shake it off, I shake it off

I, I, I shake it off (yeah), I shake it off (hoo-hoo-hoo)

Shake it off, I shake it off

I, I, I shake it off, I shake it off (you got to)

I, I, I shake it off, I shake it off

I, I, I shake it off, I shake it off

This chorus, this repetition of “shake it off,” it’s like a spiritual incantation. It’s a way to clear your mind, to release the negativity, to tap into a deeper wellspring of resilience and joy.

While it may not be a traditional mantra chanted in a monastery, “Shake It Off” operates with a similar power. It’s a sonic embodiment of metta, the Buddhist practice of loving-kindness towards oneself and others. With every repetition of “Shake It Off,” we’re essentially reinforcing a positive affirmation, a reminder that we have the agency to choose our response to life’s challenges.

Closure

Outro

Thank you for listening! I’d love to hear from you—especially about what song you’d like to analyze together next. You can find me on our website, oraclepodcast.com.

I also want to give a special thanks to my friends, Emily and Clayton, at the Lamont Multimedia Lab at Harvard, for their guidance on this project. And, my HDS friends, Maddy and Bobbie, who have patiently listened to me wax poetically on the psycho spiritual insights of Taylor Swift.

And, of course, make sure to listen to Taylor Swift on your favorite music player. Until next time, keep learning, growing, and exploring!