You Need to Calm Down
Single | Lover (2019)
Table of Contents
Background and Composition
A lyric video for the song was released together with the song on YouTube. The video contained several easter eggs, including changing the word “glad” to GLAAD, and highlighting “EA” letters as a reference to the Equality Act. The references followed Taylor’s donation to GLAAD in support of Pride Month, and her Change.org petition for the United States Senate to pass the Equality Act. The petition has attracted more than 500,000 signatures, including from Democrats such as Cory Booker, Elizabeth Warren, Beto O’Rourke, and Kirsten Gillibrand. Following the release of the song, GLAAD reported an “influx” of donations in the amount of $13, a reference to Taylor’s favorite number. A vertical video premiered exclusively on Spotify on June 24, 2019.
A remix for the song by British electronic music band Clean Bandit was released on August 20, 2019.
Lyrical Theme
«It’s about how I’ve observed a lot of different people in our society who just put so much energy and effort into negativity, and it just made me feel like, 'You need to just calm down, like you’re stressing yourself out. This seems like it’s more about you than what you’re going off about. Like, just calm down.»
Taylor Swift
Music Video
«[Katy] and I have really been on good terms for a while. She sent me a really nice note and an olive branch — like an actual olive branch — to my tour when it started, the 'reputation Stadium Tour', a while ago. From that point on, we’ve been on good terms. We saw each other at a party and walked up to each other and hugged it out and talked about things. Then saw each other again and hung out at another party. It was just like something felt so much lighter about my life when things became really good between us. You know, she and I have been fine for a while and really on good terms but we didn’t know if we were ever gonna really tell people about it. We wanted to make sure that was solid between us before we ever made the public aware.»
Taylor Swift
Live Performances
Critical Reception
«I pretty much know that anything I do is going to have some people who just hate it. I’m trying to make things that will make my fans happy, that will make my fans feel accepted, supported and loved. If people want to criticize me and be constructive, I’m always open to learning. I don’t think you are ever doing things perfectly, I think you always have room to improve and learn. I want to constantly learn how I can be a better ally. If criticism is constructive then I am all ears.»
Taylor Swift
Commercial Performance
Accolades
Impact
The release of “You Need to Calm Down” further led to a spike in individual donations to GLAAD, an American LGBT non-governmental organization, as the lyrics of the song namechecks the organization: “why are you mad when you could be GLAAD?”. In response, GLAAD started a Facebook fundraiser for fans to support the advocacy work for Pride month, with $1300 as a goal since 13 is Swift’s lucky number. Sarah Kate, the CEO and President of GLAAD, stated: “Taylor Swift continues to use her platform to speak out against discrimination and create a world where everyone can live the life they love. GLAAD is so thankful for her donation to support our advocacy efforts and for her ongoing work to speak out for what is fair, just, and LGBTQ inclusive. In today’s divisive political and cultural climate, we need more allies like Taylor, who send positive and uplifting messages to LGBTQ people everywhere”.
«I just want to say that this is a fan-voted award, so I first want to say thank you to the fans because in this video several points were made, so you voting for this video means that you want a world where we're all treated equally under the law, regardless of who we love, regardless of how we identify. At the end of this video, there is a petition for the Equality Act, which basically just says we all deserve equal rights under the law. I want to thank everyone who signed that petition because it now has a half a million signatures, which is five times the amount that it would need to warrant a response from the White House.»
Taylor Swift during her "Video of the Year" speech at the 2019 MTV VMAs
Lyrics
[Verse 1]
You are somebody that I don’t know
But you’re taking shots at me like it’s Patrón
And I’m just like damn
It’s 7am
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 ok?
[Pre-Chorus 1]
And I ain’t trying to mess with your self expression but
I’ve learned the lesson that stressin’ and obsessing ‘bout somebody else is no fun
And snakes and stones never broke my bones so
[Chorus]
Ohhhhh
You need to calm down
You’re being too loud
And I’m just like
Ohhhhh
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 coming at my friends like a missile
Why are you mad?
When you could be GLAAD? (When you could be GLAAD)
Sunshine on the street
At the parade
But you would rather be in the dark ages
Making that sign
Must’ve taken all night
[Pre-Chorus 2]
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, so
[Chorus]
Ohhhhh
You need to calm down
You’re being too loud
And I’m just like
Ohhhhh
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
[Chorus]
Ohhhhh
You need to calm down (You need to calm down)
You’re being too loud (You’re being too loud)
And I’m just like
Ohhhhh (Yeah)
You need to just stop (Can you stop?)
Like can you just not
Step on our gowns
You need to calm down
Artist | Taylor Swift | |||
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Album | Lover | |||
Released | June 14, 2019 | |||
Studios | Golden Age LA (Los Angeles) Golden Age West (Auckland) | |||
Genre | Electro Pop | |||
Length | 2:51 | |||
Label | Republic Records | |||
Songwriters | Taylor Swift Joel Little | |||
Producers | Joel Little Taylor Swift | |||
LOVER CHRONOLOGY | ||||
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