Released in June 2019, Taylor Swift’s “You Need to Calm Down” was the second single she released off of her album Lover. The song debuted and peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 on the week of its release. Although arguably not as well-received or record-breaking as some of Swift’s other songs, it has certainly established itself as an unforgettable, influential pop hit.
The song is known for its upbeat lyrics and music video criticizing people who use the internet as a means to spread hate, specifically homophobia. Swift’s lyrics make several important arguments, including emphasizing the immutable nature of sexuality and identity, advocating for freedom of self-expression through clothing, and highlighting the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, an organization protecting LGBTQ+ people in the media.
One of the song’s most memorable lines says, “Sunshine on the street at the parade / But you would rather be in the dark ages / Making that sign, must’ve taken all night.” In the song’s music video, this lyric is accompanied by a visual of a group of people holding signs that say “Adam + Eve NOT Adam + Steve,” a common statement of backlash against the gay community from Christian homophobes. Homophobia is not limited to specific demographics, but the people in this part of the video resembled stereotypical low-income, white, rural America. Though Swift’s message had positive intentions, the video, while attempting to combat attacks on a certain community, fed into harmful prejudices against another.
While “You Need to Calm Down” is Swift’s most notable message as an ally, she had already made this stance (even before the legalization of gay marriage in the United States) in the lyric “And you can want who you want / boys and boys and girls and girls” in her 2014 song “Welcome to New York.” Around the time of the release of Lover, Swift did a Rolling Stone interview in which she stated that she decided to make her position as a LGBTQ+ ally much clearer through “You Need to Calm Down” after a conversation with her openly gay friend Todrick Hall. He had questioned her stance on the LGBTQ+ community and led her to realize that she had not been clear enough about her beliefs; as a result, she wanted to make a song communicating her explicit support to her fans in the LGBTQ+ community.
She also stated that she was nervous because, “I didn’t realize until recently that I could advocate for a community that I’m not a part of.” In addition, as a pop star with enormous fame, she knew that any wrong step she took would cause an avalanche of scrutiny. In the last few years, she has taken steps to become more vocal about her political views, regardless of any backlash she could face; for example, in her documentary Miss Americana, Swift voiced her disapproval of Marsha Blackburn, who was running for Tennessee senator in 2018, equating her to “Trump in a wig.”
“You Need to Calm Down,” though popular, received a lot of criticism. Many listeners said it was better than Lover’s first single, “ME!,” but they found issues with the way in which Swift addressed the topics of homophobia and hatred. Critics said that, at times, the song downplays the struggles of the LGBTQ+ community by comparing it to cyberbullying received by celebrities, thus misunderstanding what it means to be an ally to a marginalized community. Additionally, the upbeat music and video felt too safe and detracted from what should have been a more meaningful message. However, I felt that, regardless of my disagreement with some aspects of her song and video, it was refreshing for a celebrity to advocate for the LGBTQ+ community and other marginalized voices despite fear of losing part of their fan base.
Overall, “You Need to Calm Down” is an upbeat, catchy song that addresses important topics, even if some of its methods are flawed. Swift makes it clear that you don’t have to be a part of a community to advocate for it and that being an ally is instrumental in the fight against discrimination.
