We started with a bang, there was no warm-up.” What follows are snippets from songs of each of the aforementioned artists and bands that had an impact on the sound and vibe of Shut Up And Dance.“We both had nine-to-fives at the time, and decided: right, we’re gonna leave our jobs at this time of this month, put our money together and put out a single,” Smiley recalls. The diverse influences also accentuate the song’s “familiarity factor,” which makes it easier for a wide-ranging age demographic to connect with the song (i.e. The song also features a strong blend of both Retro late 70s/early-mid 80s and modern influences from artists and bands including Rick Springfield, Pat Benatar, the Cars, U2, and even One Direction.Ĭombined, all of the influences enable Shut Up And Dance to come across in both a retro and current manner, which is one of its strongest attributes. They appear in different combinations throughout the song, which makes for a highly infectious and engaging listening experience. Shut Up And Dance features a diverse blend of sub-genres and influences in the mix including Dance, Funk, New Wave, Power Pop, and Rock. Shut Up And Dance is a perfect case-in-point. In order to “seal the deal” with the listener, the lyrics need to be just as strong. Strong music and melody is only one part of the equation. She said ooh-wh-hoo shut up and dance with me Following the engaging and action based, “she took my arm/I don’t know how it happened/we took the floor and she said,” lead-in from the pre-chorus, the song’s narrative shifts into an engaging “she said/he said” flow: However, what REALLY helps to take the impact of the story to the next level is the shift in the narrative that takes place in the song’s primary sectional payoff – the chorus. Shut Up And Dance’s love/relationship and inspiration/empowerment lyrical themes are conveyed using a strong blend of clever, descriptive lyrics that take its overall impact and engagement value to the next level. This progression is then repeated a second time around, getting these hooks further ingrained in the listener’s head.Īll in all, this section is like the grand finale of a fireworks show – all the stops are pulled to leave the listener on an excited high and wanting more. Instead of continuing on with the solo, the last note is sustained, which leaves an opening for the most infectious segment from the chorus payoff, “ooh-wh-hoo shut up and dance with me” to shine front and center. With the driving backing music from the preceding chorus still in effect, the listener is first hit with the catchy first segment of the Cars-influenced synth solo. The outro is a “hybrid” section consisting of some of the most infectious elements from the Dance/Power Pop/Rock choruses and the Cars-influenced instrumental-break synth solo section. However, the lyrics and vocal melody remain essentially the same within all of the chorus sections, keeping the chorus fully ingrained in the listener’s head. The latter are propelled by the powerful distorted-guitar-laden Dance/Power Pop/Rock vibe that takes the excitement factor of the song to an apex. The former feature the Where The Streets Have No Name-influenced guitar hook. The infectious engagement value of the song is taken to the next level due to the musical differences between choruses 1 and 4, and choruses 2, 3, and 5. The first chorus features three core characteristics that “seal the deal” with the listener at just three-seconds into the song: The infectious U2 Where The Streets Have No Name-influenced guitar hook from the intro, the “shut up and dance with me” lyrical/vocal payoff, and the super-catchy “bonus” nonsense vocal payoff, “ooh-wh-hoo,” cleverly sandwiched between “she said” and “shut up and dance with me” on the last line of the section. What follows are just a few of the characteristics that helped put Shut Up And Dance over the top. The singer went home and penned the hit, taking cues from Pat Benatar’s Hit Me With Your Best Shot, Rick Springfield’s Jessie’s Girl, and the Cars’ Just What I Needed, among others. Not bad for a song Nicholas Petricca said he wrote as an “anthem for the dork” after his girlfriend told him to stop complaining and hit the dance floor at a Los Angeles nightclub. The retro Rock and New Wave-influenced track soared to the 4th spot on the Billboard Hot 100, took the number 1 place on Billboard’s Alternative Songs chart, and has held steady in the top 10 of charts from Canada to New Zealand. The song has become a global smash since it was released in September 2014 as the lead single from the Cincinnati band’s album, Talking Is Hard. Walk the Moon must be over the moon about the worldwide success of their hit Shut Up And Dance.
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