Florence + The Machine’s hit song “Shake it Out” is challenging to understand, even for native English speakers. The song has many idioms and expressions as well as references to idioms, making it difficult to grasp the meaning. It is a perfect song for discussion for more advanced students, and this lesson can be modified for intermediate learners. An * indicates an idiom. This lesson was created by Michelle’s ESL. “Shake it Off” © 2011 Universal Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited.
Vocab / Expressions
Ghoul = (in this context) an evil spirit. The word is more commonly
used in its adjective form (ghoulish) to describe something morbid and
revolting
* “Want/s his/her pound of flesh” = a payment or punishment that
involves suffering or sacrifice from the person being punished
“Since I crashed my dad’s car, he’ll want his pound
of flesh. He’ll probably make me pay him back for the car for the rest
of my life.”
“Keep some things to myself” = she doesn’t like to talk about her personal life
* “Its always darkest before the dawn” = A reference to an idiom *”the
darkest hour is just before the dawn” just when a bad situation seems
like it can’t get any worse, it starts to get better
‘I’ve been blind” = she has been unable to understand or perceive
* “Leave the past behind” = to not continually relive negative
memories, and to look forward to the good things about the future.
mournful = extremely sad, especially when someone has died.
“I’ve been dragging that horse…I’m gonna bury that horse in the
ground” = a reference to the idiom * “Beating a dead horse” (to waste time doing or saying something that has already been attempted or finished).
“Should I apply for the job again, or would I just be beating a dead horse?”
She is saying that she has been continually reliving the bad memories
of her past, but that she is going to look forward to the future
instead.
“A devil on your back” = an extreme version of the idiom * “A monkey
on my/your/his/her back” (a vexing habit, memory, or circumstance that
is discouraging, and hinders you from making progress in life.) If you want to remove this habit, you can say, “get this monkey off my back”
“Graceless heart” = an ungracious spirit
* “Damned if I do, damned if I don’t” = a situation where there is no
positive outcome
“If I invite Megan to my party, all of my friends will get angry, but
if I don’t invite her, I will lose her friendship. I’m damned if I do, damned if I don’t.”
* “At the end of my rope” / * “At the end of my road”
the singer is unclear whether she is saying “rope” or “road”
1) “At the end of my rope” = when one has reached one’s limit of endurance
“In the past year, I got divorced, I lost my job, my house burned down
and just last week my car was stolen. I don’t know how much more I can
take, I’m at the end of my rope.”
2) “A the end of the road” = the completion of a process, or (in this
context) death
“Now we’ve come to the end of the road of this project, I’m sure that
the managers will give us another task.”
* “A shot in the dark” = an attempt to do or think something, about
which there is little to no information or evidence available.
“When I decided to move to California, it was a shot in the dark—I
had no idea what I was getting into.”
“The idea that sea monsters live in my parents kitchen is a shot in the dark, since I have never seen or heard them there.”
Listen to the song again without watching the video, and write the words you hear in the blanks.
Lyrics
_____collect like old ____
Here to relive your darkest _______
I can see no way, I can see no way
And all of the ghouls come out to _____
And ____ demon wants his pound of flesh
But I like to keep some things to myself
I like to keep my issues strong
It’s always ____ before the ____
And I’ve been a fool and I’ve been blind
I can never ____ the past behind
I can see no way, I can see no way
I’m always dragging that horse _____
And our ___ is pastured, such a mournful sound
Tonight I’m gonna bury that horse in the ground
So I like to keep my issues strong
But it’s ___ ____ before the ____
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaaah
And it’s hard to ____ with a devil on your ____
So shake him off, oh woah
I am ____ with my graceless ____
So tonight I’m gonna cut it out and then ____
Cause I like to keep my issues strong
It’s always darkest before the dawn
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah
And it’s hard to dance with a devil on your back
So shake him off, oh woah
And given half the chance would I take any of it back
It’s a final mess but it’s left me so undone
____ ____ _______ ____ ____ _____
Oh woah, oh woah…
And I’m damned if I do and I’m damned if I don’t
So here’s to drinks in the dark at the ____ of my rope
And I’m ready to suffer and I’m ready to ____
It’s a shot in the dark and right at my throat
Cause looking for heaven, found the devil in me
Looking for _____ , found the devil in me
Well what the hell I’m gonna let it happen to me
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah
And it’s hard to dance with a devil on your back
So shake him off, oh woah
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah
And it’s hard to dance with a devil on your back
So shake him off, oh woah
_________________________
Exercise A: Use the following idioms to fill in the blanks:
want his/her pound of flesh
it’s always darkest before the dawn
leave the past behind
beat(ing) a dead horse
a monkey on my/your/his/her/their back (s)
damned if I do, damned if I don’t
at the end of my rope
the end of the road
a shot in the dark
Since I didn’t pay my taxes this year, the government will _______________________________. I’ll probably have to not only pay my taxes, but other huge fines, or even go to prison!
Quitting smoking is harder than I thought. I’ve tried everything to get this _________(off)_____________________, but nothing works. I’m _______________________________!
We’re almost done with this project! Now that we’re at __________________________, we should celebrate tonight.
I don’t like my mother’s cooking. If I tell my mother the truth about her cooking, she will be angry with me. If I don’t tell her the truth, I’ll always have to eat her food. I’m __________________________.
Its a ______________________, but I think that sea monsters live in my uncle’s bathroom. I haven’t seen them yet, but I know they’re there.
John is going to run for president again, after he already ran and lost the last seven elections. John is really ________________________—he should just give up already.
Even though everything seems hopeless right now, don’t worry, things will get better; __________________________________.
______________________________________
Exercise B: Write three of your own sentences using the idioms from Exercise A.
__________________________
Questions for discussion: Remember, there is no right or wrong
answer, the only answer that is necessary is your opinion.
1) What kinds of memories or habits do you think that the singer is
talking about in the song?
2) What is the singer’s approach to life and hard times? Do you think that the singer’s approach? Why?
3) Was there a time in your or someone you know’s life when you were “at the end of your rope,” that was very difficult, but that you overcame? How did you do it?
4) Do you think that the singer will successfully “leave her past behind?” Why or why not?
