The album interweaves relationship songs (“Bluff,” “Love and Hate”), interior dialogues (“Still Tryin’,” “Pulled Tight”) and pieces inspired by the need for catharsis—her own and, by extension, that of her listeners (“Not Always Easy,” “Swirl”). These dozen songs also reveal a young woman in firm possession of a supple, hyper-melodic style, writing with a sophistication that belies her age. Because of the silky, disarming ease of her songs, Willis has been described as a female Jack Johnson, but below the surface this introspective yet life-embracing young artist brings a cutting-edge liveliness to the confessional singer/songwriter tradition that recalls the music of Rickie Lee Jones at the same age. Like Jones three decades earlier, Willis is turning the conventional notion of the young woman with an acoustic guitar on its ear.
Willis began recording the tracks that would grow into What to Say on her own, with the help of Chicago-based engineer Stephen Shirk, planning to release it herself. Serendipitously, Vanguard and Welk Music Group head Kevin Welk plugged in his earbuds during a flight on American Airlines and heard several cuts from her self-made 2007 EP Matter of Time on one of the in-flight music programs. Immediately hooked by Willis’ vocal emotiveness and the depth of her writing, Welk wasted no time tracking her down.
The youngster, who hadn’t given a thought to looking for a record deal, was knocked out by the enthusiasm of Welk and Nashville-based Vanguard A&R rep Gary Pascoza, who’d been dispatched to Chicago to check out a club set. Pascoza wound up lending his expertise to the project. “Gary’s a really talented guy who’s worked with Natalie Maines, the Dixie Chicks and Alison Krauss,” says Willis. “So, from a vocal standpoint, his involvement was an extra bonus and an excellent opportunity for me to grow.”
Working in a Chicago studio with Pascoza producing, Willis developed seven of the tracks to their final form. In what turned out to be a canny move, Pascoza then suggested that she tackle the remaining five with Nashville-based producer Tim Lauer. Armed with fresh ears, Lauer “revved up” these tracks (as Willis delightedly puts it) with funky basslines, snarling electric guitar licks and Memphis-style horns, underscoring the soulfulness of her vocals.
The visceral results of these deftly placed overdubs can be heard on the one-two punch of “Everybody Else” and “Bluff,” a pair of tracks so vital that they simply had to open the album. Lauer’s handiwork is also readily apparent on the slammin’ rocker “All I Know” and the title song, a smoky soul ballad that wouldn’t be out of place on Dusty in Memphis. And on “Not Always Easy,” as electric guitars peck away and the horns slip in and out like cat burglars, Willis breaks out an acrobatic, syllable-hopping vocal that recalls Jason Mraz at his most tongue-twisting. There seems to be no limit to what she can do with her elastic alto.
The buoyant musical settings of What to Say are juxtaposed with Willis’ thought-provoking lyrics, which delve with withering candor and remarkable insight into the psychological complexities of coming of age and struggling with relationship issues in the first decade of the 21st century.
The rousing “Everybody Else,” says Willis “has to do with our culture and my generation, which are so media-driven and conformist. People tend to act and dress a certain way because they’re told to or because it’s what they’re surrounded by and comfortable with. It’s an open-ended, optimistic song with a bit of sarcasm about breaking out of your shell, crossing the boundaries you’ve set and being original.”
Describing the emotionally turbulent yet lilting “Bluff,” she says, “When we’re young, we’re not sure what we want because we haven’t fully experienced everything out there. This song is about a rough breakup that went back and forth for quite a while and took a lot of patience on both ends.”
As for the songs of release, Willis explains, “If I’m stressed out or feeling down, I’ll write something in that space, and when I play it back, it calms me down and helps put things in perspective. I’m like everybody else—I get caught up in the heat of the moment, but in the long run that moment is not really that big a deal. A lot of drama is created by things that don’t really make much of a difference in the big picture. Some of the songs were inspired by the need to relax, tune out and get away.”
What to Say closes powerfully with the heart-wrenching acoustic ballad “Jim Thornton,” written for and about Willis’ maternal grandfather, who died last year. “He was an awesome guy, really funny,” she says. “He’d been on kidney dialysis for a long time, and he just got tired of it because he wasn’t able to do the things he wanted with his life anymore. So he decided to go off dialysis, and we all lucked out because it isn’t that often you get a chance to say goodbye. So we all went down to Houston, where he lived, and had a party. That was a really eye-opening experience for me, because I had yet to have someone close to me pass away. The way in which he faced his death, with such grace, really inspired a lot more than a song.”
There’s another aspect of this undertaking that Willis finds especially gratifying. “My favorite part of the whole thing is the interaction,” she says. “I’ve met so many people with the same kind of ideals and interests. I love it that people are connecting through my music. Speaking philosophically, life is short, and I’m just trying to get people to calm down and enjoy these moments together.”
Shake it off
Daphne Willis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
[Verse 1:]
Scratchin' at something*
Get it going won't cha
You're draggin' you're feet
And you know it don't cha
Wet sand in the back of your mind
Shake it off and see what you find
Switchin' positions so you can get it done
Mudslide to the top of the groove
Shake it off and it's gonna move
[Verse 2:]
Stop 'em and drop 'em
Don't let 'em get cha down
If you don't got it, go get it
You're gonna come around
Stick it into the back of your eye
Let it blur 'till you wonder why
Strappin' it down to the dance floor
Wrap it around whatcha came for
Free-fall back into the grind
[Bridge:]
Yeah when you know
You'll know
And if you don't...
Scratchin' at something
Get it going won't cha
You're draggin' you're feet
And you know it don't cha
Wet sand in the back of your mind
What's that?
What's that?
Shake it off
Shake it off and see what you find
In Daphne Willis’s song Shake It Off, the lyrics are an encouraging message to those who find themselves struggling and feeling stuck. The song is upbeat, with a driving rhythm and an infectious melody that sets a tone of positivity and encourages people to take action. Throughout the lyrics, Willis suggests that those who feel weighed down by life's difficulties should shake it off and find something exciting, new and refreshing that will change things around for the better. The opening verse tells listeners to push themselves harder and get going, in spite of the weariness they might feel. The second verse encourages them to persevere and not give up, while the chorus affirms that they should keep pushing to see what will happen.
The repetition of the line “Shake it off and see what you find” is the central theme of the song. It suggests that with a little determination and perseverance, people can break out of feelings of hopelessness and turn things around by exploring new opportunities. Even when things seem insurmountable, Willis suggests that there’s always a way out, and people should shake off negative energy to find new possibilities.
Overall, Willis's encouraging lyrics in Shake It Off focuses on pushing oneself through difficult times and understanding that there will always be a light at the end of the tunnel if one keeps moving forward.
Line by Line Meaning
Scratchin' at something
Feeling restless or unsatisfied about something
Get it going won't cha
Motivate yourself to take action
You're draggin' you're feet
You're reluctant to do something
And you know it don't cha
You're aware of your own inaction
Wet sand in the back of your mind
A vague feeling or thought holding you back
Shake it off and see what you find
Let go of the negative thought and see the positive outcome
Itchin' to get out the kitchen get gone
Eager to leave the current situation
Switchin' positions so you can get it done
Change the approach to get the desired outcome
Mudslide to the top of the groove
Overcome the obstacles and reach the top
Shake it off and it's gonna move
Get over the setback to move ahead
Stop 'em and drop 'em
Don't let the negative thoughts affect you
Don't let 'em get cha down
Don't let anyone discourage you
If you don't got it, go get it
Take the initiative to achieve your goal
You're gonna come around
You will succeed eventually
Stick it into the back of your eye
Pay close attention to something
Let it blur 'till you wonder why
Observe something closely to find a deeper meaning
Strappin' it down to the dance floor
Get ready and confident for the challenge ahead
Wrap it around whatcha came for
Remind yourself the purpose of your action
Free-fall back into the grind
Immerse yourself in the hard work and effort
Scratchin' at something
Still feeling restless
Get it going won't cha
Don't hesitate, start doing something
You're draggin' you're feet
Still hesitant
And you know it don't cha
You're still aware of your inaction
Wet sand in the back of your mind
Negative thoughts still holding you back
What's that?
Questioning the negative thought
What's that?
Reinforcing the question
Shake it off
Let go of your negative thoughts
Shake it off and see what you find
Positive outcome awaits once you overcome your negative thoughts
Writer(s): DAPHNE WILLIS, TONY LUCDIO, TIM LAUER
Contributed by Sadie T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.