Music Review: Kesha "Take It Off"

Kesha

Take It Off

Album: Animal

Year: 2010

         Kesha and her friends party at a gay bar in the loose “Take It Off.”

       A cold, computerized voice begins the single, stating a part of the chorus. The chorus samples  “Streets of Cairo or the Pretty Little Country Maid.” The voice says that there’s a rundown bar in the city the people go to escape and be themselves.  (“There's a place downtown/Where the freaks all come around/It's a hole in the wall/It's a dirty free for all.”).

        A charging electro beat follows, leading into the first verse.

        In the first verse, it’s about 9 pmand Kesha is ready to go out to the bar. During the day, she’s guarded with her co-workers, worried about what might people think of her. At the bar, she feels comfortable and can let loose. No one there’s to judge her. Its own its community. (“When the dark/
Of the night comes around/That's the time/That the animal comes alive/Looking for/Something wild.”)

      She doesn’t have a lot of money. Her friends ride in her old car which is about as old as she is. She’s already starting to drink from her stash of whiskey in her purse and then texted her ex-boyfriend. She thinks she said something about missing him and wanting him. She knows wished she would’ve told him. At the moment, she chooses not to care what the consequences will be. (“And now we lookin' like pimps/In my gold Trans-Am/Got a water bottle full of whiskey/In my handbag/Got my drunk text on/
I'll regret it in the mornin'But tonight/I don't give a/I don't give a/I don't give a.”)

        
        Kesha’s proud of where she hangs out. She loves the drag shows and enjoys the performances. The drag kings and queens are in their element, cracking jokes and lips syncing to their favorite songs. She encourages everyone to express themselves as freely. She’s attracted to the performers. (“There's a place downtown… it's a dirty free for all/And they turn me on/When they take it off/when they take it off/everybody take it off/There's a place I know/If you're looking for a show/Where they go hardcore/And there's glitter on the floor/And they turn me on/When they take it off/When they take it off/Everybody take it off.”)

             In the second verse, she tells her friend to just have fun. They are wired and will be there all night dancing to music and participating in the show. (“Lose your mind/Lose it now/Lose your clothes/
In the crowd/We're delirious/Tear it down/'Til the sun comes back around.”).

      It’s 2 am and the bar is closed. Almost everyone one of her friends is drunk. They all have sweat dripping down their faces from all the dancing and are stumbling around, tipping over trash cans of empty bottles outside. However, it’s not her night to be responsible and she’s going to enjoy every minute. (“Now we're getting so smashed/Knocking over trash cans./Everybody breakin' bottles/It's a filthy hot mess/Gonna get faded/I'm not the designated/Driver so/I don't give a/I don't give a/I don't give a.”)

          The chorus is sung again.

         In the bridge, Kesha lets out some celebratory “oh’s.” Then, people shout out response for “Everybody take it off!”  It’s repeated again. Then, she commands for it to happen right now.  Same people shout “take it off.” It’s repeated again. At the end of the bridge, the people shout for “everybody take it off!”

               The chorus is sung again, finishing the single.

           It’s easy to write Kesha off as a lush party girl who wants to drink all day and sleep with guys.  However, “Take It Off” does have substance to it and twists the dance genre around by hinting at the “be yourself” theme. Kesha may be questioning her sexuality and she's having discovering herself. It’s subtle and unless close attention is paid to the lyrics, it can be missed. The ambiguity, in another otherwise, explicit genre is welcome.