Shake It Off

“Shake It Off” was sent to US radio as the third single from The Emancipation Of Mimi on July 11, 2005. “That's probably one of my favorite songs on the album,” Mariah told Lawrence Ferber in 2005. “‘Shake It Off’ can apply to anything. Whatever personal dramas we go through, put that song on and you lose the anxiety or intensity of the moment. I'll listen to that song when I've just come out of an annoying meeting. I gotta shake this off.”

On July 30, 2005, “Shake It Off” made its debut at number sixty-six on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at number two on its seventh week. The song blocking “Shake It Off” from becoming number-one was Mariah's own “We Belong Together,” marking the first time a female artist occupied the top two positions on the chart. “Shake It Off” spent thirteen consecutive weeks in the Top 10 and was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association Of America on July 31, 2019.

In the United Kingdom, “Shake It Off” was released as a double-sided single with “Get Your Number” on October 3, 2005. The single became Mariah's twenty-third Top 10 on the Official Singles Chart, peaking at number nine. “Shake It Off” also became available in Australia on October 3, 2005, peaking at number six on the ARIA charts during the week of October 16, 2005.

Shake It Off
Artwork

Remixes

Mariah enlisted Jay-Z and Young Jeezy for the “Shake It Off” remix, which became available exclusively on iTunes on September 20, 2005. “M.C. hit me up,” Jeezy said. “When Hov said he was doing it, I was like, ‘I'm all for it.’ I felt if I'd kept it hood, I was gonna be good. I got the feedback from the hood, so it's all good. Mariah is known for doing remixes with street cats from Mobb Deep to O.D.B., so to be a part of that was a good look for me and the Def Jam movement.”

Song Remix Run time
Shake It Off
Instrumental
3:56
Shake It Off
Remix feat. Jay-Z and Young Jeezy
5:02
Shake It Off
Remix feat. Jay-Z and Young Jeezy — Edit
4:09
Shake It Off
Remix Instrumental
5:02
Shake It Off
Remix Instrumental — Edit
4:09

Music Video

Directed by Jake Nava in May 2005, the “Shake It Off” music video features appearances by Jermaine Dupri, Da Brat and Chris Tucker. “What we're trying to do is capture the whole image in one long shot,” director Jake Nava explained. “The thing about a shot like that is that you can't control exactly how Mariah looks at each moment and it sets a challenge. We did like ten takes of the same image and it was frustrating to try and perfect every element. I think by the end, we'll manage to get something good.”

BET's Access Granted took viewers behind the scenes for the shooting of the music video, which made its TV premiere on July 27, 2005. The online premiere of the video was exclusive to Yahoo! Music from July 27-29. “After ‘We Belong Together’ broke several Yahoo! Music records, we couldn't wait to premiere the follow-up,” said Jay Frank, Yahoo! Music's Head of Artist & Label relations. “The fact that Mariah chose Yahoo! as the place to premiere her video online is a testament to artists and record labels knowing that Yahoo! Music gets legions of music fans to watch their video more than anywhere else online.”

Music Video
Shake It Off Music Video by Mariah Carey
Captures

Releases

United Kingdom

“Shake It Off” was released as a double-A side with “Get Your Number” in the United Kingdom. The CD Single includes both songs, while the Maxi Single — released on CD and 12" Vinyl — also includes the previously-unreleased bonus track “Secret Love.”

Get Your Number / Shake It Off
CD Single
Get Your Number / Shake It Off
CD Maxi Single
Get Your Number / Shake It Off
12" Vinyl

Australia

In Australia, “Shake It Off” was released on October 3, 2005. The Limited Edition Enhanced CD, which includes a bonus calendar, contains the song's music video, the Main and Instrumental versions of “Shake It Off” and the previously-unreleased “Secret Love.”

Shake It Off
CD Maxi Single

Available on

The Emancipation Of Mimi
The Emancipation Of Mimi

Lyrics

Album Version

I gotta shake you off
Cause the loving ain't the same
And you keep on playing games
Like you know I'm here to stay
I gotta shake you off
Just like the Calgon commercial
I really gotta get up outta here
And go somewhere
I gotta shake you off
Gotta make that move
Find somebody who
Appreciates all the love I give
Boy I gotta shake you off gotta do what's best for me
Baby and that means I gotta
Shake you off

By the time you get this message
It's gonna be too late
So don't bother paging me
Cause I'll be on my way
See I grabbed all my diamonds and clothes
Just ask your momma she knows
You're gonna miss me baby
Hate to say “I told you so”
Well at first I didn't know
But now it's clear to me
You would cheat with all your freaks
And lie compulsively
So I packed up my Louis Vuitton
Jumped in your ride and took off
You'll never ever find a girl
Who loves you more than me

I gotta shake you off
Cause the loving ain't the same
And you keep on playing games
Like you know I'm here to stay
I gotta shake you off
Just like the Calgon commercial
I really gotta get up outta here
And go somewhere
I gotta shake you off
Gotta make that move
Find somebody who
Appreciates all the love I give
Boy I gotta shake you off
Gotta do what's best for me
Baby and that means I gotta
Shake you off

I gotta shake, shake,
Shake, shake, shake it
Off…

I found out about a gang
Of your dirty little deeds
With this one and that one
By the pool, on the beach, in the streets
Heard y'all was
Hold up my phone's breakin' up
I'ma hang up and
Call the machine right back
I gotta get this off of my mind
You wasn't worth my time
I'm leaving you behind
Cause I need a real love in my life
Save this recording because
I'm never coming back home
Baby I'm gone
Don't cha know

I gotta shake you off
Cause the loving ain't the same
And you keep on playing games
Like you know I'm here to stay
I gotta shake you off
Just like the Calgon commercial
I really gotta get up outta here
And go somewhere
I gotta shake you off
Gotta make that move
Find somebody who
Appreciates all the love I give
Boy I gotta shake you off
Gotta do what's best for me
Baby and that means I gotta
Shake you off


Written by M. Carey, J. Dupri, B.M. Cox, J. Austin.
Produced by Jermaine Dupri and Mariah Carey. Co-produced by Bryan Michael Cox.

Remix

Jay-Z:
Ladies and gentlemen, it's Hov
Break up is imminent, I know
What's the sense of putting it off till tomorrow
Pretending it ain't gonna end, let's roll
Gotta move baby, know it's hella hard
You gotta find your groove baby
Like Stella, nah that ain't you baby
Gotta let her do what it do baby
Shed a tear or two but don't get too crazy baby
Why are you behaving like it ain't other fish in the fish bowl
For the disco shit let's go
The Emancipation of M.I.M.I.
I spray ramus ra ra
20 worldwide, nigga get your plaques
Guess who the fuck got his swagger back
Shake 'em off, uh, shake 'em off
G4s and all we take off
The flawless shit, I'm the boss
El presidente caliente
Call me the other don so we fuck raw
Yo, the boy is back along with the voice is back
MC shake 'em off
(Shake you off)

Mariah:
By the time you get this message
It's gonna be too late
So don't bother paging me
Cause I'll be on my way
See I grabbed all my diamonds and clothes
Just ask your momma she knows
You're gonna miss me baby
Hate to say “I told you so”
Well at first I didn't know
But now it's clear to me
You would cheat with all your freaks
And lie compulsively
So I packed up my Louis Vuitton
Jumped in your ride and took off
You'll never ever find a girl
Who loves you more than me

I gotta shake you off
Cause the loving ain't the same
And you keep on playing games
Like you know I'm here to stay
I gotta shake you off
Just like the Calgon commercial
I really gotta get up outta here
And go somewhere
I gotta shake you off
Gotta make that move
Find somebody who
Appreciates all the love I give
Boy I gotta shake you off
Gotta do what's best for me
Baby and that means I gotta
Shake you off

I gotta shake, shake,
Shake, shake, shake it
Off…

Young Jeezy:
Make me imagine that
For real play girl like I'm having that
Bronze on my tip can't shake 'em off
Take 'em to the crib then I break 'em off
Mommy on my team 'cause she know that I'm a winner
Drink Cris out the bottle, eat Popeyes for dinner
Left the coupe at the crib, scooped her up in the Chevy
Got the top down and the bass beatin' heavy
See he, he spoils you, me, I ignore ya
Sh-shake ya off, don't answer your phone calls
You say I'm trippin' but me, I call it tough love
So tell your friends you in love with a straight thug
You either in or out, what's happening with ya honey
Young snowman chase nothing but some money

Mariah:
I found out about a gang
Of your dirty little deeds
With this one and that one
By the pool, on the beach, in the streets
Heard y'all was
Hold up my phone's breakin' up
I'ma hang up and
Call the machine right back
I gotta get this off of my mind
You wasn't worth my time
I'm leaving you behind
Cause I need a real love in my life
Save this recording because
I'm never coming back home
Baby I'm gone
Don't cha know

I gotta shake you off
Cause the loving ain't the same
And you keep on playing games
Like you know I'm here to stay
I gotta shake you off
Just like the Calgon commercial
I really gotta get up outta here
And go somewhere
I gotta shake you off
Gotta make that move
Find somebody who
Appreciates all the love I give
Boy I gotta shake you off
Gotta do what's best for me
Baby and that means I gotta
Shake you off