Get Shaky

The song, if taken literally, is a call to action for kids/young teens to speak out about molestation. It's basically a public service announcement wrapped up in a catchy pop song. Pretty fascinating stuff. Let em break it down for you:

-Tell you like it is with the kiss -Baby when it drips from your lips

Already, there is emphasis placed on sexuality of the girl, from the narrator (the narrator being the singer of the song). There is also youth implied, calling the girl "baby".

-Tell you like it is, it's like this -Don't be such a slave to your brother

The narrator implores the girl to stop being submissive to her own brother. The terminology of "slave" implies suffering or being used.

-Baby get shaky after school -Ooh oh there you oh oh there you

As soon as we hear the word "school", we know the girl in the song is very young. The context changes, so we understand the vulnerability of the girl and we also realize the darker implied molestation occuring. Getting "shaky after school", if taken literally, means the girl is literally shaking after school is over. If we are assume that she goes home after school and sees her brother, then she is likely shaking with fear/anxiety/terror. At this point, it's implied that she's afraid to go home because she is a sexual slave to her brother.

-Baby go crazy, break the rules -Ooh oh there you oh oh there you go

The narrator again implores the girl to "go crazy" and "break the rules". From the verse, we assume the narrator means the girl should stop being submissive to her brother and her brother's rules. From the sexuality of "when it drips from your lips", we can see that the narrator is asking the girl to speak out against the sexual abuse.

-Tell you like it is with the kiss -I can see the swing of your hips

Here is more sexual imagery. Is the brother telling the girl "how it is with the kiss"? Is the narrator someone romantically involved with the girl in question, who is telling her "how it is"? We don't know. "I can see the swing of your hips" could meet that the narrator witnessed a sexual act and now knows about the molestation, or that the narrator sees sexuality in the young girl, perhaps too much sexuality for her age.

-Tell you like it is, it's like this -Waiting for a trick from your brother

Emphasis on the abuse. A "trick" in english slang can mean sexual favors, sometimes in exchange for money. Is the brother pimping out his sister? Or is he the one wanting the "trick"?

-You can say what you want -But you saw just the door -You're outta here

I personally interpret this as the girl blocking out the abuse while it is happening and focusing on the door, which is her means of escape.

-You can say but you don't -Such a shame, little girl -Get outta here

The narrator emphasizes that the girl has the power to speak up and rescue herself, and there is a "tough love" approach of rejecting the girl for not speaking up for herself.

I'd love to hear any comments about my post. I think this is an amazingly subtle pop song. The video's innocence makes sense, considering the heavy true nature of the lyrics. Thanks!

Yeah I think it's been overplayed here too, but I'm not sure xD I don't listen to the radio much or listen to music on tv much anymore. I've only heard it once lol, but I liked the beat [:

Oh, that drugs theory seems a bit better than what I was thinking haha. I thought it was about under-age sex and teenage rebellion.

I agree with Stagnate, it could be about drugs but I think it's about teenage sex and perhaps rebellion.

I don't usually like pop music but this song makes me very nostalgic about my time in school, skipping days with my fiancé and getting intimate afterwards when we didn't skip school.

To me, the song is about drugs and the word "brother" is used to represent this:

"Waiting for a trick from your brother" could suggest that the "trick" is the effect of drugs, and they're waiting for that to kick in, where they're in a europhic state as a result. I think the drug in this context is probably ecstasy. "Don`t be such a slave to your brother" could again show this, saying don't become hooked on the drugs, don't become a slave to them.

I don't think the song needs to be that deeply analysed though, it's just a bloody good song for a bloody good dance!

It could be about drugs because when you're coming down ecstasy your hands sometimes get shaky.. 'Your brother' could be a metaphor for drugs i.e. 'Don't be such a slave to your brother', and 'Waiting for a trick from your brother' i.e. waiting for the effects to kick in.

I suggest its darker than that, a "trick" is an old slang word for a prostitutes customer:

thefreedictionary.com/trick

Sounds like her brother is really a very bad man. I dont see how else the words really fit, when you consider the angle Im getting at. It did shock me when I heard it, but still a great tune.

M

So, i don't know about anyone else but the way i see it is that she goes to school with her boyfriend, but is sleeping with his brother after school? I think her boyfriend has figured it out and is trying to confront her "You can say what you want, but you just saw the door" ???

I get what MMFB2001 means about the use of the word trick I know it sounds far fetched but it's difficult to put into Words!!!

ok so this is out there but i think ,its about mixing it up and doing things that are not considered in the rules of your religion and dont be such a slave to your brother as in brother "of the church" dont worry what the heck the rules say just do it you know the old black and white movies where the girl becomes a rebel and breaks the rules after kissing a guy comon u know what i mean? and than shes reasoning all the religious rules and parental rules of why she cant see him "tell it like it is" than after that kiss shes breaking the rules and doing things out of character any who its over played dance song here in australia

Wow no comments?!? Get shakys been completely overplayed on the radio (well in Aus anyway).

I reckon it's about teens using drugs - getting it from an older brother.

If you watch the video (below) (some really cool kids) then it seems a lot more innocent and maybe shaky just means dancing, and the "trick" might just mean something about cool dancing. I dont know.

youtube.com/watch