Lyric discussion by bkabbott 

She is using Applause as a metaphor for she fucking loves creating music. And genres overlap but her music is pop.

And the critics can't understand it.

Of course the applause comes after the music, which was created subconsciously, at least those magic parts are subconscious in a trance.

Then people cheer and if you haven't had a few beers it brings you back to earth humbly, few beers it's easier to not be a big douche and nod at the people who like you.

Really I think what she is saying can go back to a Louis Armstrong quote. Mr. Armstrong was asked by a rather square magazine what was jazz and he said well if you don't know what jazz is you'll never know.

And they're confused why she is an artist and the quote applies, look everyone can agree that Dierks Bentley is some of the stupidest music on this planet, and if you don't you don't know what an artist is.

P.s. Dierks I won't write the brief until I'm in law school

You live in Nashville? See your lawyers would tell you to say Jason Isbell was a nobody and you had never heard of him but I would have how improbable it would be that you had a melody that is exactly the same relative pitch look I haven't picked up a guitar yet dude.

But you don't pay them for that, you pay them because they write letters that scare artists, but they don't know music theory, I do and that scares the fuck out of them.

Your lawyers wear cowboy hats?

And I can play too so I have to go to law school and you are the only musician, Dierks Bentley that I hope to represent opposing counsel, faggot. I'll be cool with everyone else.

Dierks I couldn't play for years and I worked on legal arguments and I had three in my head I didn't quite get on paper that would have squashed you it would have led you where any argument you made would lose with present day jurisprudence. I did this Relaxing at Carmalillo they're on paper and your lawyers will get a copy of my academic exercise, which will get me a job because it represents what is wrong with the industry.

I would refer you to "Would You Want William Hung as Your Trier of Fact, The Case for a Specialized Music Tribunal". Now I don't agree with everything here but bottom line they fear litigation and in my opinion sneakily changing rhythms proves beyond a reasonable doubt that the theft was subconscious (which is irrelevant legally).

I haven't bothered to actually work out tonal centers and make more arguments against you because it sucks and I had to listen drunk, twice.

Whoever I am working for tread carefully Dierks Bentley.

This is just me talking shit your lawyers will get a copy, they'll know my name.

An error occured.