Shake It Out

Who it's for

Welch described the song as being about shaking out regrets and the things that haunt you, and she said writing it felt like a kind of cleansing, which gives listeners a ready-made ritual for release.

Feelings it meets

• Letting Go of the Past
• Feeling Stuck
• Moral Injury
• Starting Over
• Regret
• Shame

What it is

"Shake It Out" is the first single from Florence + the Machine's second album, Ceremonials (2011), written by Florence Welch and Paul Epworth and produced by Epworth. Welch has said the song is about shaking off regrets and the things that haunt a person, and she likened it to a hangover cure because she wrote it while hungover. Its arrangement is built mainly on organs, bells and tambourines.

Where to find it

Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Amazon Music (widely available); official music video on Florence + the Machine's YouTube channel.

Before you start

Heads up: Dark imagery; brief alcohol references.

Age: Ages 12+

If you shed tears when you miss the sun, you also miss the stars.Rabindranath Tagore, Stray Birds