Scroll To See More Images
Power forever. A strong anthem for the masses, the lyrics to “Applause” by Diane Warren will get you up on your feet and make you feel amazing.
The song was written for the movie Tell It Like a Woman. The synopsis is as follows, “Tell It Like A Woman is an anthology film made of 7 short stories whose common denominator is the representation of female protagonists. Each of these very different women faces a particular challenge in their life with extreme determination and courage that makes them stronger and more self-aware.”
So what do the lyrics of “Applause” by Diane Warren mean? Read more below to find out.
What is the meaning of “Applause” by Diane Warren’s lyrics?
What is the meaning of “Applause” by Diane Warren’s lyrics? Well simple enough, it’s all about female empowerment.
Songwriting legend Diane Warren confessed that it just took about five days to write the lyrics for the song. She loved the message behind the anthology film. “What’s different about this movie is it’s not one movie, it’s seven movies, seven short films by women, actresses, and directors from all over the world. People like Jennifer Hudson, Eva Longoria,” she said.
“I wanted to write a really empowering song,” Warren said to ABC 7. “And the song also works outside of the movie as well, especially with everything that we’ve gone through, especially women, or everybody, but women because, you know, we don’t give ourselves enough applause. We don’t give ourselves enough love and respect. Living isn’t easy, every day is difficult for so many different reasons. And you know, every now and then you just got to look in the mirror and go, ‘You know what I’m gonna, I’m gonna give myself some love. I’m gonna give myself some applause.’”
“We tend to beat ourselves up a lot,” the veteran tune scribe said during a panel at Deadline’s Sound & Screen event. “Every now and then you have to just give yourself some f*cking applause, give yourself some love, give yourself some respect. Give it to yourself before you give it to someone else.”
Image: Samuel Goldwyn Films / Courtesy Everett Collection
“They are pretty powerful stories,” said Warren. “I wanted to write a song that could fit in all these various movies, which is basically just about empowerment. These are stories about strong women. I wanted the song to reflect that.” She continued, “When I had the chorus [to “Applause”], I knew I had something. Then it’s like being in a forest and you have built this great house, the chorus, but now you have to find your way out and back,” she says of writing the rest of the song. “Hopefully somebody will be working hard at their job or not giving themselves the respect or the love they deserve” and hear “Applause,” she laughs. Then she laughs at herself again: “You know, that’s a song I should listen to.”
In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, she said that she acknowledges her own motivation. “I’m not remotely complacent,” she says, seated in the comfy embrace of one of the luxurious armchairs in the screening room at her Hollywood studios. “I mean, I just finished a song yesterday, and today I’m like, ‘OK, can I make this great?’ I don’t sit back and go, ‘OK, I can rest for a few.’ So, yeah. I think being hard on myself drives me.”
Image: Samuel Goldwyn Films / Courtesy Everett Collection
For the song, Warren earned her 14th Oscar nomination and she also collected the gold statuette She was awarded The Academy’s honorary Oscar for her film contributions over the years at the 13th Governors Awards. Her friend, woman singer extraordinaire and frequent collaborator, Cher, presented it to her.
She actually got the call about the nomination when she was recording “Applause” with singer Sofia Richie. I I was like, ‘Wow! This is so cool. Maybe I should give myself applause for a second,’” says Warren. “And then go back to beating the shit out of myself,” she said to Awardsdaily with a laugh.
“Applause” by Diane Warren & Sofia Carson lyrics
Here’s the lyrics to “Applause” by Sofia Carson and Diane Warren via Genius.
[Verse 1]
Recognize who you are
Sometimes, I know it’s so hard
But you shine
You’re a supernova superstar (Supernova superstar)
[Pre-Chorus]
They can’t stop you, you were born unstoppable
Dare to know that you’re remarkable
Stand up, stand up
Raise your hands up, hands up, yeah
[Chorus]
Give yourself some applause, you deserve it
Give yourself some respect ’cause you’ve earned it
Give yourself some love ’cause you’re worth it, you’re worth it
Yeah, hell yeah
Let ’em know you know it, go and show you own it
You’re bold, you’re bad, you’re strong
So give yourself some applause, applause, applause
Give yourself some
[Verse 2]
Realize how far you’ve come
This time, you won’t be outdone
You’re on fire
It’s your time, I know your time has come
(Let ’em know your time has come)
[Pre-Chorus]
Believe it, you’re the queen, you wear the crown
Feel it, take it in and take a bow
Stand up, stand up
Raise your hands up, hands up, yeah
[Chorus]
Give yourself some applause, you deserve it
Give yourself some respect ’cause you’ve earned it
Give yourself some love ’cause you’re worth it, you’re worth it
Yeah, hell yeah
Let ’em know you know it, go and show you own it
You’re bold, you’re bad, you’re strong
So give yourself some applause, applause, applause
Give yourself some
[Bridge]
Pat yourself on the back, somehow you found the faith
To make it through to, through to another day
Times got tough, but somehow, you survived
You kept your head high
[Chorus]
Give yourself some applause, you deserve it
Give yourself some respect ’cause you’ve earned it
Give yourself some love ’cause you’re worth it, you’re worth it
Yeah, hell yeah
(Let ’em know you’re worth it)
Let ’em know you know it, go and show you own it
You’re bold, you’re bad, you’re strong
So give yourself some applause, applause, applause
(Give yourself some applause)
Give yourself some applause (Give yourself), you deserve it
(You deserve it)
Give yourself some respect ’cause you’ve earned it
(Oh, because you’re worth it)
Give yourself some love ’cause you’re worth it, you’re worth it
Yeah, hell yeah
Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale.
