If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)
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"If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)" is a song by English band
the 1975 The 1975 are an English pop rock band formed in Wilmslow, Cheshire, in 2002. The band consists of Matty Healy (lead vocals, guitar, primary songwriter), Adam Hann (lead guitar), Ross MacDonald (bass), and George Daniel (drums, primary produ ...
from their fourth studio album, '' Notes on a Conditional Form'' (2020). The song was released on 23 April 2020 through
Dirty Hit Dirty Hit Limited is a British independent record label founded in February 2010 by Jamie Oborne, Chuck Waite, Brian Smith, and former England national football team, England footballer Ugo Ehiogu. Based in London since 2009, it has expanded op ...
and
Polydor Records Polydor Limited, also known as Polydor Records, is a British record label that operates as part of Universal Music Group. It has a close relationship with Universal's Interscope Geffen A&M Records label, which distributes Polydor's releases in ...
as the sixth single from the album. It was written by band members
Matty Healy Matthew Timothy Healy (born 8 April 1989) is an English singer-songwriter and record producer who is the lead vocalist and principal songwriter of the pop rock band the 1975. He is recognised for his Lyricist, lyricism, Eclecticism in music, ...
,
George Daniel George Bedford Daniel is a British drummer, record producer, DJ and electronic musician. He came to prominence as a member of the rock band the 1975, as part of which he released five albums that topped the UK Albums Chart. His songwriting and ...
, Adam Hann and Ross MacDonald. Production of the song was handled by Daniel and Healy alongside Jonathan Gilmore.
FKA Twigs Tahliah Debrett Barnett (born 16 January 1988), known professionally as FKA Twigs (stylized as FKA twigs), is an English singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, and dancer. She was a backup dancer for numerous musicians, and made her musica ...
provides
operatic Opera is a form of History of theatre#European theatre, Western theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by Singing, singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically ...
background vocals A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are u ...
on the song's
ambient Ambient or ambiance or ambience may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Ambiancé'', an unreleased experimental film * ''Ambient'' (novel), a novel by Jack Womack Music and sound * Ambience (sound recording), also known as atmospheres or backgr ...
new-age New Age is a range of spiritual or religious practices and beliefs that rapidly grew in Western society during the early 1970s. Its highly eclectic and unsystematic structure makes a precise definition difficult. Although many scholars consid ...
introduction,
Rashawn Ross Rashawn Ross (born January 16, 1979) is an American trumpeter and arranger. His contributions to the Dave Matthews Band, first as a touring member and now a full-time member, have garnered him visibility. Ross is an accomplished session musicia ...
performs the trumpet and
flugelhorn The flugelhorn (), also spelled fluegelhorn, flugel horn, or flügelhorn, is a brass instrument that resembles the trumpet and cornet, but has a wider, more conical bore. Like trumpets and cornets, most flugelhorns are pitched in B♭, though ...
in the choruses, and Bob Reynolds performs the
tenor A tenor is a type of male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. Composers typically write music for this voice in the range from the second B below m ...
and
alto saxophone The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments. Saxophones were invented by Belgians, Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in the 1840s and patented in 1846. The alto saxophone is pitched in the key of E♭ ( ...
solo in the
bridge A bridge is a structure built to Span (engineering), span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or railway) without blocking the path underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, whi ...
. Videos of the band performing the song were widely circulated on social media several months prior to its official release, quickly becoming a fan-favourite, and resulting in a high degree of anticipation among their fanbase. "If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)" is a pop and
synth-pop Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a music genre that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s b ...
song composed in a
retro Retro style is imitative or consciously derivative of lifestyles, trends, or art forms from the past, including in music, modes, fashions, or attitudes. It has been argued that there is a nostalgia cycle in popular culture. Definition The term ...
style that draws heavily from the music of the 1980s. Its instrumentation consists of high-
octave In music, an octave (: eighth) or perfect octave (sometimes called the diapason) is an interval between two notes, one having twice the frequency of vibration of the other. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been referr ...
alternative Alternative or alternate may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * Alternative (Kamen Rider), Alternative (''Kamen Rider''), a character in the Japanese TV series ''Kamen Rider Ryuki'' * Alternative comics, or independent comics are an altern ...
guitars,
drumbeat A drum beat or drum pattern is a rhythmic pattern, or repeated rhythm establishing the meter and groove through the pulse and subdivision, played on drum kits and other percussion instruments. As such a "beat" consists of multiple drum strokes o ...
kicks A kick is a physical strike using the leg, in unison usually with an area of the knee or lower using the foot, heel, tibia (shin), ball of the foot, blade of the foot, toes or knee (the latter is also known as a knee strike). This type of a ...
, brass horns, sparkling 1980s-style
synths A synthesizer (also synthesiser or synth) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis an ...
, and digital samples. The song's
maximalist In the arts, maximalism is an aesthetic characterized by excess and abundance, serving as a reaction against minimalism. The philosophy can be summarized as "more is more", contrasting with the minimalist principle of "less is more". Literatur ...
production combines elements of
funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African-American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African-Americans in the ...
,
techno Techno is a genre of electronic dance music (EDM) which is generally produced for use in a continuous DJ set, with tempos being in the range from 120 to 150 beats per minute (bpm). The central rhythm is typically in common time ( ) and often ...
,
indie pop Indie pop (also typeset as indie-pop or indiepop) is a music genre and subculture that combines guitar pop with a DIY ethic in opposition to the style and tone of mainstream pop music. It originated from British post-punk in the late 1970s and s ...
, dance music and
pop rock Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre and form of rock music characterized by a strong commercial appeal, with more emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than standard rock musi ...
in its composition. Lyrically, the song details Healy's growing obsession and sexual encounters with a woman he meets on the internet. In its exploration of online relationships, the song deals with themes of technology,
cybersex Cybersex, also called Internet sex, computer sex, netsex, e-sex, cybering, is a virtual sex encounter in which two or more people have long distance sex via electronic video communication (webcams, VR headsets, etc.) and other electronics (such as ...
, dependency and despondency. The song drew comparisons to the soundtracks of
John Hughes John Hughes may refer to: Arts and Entertainment Literature *John Hughes (poet) (1677–1720), English poet *John Hughes (1790–1857), English author *John Ceiriog Hughes (1832–1887), Welsh poet *John Hughes (writer) (born 1961), Australian au ...
'
coming-of-age Coming of age is a young person's transition from being a child to being an adult. The specific age at which this transition takes place varies between societies, as does the nature of the change. It can be a simple legal convention or can b ...
films, the works of
Tears for Fears Tears for Fears are an English pop rock band formed in Bath in 1981 by Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal. Founded after the dissolution of their first band, the mod-influenced Graduate, Tears for Fears were associated with the synth-pop bands o ...
,
Duran Duran Duran Duran () are an English pop rock band formed in Birmingham in 1978 by singer Stephen Duffy, keyboardist Nick Rhodes and guitarist/bassist John Taylor (bass guitarist), John Taylor. After several early changes, the band's line-up settled ...
and
Bruce Springsteen Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American Rock music, rock singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Nicknamed "the Boss", Springsteen has released 21 studio albums spanning six decades; most of his albums feature th ...
, and the 1975's own pop-oriented tracks. Upon release, "If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)" was acclaimed by contemporary music critics, many of whom deemed it a standout from ''Notes on a Conditional Form''. Specific praise was given to the production, retro 1980s style, and embodiment of The 1975's signature sound. The song later appeared on numerous year-end lists. It attained international chart success, peaking within the top five on the US ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
''
Hot Rock & Alternative Songs Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (formerly known as Rock Songs and Hot Rock Songs) is a record chart published by ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' magazine. From its debut on June 20, 2009, through October 13, 2012, the chart ranked the airplay of ...
and New Zealand Hot Singles charts, the top 20 in Scotland and Ireland, as well as number 50 in Belgium and number 85 in Australia. Domestically, the song reached number 14 on the UK Singles Chart, becoming the band's highest-charting single to date in the United Kingdom. A music video for the song was released on 23 April 2020. Directed by Adam Powell, the video features black and white visuals of The 1975 performing in front of a brick wall. It was well received by critics, who praised the simplicity and references to The 1975's early music videos.


Background and release

In an interview with John Kennedy of Radio X, Healy called "If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)" a "
Frankenstein ''Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus'' is an 1818 Gothic novel written by English author Mary Shelley. ''Frankenstein'' tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a Sapience, sapient Frankenstein's monster, crea ...
" song. Explaining further, the singer noted that more demos and different versions were created for "If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)" than any of the band's previous tracks. The final version was created using four separate pieces and underwent one of the most exhaustive recording processes for ''Notes on a Conditional Form''. The intro began as an
ambient Ambient or ambiance or ambience may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Ambiancé'', an unreleased experimental film * ''Ambient'' (novel), a novel by Jack Womack Music and sound * Ambience (sound recording), also known as atmospheres or backgr ...
song in the vein of the Durruti Column, using a
sample Sample or samples may refer to: * Sample (graphics), an intersection of a color channel and a pixel * Sample (material), a specimen or small quantity of something * Sample (signal), a digital discrete sample of a continuous analog signal * Sample ...
of an
opera Opera is a form of History of theatre#European theatre, Western theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by Singing, singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically ...
singer. The
chorus Chorus may refer to: Music * Chorus (song), the part of a song that is repeated several times, usually after each verse * Chorus effect, the perception of similar sounds from multiple sources as a single, richer sound * Chorus form, song in whic ...
of "If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)" had already been written for a different song, and Healy was attempting to use the chords of its chorus to write a verse. Feeling frustrated with
writer's block Writer's block is a non-medical condition, primarily associated with writing, in which an author is either unable to produce new work or experiences a creative slowdown. Writer's block has various degrees of severity, from difficulty in coming ...
, Healy re-listened to the ambient piece and decided to combine it with "If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)", giving the track an additional verse. The singer told Daniel: "We should make that fucking stomping, like
Tears for Fears Tears for Fears are an English pop rock band formed in Bath in 1981 by Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal. Founded after the dissolution of their first band, the mod-influenced Graduate, Tears for Fears were associated with the synth-pop bands o ...
", and the two created the final version. Once the pair had completed it, they invited
FKA Twigs Tahliah Debrett Barnett (born 16 January 1988), known professionally as FKA Twigs (stylized as FKA twigs), is an English singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, and dancer. She was a backup dancer for numerous musicians, and made her musica ...
to record the operatic vocals, to which she agreed. Speaking to Ryan Dombal of ''
Pitchfork A pitchfork or hay fork is an agricultural tool used to pitch loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. It has a long handle and usually two to five thin tines designed to efficiently move such materials. The term is also applie ...
'', Healy compared "If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)" to a
jigsaw puzzle A jigsaw puzzle (with context, sometimes just jigsaw or just puzzle) is a tiling puzzle that requires the assembly of often irregularly shaped interlocking and mosaicked pieces. Typically each piece has a portion of a picture, which is comple ...
that took time to put together, which he said "happens once n album. Prior to its official release, the 1975 debuted "If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)" in
Nottingham Nottingham ( , East Midlands English, locally ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located south-east of Sheffield and nor ...
, England, on 15 February 2020, the opening night of their Music for Cars Tour in the United Kingdom. The band performed the song again at the
O2 Arena O2 Arena may refer to: *The O2 Arena, London * O2 Arena, Prague *The 3Arena, Dublin, formerly known as The O2 *The Uber Arena, Berlin, formerly known as O2 World *The Barclays Arena Barclays Arena (originally known as the Color Line Arena an ...
in London on 21 February 2020, backed by box-style television screens. In his review of the performance, Andrew Trendell of ''
NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming and culture website, bimonthly magazine, and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a "Rock music, rock inkie", the ''NME'' would be ...
'' called it the most promising song on ''Notes on a Conditional Form'' "by far", noting the track would likely be released as a future single. Videos of the 1975 performing "If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)" began circulating on social media platforms, quickly becoming a fan-favourite and earning it a
cult following A cult following is a group of fans who are highly dedicated to a person, idea, object, movement, or work, often an artist, in particular a performing artist, or an artwork in some medium. The latter is often called a cult classic. A film, boo ...
among fans of the band. For nearly two months, fans of the 1975 used social media in an effort to have the band officially release the song, replying to their content with messages such as ""Drop 'Too Shy"". Healy himself recognized the anticipation, telling Brendan Wetmore of ''
Paper Paper is a thin sheet material produced by mechanically or chemically processing cellulose fibres derived from wood, Textile, rags, poaceae, grasses, Feces#Other uses, herbivore dung, or other vegetable sources in water. Once the water is dra ...
'' he believed the band had an "inherent quality in our music that's really chimed in with people", which he attributed to the song's uplifting and self-reflective qualities. On 21 April 2020, the band announced on Twitter that "If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)" would be released as the sixth single from ''Notes on a Conditional Form'' on 23 April 2020. The full-length version was officially released on 23 April 2020 alongside a shortened radio edit. Following its release, Healy jokingly revealed that they only released the song cause heir fanswouldn't shut the fuck up about t.


Music and lyrics

"If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)" runs for a length of five minutes and nineteen seconds (5:19). Musically, it is a pop and
synth-pop Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a music genre that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s b ...
song composed in a
retro Retro style is imitative or consciously derivative of lifestyles, trends, or art forms from the past, including in music, modes, fashions, or attitudes. It has been argued that there is a nostalgia cycle in popular culture. Definition The term ...
style that draws heavily from the music of the 1980s. The track also incorporates elements from
techno Techno is a genre of electronic dance music (EDM) which is generally produced for use in a continuous DJ set, with tempos being in the range from 120 to 150 beats per minute (bpm). The central rhythm is typically in common time ( ) and often ...
-
funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African-American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African-Americans in the ...
,
indie pop Indie pop (also typeset as indie-pop or indiepop) is a music genre and subculture that combines guitar pop with a DIY ethic in opposition to the style and tone of mainstream pop music. It originated from British post-punk in the late 1970s and s ...
, dance music,
power pop Power pop (also typeset as powerpop) is a subgenre of rock music and form of pop rock based on the early music of bands such as the Who, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Byrds. It typically incorporates melodic hooks, vocal harmonies, ...
,
pop rock Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre and form of rock music characterized by a strong commercial appeal, with more emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than standard rock musi ...
, and
pop-punk Pop-punk (also punk-pop, alternatively spelled without the hyphen) is a rock music fusion genre that combines elements of punk rock with power pop or pop music, pop. It is defined by its fast-paced, energetic tempos, and emphasis on classic pop s ...
. According to sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by
Sony/ATV Music Publishing Sony Music Publishing LLC (formerly Sony/ATV Music Publishing) is an American music publisher. Responsible for publishing the largest quantity of music, with over five million songs owned or administered as of end March 2021, it is part of Sony ...
, "If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)" is set in the
time signature A time signature (also known as meter signature, metre signature, and measure signature) is an indication in music notation that specifies how many note values of a particular type fit into each measure ( bar). The time signature indicates th ...
of
common time A time signature (also known as meter signature, metre signature, and measure signature) is an indication in music notation that specifies how many note values of a particular type fit into each measure ( bar). The time signature indicates the ...
with a
tempo In musical terminology, tempo (Italian for 'time'; plural 'tempos', or from the Italian plural), measured in beats per minute, is the speed or pace of a given musical composition, composition, and is often also an indication of the composition ...
of 120 beats per minute. The track is composed in the key of
D major D major is a major scale based on D (musical note), D, consisting of the pitches D, E (musical note), E, F♯ (musical note), F, G (musical note), G, A (musical note), A, B (musical note), B, and C♯ (musical note), C. Its key signature has two S ...
, with Healy's vocals
ranging Length measurement, distance measurement, or range measurement (ranging) all refer to the many ways in which length, distance, or range can be measured. The most commonly used approaches are the rulers, followed by transit-time methods and the ...
between the notes of A3 to B4. It follows a
chord progression In a musical composition, a chord progression or harmonic progression (informally chord changes, used as a plural, or simply changes) is a succession of chords. Chord progressions are the foundation of harmony in Western musical tradition from ...
of D–A–D/F#–G in the verses, Em–D/F#–A in the pre-choruses, and Bm–Em–D/F#–G in the choruses. The song's
maximalist In the arts, maximalism is an aesthetic characterized by excess and abundance, serving as a reaction against minimalism. The philosophy can be summarized as "more is more", contrasting with the minimalist principle of "less is more". Literatur ...
production consists of buoyant, high-
octave In music, an octave (: eighth) or perfect octave (sometimes called the diapason) is an interval between two notes, one having twice the frequency of vibration of the other. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been referr ...
guitar licks,
alternative Alternative or alternate may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * Alternative (Kamen Rider), Alternative (''Kamen Rider''), a character in the Japanese TV series ''Kamen Rider Ryuki'' * Alternative comics, or independent comics are an altern ...
guitars,
drumbeat A drum beat or drum pattern is a rhythmic pattern, or repeated rhythm establishing the meter and groove through the pulse and subdivision, played on drum kits and other percussion instruments. As such a "beat" consists of multiple drum strokes o ...
kicks A kick is a physical strike using the leg, in unison usually with an area of the knee or lower using the foot, heel, tibia (shin), ball of the foot, blade of the foot, toes or knee (the latter is also known as a knee strike). This type of a ...
, saxophone melodies, digitised samples, 1980s-style
synths A synthesizer (also synthesiser or synth) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis an ...
, deep
grooves Groove or Grooves may refer to: Music * Groove (music) * Groove (drumming) * The Groove (band), an Australian rock/pop band of the 1960s * The Groove (Sirius XM), a US radio station * Groove 101.7FM, a former Perth, Australia, radio station * ...
and impassioned
horns Horns or The Horns may refer to: * Plural of Horn (anatomy) * Plural of Horn (instrument), a group of musical instruments all with a horn-shaped bells * The Horns (Colorado), a summit on Cheyenne Mountain * Horns (novel), ''Horns'' (novel), a dar ...
. Lyrically, "If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)" details Healy's online romance with a woman and documents a series of sexual encounters conducted over
video chat Videotelephony (also known as videoconferencing or video calling) is the use of audio and video for simultaneous two-way communication. Today, videotelephony is widespread. There are many terms to refer to videotelephony. ''Videophones'' are ...
. It explores themes of technology,
cybersex Cybersex, also called Internet sex, computer sex, netsex, e-sex, cybering, is a virtual sex encounter in which two or more people have long distance sex via electronic video communication (webcams, VR headsets, etc.) and other electronics (such as ...
, online relationships, dependency and despondency. "If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)" opens with a minute-long "ghostly"
new-age New Age is a range of spiritual or religious practices and beliefs that rapidly grew in Western society during the early 1970s. Its highly eclectic and unsystematic structure makes a precise definition difficult. Although many scholars consid ...
ambient instrumental, backed by ominous drones,
celestial Celestial may refer to: Science * Objects or events seen in the sky and the following astronomical terms: ** Astronomical object, a naturally occurring physical entity, association, or structure that exists in the observable universe ** Celest ...
arpeggio An arpeggio () is a type of Chord (music), chord in which the Musical note, notes that compose a chord are individually sounded in a progressive rising or descending order. Arpeggios on keyboard instruments may be called rolled chords. Arpe ...
s, heavy
reverb In acoustics, reverberation (commonly shortened to reverb) is a persistence of sound after it is produced. It is often created when a sound is reflected on surfaces, causing multiple reflections that build up and then decay as the sound is a ...
, and elements of
glitch A glitch is a short-lived technical fault, such as a transient one that corrects itself, making it difficult to troubleshoot. The term is particularly common in the computing and electronics industries, in circuit bending, as well as among pl ...
music. FKA Twigs provides the backing vocals in an ethereal, choral, wordless operatic style. A piercing guitar
riff A riff is a short, repeated motif or figure in the melody or accompaniment of a musical composition. Riffs are most often found in rock music, punk, heavy metal music, Latin, funk, and jazz, although classical music is also sometimes based ...
signals the beginning of the song, with Healy singing: "I see her online all the time". The verses experiment with tension, with Stephen Ackroyd of '' Dork'' calling the anticipation "almost palpable". As the song progresses, the singer becomes increasingly obsessed with the woman, attempting to reach his locked hotel room at 7 am to video call her ("I need to get back, I've gotta see the girl on the screen"). According to Mitch Mosk of ''Atwood Magazine'', "If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)" reaches its peak of "musical and emotional ecstasy" in the pre-chorus, before releasing the tension in a climatic "euphoric blast" in the chorus as Healy sings the
hook A hook is a tool consisting of a length of material, typically metal, that contains a portion that is curved/bent back or has a deeply grooved indentation, which serves to grab, latch or in any way attach itself onto another object. The hook's d ...
: "She said / 'Maybe I would like you better if you took off your clothes / I wanna see and stop thinking / If you're too shy then let me know. The chorus features a range of synths, most notably the glassy stabs that are reminiscent of the Roland D-50 synthesiser. The
bridge A bridge is a structure built to Span (engineering), span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or railway) without blocking the path underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, whi ...
utilizes a
tenor A tenor is a type of male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. Composers typically write music for this voice in the range from the second B below m ...
and
alto saxophone The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments. Saxophones were invented by Belgians, Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in the 1840s and patented in 1846. The alto saxophone is pitched in the key of E♭ ( ...
solo performed by Bob Reynolds, which Ali Shutler of ''
NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming and culture website, bimonthly magazine, and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a "Rock music, rock inkie", the ''NME'' would be ...
'' described as "uproarious" and "perhaps the greatest
endorphin Endorphins (contracted from endogenous morphine) are peptides produced in the brain that block the perception of pain and increase feelings of wellbeing. They are produced and stored in the pituitary gland of the brain. Endorphins are endogeno ...
release you'll find this side of
lockdown A lockdown () is a restriction policy for people, community or a country to stay where they are, usually due to specific risks that could possibly harm the people if they move and interact freely. The term is used for a prison protocol that us ...
." Patricia Kolbe of ''Barricade Magazine'' compared "If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)" to the soundtracks of
coming-of-age Coming of age is a young person's transition from being a child to being an adult. The specific age at which this transition takes place varies between societies, as does the nature of the change. It can be a simple legal convention or can b ...
movies directed by
John Hughes John Hughes may refer to: Arts and Entertainment Literature *John Hughes (poet) (1677–1720), English poet *John Hughes (1790–1857), English author *John Ceiriog Hughes (1832–1887), Welsh poet *John Hughes (writer) (born 1961), Australian au ...
, and noted similarities to "
Everybody Wants to Rule the World "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" is a song by the English pop rock band Tears for Fears from their second studio album ''Songs from the Big Chair'' (1985). It was written by Roland Orzabal, Ian Stanley, and Chris Hughes and produced by Hug ...
" (1985) by Tears for Fears. She found the song's saxophone stylings comparable to the 1975's own " She's American" (2016), the drum pattern to "Heart Out" (2013), and the use of "magnetic" synth-pop to " It's Not Living (If It's Not with You)" (2018). Ben Kaye of ''
Consequence of Sound ''Consequence'' (previously ''Consequence of Sound'') is an independently owned New York-based online magazine featuring news, editorials, and reviews of music, movies, and television. History ''Consequence of Sound'' was founded in Septem ...
'' called the song bright and "bubbly". Shutler interpreted a deeper meaning in the song. He observed relatable and vulnerable qualities ("There's something 'bout her stare that makes you nervous / And you say things that you don't mean"), along with the desire to escape the real world and use alcohol as courage ("Sometimes it's better if you think about it / This time, I think I'm gonna drink through it"). Brittany Spanos of ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...
'' remarked that "If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)" continued the thematic exploration of online relationships present on ''A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships'', while deeming it sonically reminiscent of
Duran Duran Duran Duran () are an English pop rock band formed in Birmingham in 1978 by singer Stephen Duffy, keyboardist Nick Rhodes and guitarist/bassist John Taylor (bass guitarist), John Taylor. After several early changes, the band's line-up settled ...
. Jessie Atkinson of ''
Gigwise ''Gigwise'' is a British online music news site featuring music news, photos, album reviews, music festivals, concert tickets and video content. Founded in June 2001, the site is based in London, England. History Gigwise was launched in 2001 in ...
'' called the song vulnerable and euphoric, comparing the guitar riffs to
Bryan Adams Bryan Guy Adams (born November 5, 1959) is a British and Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, record producer, and photographer. He is estimated to have sold between 75 million and more than 100 million album, records and Single (music), si ...
, the saxophone solo to
Bruce Springsteen Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American Rock music, rock singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Nicknamed "the Boss", Springsteen has released 21 studio albums spanning six decades; most of his albums feature th ...
and the overall melody to " Give It Up" (1982) by
KC and the Sunshine Band KC and the Sunshine Band is an American disco and funk band that was founded in 1973 in Hialeah, Florida. Their best-known songs include the hits " Get Down Tonight", " That's the Way (I Like It)", "⁠ (Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty", ...
. Lindsay Zoladz of ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' said the track mined a "bright, brassy sound of late-80s pop" to tell a story that would have sounded like science-fiction in that era: "a series of sexual encounters conducted over video chat".


Critical reception

"If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)" was acclaimed by contemporary music critics upon its release and appeared on numerous year-end lists. Reviewers praised its 1980s-style production and embodiment of the 1975's signature sound, favourably comparing the song to the music of Tears for Fears, Duran Duran, and
the Cure The Cure are an English Rock music, rock band formed in Crawley in 1976 by Robert Smith (musician), Robert Smith (vocals, guitar) and Lol Tolhurst (drums). The band's current line-up comprises Smith, Perry Bamonte (guitar and keyboards), Reev ...
. In her review of ''Notes on a Conditional Form'', Samantha Small of ''Consequence of Sound'' deemed "If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)" an "Essential Track". In her review of the parent album for ''The New York Times'', Zoladz called the song "irresistible". Lizzie Mano of ''
Paste Paste is a term for any very thick viscous fluid. It may refer to: Science and technology * Adhesive or paste ** Wallpaper paste ** Wheatpaste, a liquid adhesive made from vegetable starch and water * Paste (rheology), a substance that behaves as ...
'' deemed "If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)" the best song on ''Notes on a Conditional Form'', calling the track "effortlessly catchy" and saying listeners "could play it endlessly without it tiring". In his review of "If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)" for ''Dork'', Ackroyd called it a "swaggering, hip shaking monster" and metaphorically compared the song to a musical
lightning rod A lightning rod or lightning conductor (British English) is a metal rod mounted on a structure and intended to protect the structure from a lightning strike. If lightning hits the structure, it is most likely to strike the rod and be conducted ...
, "pulling down raw, crackling energy from the heavens". Claire Biddles of ''
The Line of Best Fit ''The Line of Best Fit'' is an independent online magazine based in London, concentrating on new music. It publishes independent music reviews, features, interview, and media. Founded by Richard Thane in February 2007 and currently edited by P ...
'' declared "If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)" the best song on its parent album, saying "it shows that The 1975 haven't lost the ability to make a piercingly resonant song in whatever genre or form they wish to". She opined that the song is emblematic of the band's signature sound, exemplified by a "hooky melody", an "effortless"-sounding multi-layered production, "a convincing pastiche of a micro-genre" and "deftly contemporary lyrics" that discuss the complexities of online and offline relationships. Ross Horton of ''
musicOMH ''MusicOMH'' (stylized as ''musicOMH'') is a London-based online music magazine which publishes independent reviews, features and interviews from across all genres including classical, metal, rock and R&B. History ''MusicOMH'' was founded an ...
'' said the song was evocative of the band's "classic" sound. Sam Sodomsky of ''Pitchfork'' praised it as an album highlight, calling the song "the record's closest thing to a typical 1975 song—a glittery '80s arrangement, a ridiculous saxophone solo, a charmingly sleazy hook". Paul Schrodt of ''
Slant Magazine ''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New Yor ...
'' wrote it is: "A quintessential 1975 song ..a bit of everything—a maximalism that the 1975 pulls off like almost no one else". In another favourable review, Matt Collar of
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
wrote that "If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)" is the only track on ''Notes on a Conditional Form'' reminiscent of the 1975's eponymous debut studio album (2013), commending the 1980s nostalgia and saxophone solo. Lauren Mullineaux of ''
Beats Per Minute Beat, beats, or beating may refer to: Common uses * Assault, inflicting physical harm or unwanted physical contact * Battery (crime), a criminal offense involving unlawful physical contact * Battery (tort), a civil wrong in common law of in ...
'' called it a "thrilling" example of the band's signature sound, commenting that the song places the listener in the leading role of a Hughes film. In her weekly ''Rolling Stone'' special "Song You Need To Know" column, Spanos commented that "If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)" and its message of communicating through video calls was especially relevant during the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
. She humorously remarked that the song: "quickly joins an elite pantheon of catchy songs about virtual sex, like
'NSync NSYNC ( ; also stylized as *NSYNC or N Sync) was an American vocal group and pop boy band formed by Chris Kirkpatrick in Orlando, Florida, in 1995 and launched in Germany by BMG Ariola Munich. The group consists of Kirkpatrick, JC Chasez, Joey ...
's 'Digital Get Down'
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and
Soulja Boy DeAndre Cortez Way (born July 28, 1990), known professionally as Soulja Boy (formerly Soulja Boy Tell 'Em), is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. He rose to prominence with his self-released 2007 debut single, "Crank That ...
's '
Kiss Me thru the Phone "Kiss Me thru the Phone" is a song by American rapper Soulja Boy featuring American singer Sammie. Written by the former alongside David Siegel and producer Jim Jonsin, it was released on November 26, 2008, as the second single from his 2008 al ...
'
2008) An emoticon (, , rarely , ), short for emotion icon, is a pictorial representation of a facial expression using characters—usually punctuation marks, numbers and Alphabet, letters—to express a person's feelings, mood or reaction, withou ...
. Conrad Duncan of '' Under the Radar'' gave the song a positive review, comparing it to Duran Duran and
the Blue Nile The Blue Nile is a river in Ethiopia and Sudan. Blue Nile may also refer to: * Blue Nile (state) Blue Nile State ( ') is one of the eighteen States of Sudan, states of the Republic of the Sudan. It was established by presidential decree nº 3 i ...
and writing it " ombinesself-deprecating humor with sharp radio-friendly hooks". Joe Rivers of ''No Ripcord'' called the track "the best song
Simple Minds Simple Minds are a Scottish Rock music, rock band formed in Glasgow in 1977, becoming best known internationally for their song "Don't You (Forget About Me)" (1985), which topped the ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' Billboard Hot 100, Hot 100 ...
never wrote". Chris Willman of ''
Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'' compared the song to "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" and the duo
Hall & Oates Daryl Hall & John Oates, commonly known as Hall & Oates, were an American Rock music, rock duo formed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1970. Daryl Hall was generally the lead vocalist, while John Oates primarily supplied electric guitar and ba ...
, praising the "essential corniness of an '80s
MTV MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on ...
pastiche" and favourably calling it a "slightly weird" pop song. The staff of ''
Spin Spin or spinning most often refers to: * Spin (physics) or particle spin, a fundamental property of elementary particles * Spin quantum number, a number which defines the value of a particle's spin * Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thr ...
'' highlighted the song's successful implementation of 1980s music and ability to "document the sadness, hilarity, awkwardness and – just maybe – euphoria of the erotic
Zoom Zoom may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Film * ''Zoom'' (2006 film), starring Tim Allen * ''Zoom'' (2015 film), a Canada-Brazil film by Pedro Morelli * ''Zoom'' (2016 Kannada film), a Kannada film * ''Zoom'' (2016 Sinhala film), a Sr ...
call". The editorial team at '' DIY'' extolled the use of 1980s synths, saxophones and "saucy" lyrics, declaring it a "gem" and "quite the insatiable jam". Roisin O'Connor of ''
The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...
'' observed similarities to the work of Tears for Fears and commended the song's "propulsive shuffle rhythm" and "twinkling synths". In his review of the single for ''NME'', Shutler called the track "shamelessly huge" and an instant classic. He wrote that it represents the band at their "glorious, gargantuan best", drawing similarities to the dark, melodic
emo Emo () is a genre of rock music characterized by emotional, often confessional lyrics. It emerged as a style of hardcore punk and from the Washington, D.C., hardcore scene, where it was known as emotional hardcore or emocore. The bands ...
of Tears for Fears, the Cure and the music of John Hughes films.


Year-end lists


Music video

A music video for "If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)" was released on 23 April 2020. The video was directed by Adam Powell, while Jack Meredith served as
assistant director The role of an assistant director (AD) on a film includes tracking daily progress against the filming production schedule, arranging logistics, preparing daily call sheets, checking cast and crew, and maintaining order on the set. They also have ...
. The role of production manager was handled by Ias Balaskas. Andrew Rawson and Harrison Imogen served as producer and executive producer, respectively. Anthony Neale was responsible for the video's
art direction Art director is a title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, live-action and animated film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to super ...
, with Kim Rance and Elaine Lynskey providing hair and makeup. Cinematically, Carlos Catalan served as
director of photography The cinematographer or director of photography (sometimes shortened to DP or DOP) is the person responsible for the recording of a film, television production, music video or other live-action piece. The cinematographer is the chief of the camera ...
, while Marco Alonso and Apostolos Katsamagkas acted as
focus puller A focus puller or first assistant camera (1st AC) is a member of a film crew's camera department whose primary responsibility is to maintain the camera lens's optical focus on whatever subject or action is being filmed. "Pulling focus" refers t ...
and second assistant camera, respectively. John Holloway edited the video, and the production company Editegg was brought in to handle
post-production Post-production, also known simply as post, is part of the process of filmmaking, video production, audio production, and photography. Post-production includes all stages of production occurring after principal photography or recording indivi ...
. Visually simplistic, it features the 1975 performing "If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)" against a brick wall. The video is shot in high contrast black and white, interspersing expansive wide shots with close-up profiles of the individual band members. Brock Thiessen of ''
Exclaim! ''Exclaim!'' is a Canadian music and entertainment publisher based in Toronto, which features coverage of new music across all genres with a special focus on Canadian and emerging artists. The monthly ''Exclaim!'' print magazine publishes seven ...
'' called it "a simple yet effective approach". In her review of the song for ''Barricade Magazine'', Kolbe interpreted the clip as an ode to the band's earlier visuals.


Commercial performance

"If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)" attained domestic and international chart success. In the 1975's native country of the UK, the song debuted and peaked at number 14 on the UK Singles Chart, becoming the band's highest-charting single to date in the country. In Scotland, "If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)" reached number 18 on the Scottish Singles chart. Elsewhere in Europe, the song peaked at number 13 in Ireland and number 50 in Belgium. In Oceania, "If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)" debuted and peaked at number 85 in Australia and number 4 on the New Zealand Hot Singles chart. In the United States, the song peaked at number five on the US
Hot Rock & Alternative Songs Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (formerly known as Rock Songs and Hot Rock Songs) is a record chart published by ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' magazine. From its debut on June 20, 2009, through October 13, 2012, the chart ranked the airplay of ...
chart and was ranked at number 89 on its year-end chart.


Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from ''Notes on a Conditional Form'' album liner notes. * Matthew Healy composer, producer, guitar, vocals *
George Daniel George Bedford Daniel is a British drummer, record producer, DJ and electronic musician. He came to prominence as a member of the rock band the 1975, as part of which he released five albums that topped the UK Albums Chart. His songwriting and ...
composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and def ...
, producer, drums, keyboards, synthesizer * Adam Hann composer, guitar * Ross MacDonald composer, bass * Jonathan Gilmore producer,
recording engineer An audio engineer (also known as a sound engineer or recording engineer) helps to produce a recording or a live performance, balancing and adjusting sound sources using equalization, dynamics processing and audio effects, mixing, reproducti ...
* Tahliah Debrett Barnett
background vocals A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are u ...
* Lemar Guillary trombone * Bob Reynolds
alto saxophone The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments. Saxophones were invented by Belgians, Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in the 1840s and patented in 1846. The alto saxophone is pitched in the key of E♭ ( ...
,
tenor saxophone The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor and the alto are the two most commonly used saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B (whi ...
*
Rashawn Ross Rashawn Ross (born January 16, 1979) is an American trumpeter and arranger. His contributions to the Dave Matthews Band, first as a touring member and now a full-time member, have garnered him visibility. Ross is an accomplished session musicia ...
flugelhorn The flugelhorn (), also spelled fluegelhorn, flugel horn, or flügelhorn, is a brass instrument that resembles the trumpet and cornet, but has a wider, more conical bore. Like trumpets and cornets, most flugelhorns are pitched in B♭, though ...
, trumpet * Jamie Squire guitar * John Waugh saxophone *
Mike Crossey Mike Crossey (born 1979) is a Northern Irish record producer, songwriter, and mixing engineer. He produced the debut single by Arctic Monkeys, collaborating with them over two albums. He is known for his ongoing relationship with The 1975, in a ...
mixer * Robin Schmidt
mastering engineer Mastering is a form of audio post production which is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the Audio mixing (recorded music), final mix to a data storage device called a master recording, the source ...


Charts


Weekly charts


Year-end charts


Certifications


See also

*
The 1975 discography English rock band the 1975 have released five studio albums, five live albums, five extended plays, 35 music videos and 34 singles. The band consists of lead vocalist, principal songwriter, and rhythm guitarist Matty Healy, drummer and primary ...
*
List of songs by Matty Healy English singer-songwriter Matty Healy has written and produced songs delving on themes like the Millennials, millennial generation, masculinity, internet culture, social and political issues as well as his own life and relationships. His work h ...


References


External links

* {{authority control 2020 singles 2020 songs The 1975 songs Music videos directed by Adam Powell Black-and-white music videos Songs written by Matty Healy FKA Twigs