Full 'Look What You Made Me Do' Lyrics Breakdown: Every Feud Reference & Easter Egg Verified
Behind the song's biting cadence sits a rhythmic structure that surprised the music industry upon release. Swift and co-writer Jack Antonoff did not construct the chorus around soaring melodies. Instead, they opted for an eerie, mechanical repetition over an electro-clash beat. Antonoff layered dark synths, dry snare hits, and swelling bass drops, creating an atmosphere that felt theatrical and claustrophobic.
Attentive listeners instantly recognized the cadence of the pre-chorus and chorus: it lifted the rhythmic skeleton of "I'm Too Sexy," the 1991 novelty hit by British pop duo Right Said Fred. Rather than risking copyright litigation, Swift and Antonoff proactively contacted band members Fred Fairbrass, Richard Fairbrass, and Rob Manzoli, granting them official songwriting credits. The contrast between a lighthearted nineties dance-pop groove and Swift's menacing lyrical delivery gave the hook its unforgettable, chilling momentum.
