“Thrift Shop” was written by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, two people I quite literally never heard of until a few weeks ago when the song first began to gain popularity. Despite this, the pair has sold 2.3 million copies so far and the single “Thrift Shop” has rested as No.1 on iTunes. It’s an odd thing to sing about, but the lyrics are comical, mimicking an over-enthused shopper dumbfounded by cheap thrift shop prices. The beat is addicting and the song highlights a now common hobby of American culture: thrift shopping.
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When I first listened to the song, it really made me want to go thrift shopping. It makes you feel the thrill of getting leopard mink for “just 99 cents!” Macklemore spends most of the song describing his new pair of footie pajamas and how he bought a broken keyboard, amongst other absurdities.
This song is easy to mock, but I think we need to give Macklemore and Ryan Lewis props for putting out a song so ridiculous but obviously a great success. The point is this song is fun and definitely unique. It’s not really meant to be taken too seriously, and all the while, it reveals how easily expensive clothing companies can trick society into spending an exorbitant amount of money for a cotton shirt. It gives us all something to think about.