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Lover • 2019

Cruel Summer

Taylor Swift

Translations (42)

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50 contributions

8 months ago

Lyrics of Cruel Summer by Taylor Swift

intro

(Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)

verse

Fever dream high in the quiet of the night

You know that I caught it

Bad, bad boy

Shiny toy with a price

You know that I bought it

pre-chorus

Killing me slow, out the window

I'm always waiting for you to be waiting below

Devils roll the dice, angels roll their eyes

What doesn't kill me makes me want you more

chorus

And it's new, the shape of your body

It's blue, the feeling I've got

And it's ooh, whoa, oh

It's a cruel summer

It's cool, that's what I tell 'em

No rules in breakable heaven

But ooh, whoa oh

It's a cruel summer

With you

verse

Hang your head low

In the glow of the vending machine

I'm not dying

You say that we'll just screw it up in these trying times

We're not trying

pre-chorus

So cut the headlights, summer's a knife

I'm always waiting for you just to cut to the bone

Devils roll the dice, angels roll their eyes

And if I bleed, you'll be the last to know

chorus

Oh, it's new, the shape of your body

It's blue, the feeling I've got

And it's ooh, whoa, oh

It's a cruel summer

It's cool, that's what I tell 'em

No rules in breakable heaven

But ooh, whoa, oh

It's a cruel summer

With you

bridge

I'm drunk in the back of the car

And I cried like a baby coming home from the bar (oh)

Said, "I'm fine," but it wasn't true

I don't wanna keep secrets just to keep you

And I snuck in through the garden gate

Every night that summer just to seal my fate (oh)

And I screamed for whatever it's worth

"I love you," ain't that the worst thing you ever heard?

He looks up grinning like a devil

chorus

It's new, the shape of your body

It's blue, the feeling I've got

And it's ooh, whoa, oh

It's a cruel summer

It's cool, that's what I tell 'em

No rules, in breakable heaven

But ooh, whoa, oh

It's a cruel summer

With you

verse

I'm drunk in the back of the car

And I cried like a baby coming home from the bar (oh)

Said, "I'm fine," but it wasn't true

I don't wanna keep secrets just to keep you

And I snuck in through the garden gate

Every night that summer just to seal my fate (oh)

And I screamed for whatever it's worth

"I love you," ain't that the worst thing you ever heard?

outro

(Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)

Writer(s): Taylor Swift, Jack Michael Antonoff, Annie Clark

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The story behind

Taylor Swift has articulated her thoughts on "Cruel Summer" through various platforms. In a discussion during the iHeartRadio Lover album release party and secret session, she described "Cruel Summer" as a reflection of the emotions tied to a summer romance, often laden with feelings of longing and occasional secrecy. She elaborated on the complexity of engaging in a relationship infused with desperation and pain, where the longing for something just beyond reach is a central theme. Swift highlighted her fondness for the lyrics in "Cruel Summer," expressing that they rank among her favorites. Additionally, in her Lover enhanced Spotify campaign, she mentioned her intention for the song to encapsulate a desperate summer love, perhaps destined for despair from the outset, resonating through the lyrics, 'I love you. Ain’t that the worst thing you ever heard?'. Moreover, Swift described "Cruel Summer" as a song revolving around a "summer romance," portraying an uncertain romantic relationship filled with elements of pain and desperation. The track "Cruel Summer" from her 2019 album "Lover" had a notable resurgence, particularly on TikTok, and was eventually released as a single, delighting Swift's fandom. The delay in its release as a single might have heightened the intrigue and affinity toward the song, reflecting the enduring impact of the emotions and narrative encapsulated in "Cruel Summer".

Meaning

"Cruel Summer" is a song by Taylor Swift that describes a tumultuous, passionate, and ultimately doomed romantic relationship. The lyrics create a vivid picture of the intense emotions and conflicting desires experienced by the protagonist, who is caught between her love for her partner and the pain that their relationship causes. The song is a poignant and powerful representation of the complexities of human relationships and the ways in which they can both inspire and destroy us.

Themes

Love and obsession

• Killing me slow, out the window • What doesn't kill me makes me want you more • Every night that summer just to seal my fate

Summer nights and memories

• Hang your head low • Cut the headlights, summer's a knife • Drunk in the back of the car

Pain and heartbreak

• "I'm fine,” but it wasn't true • "I love you,” ain't that the worst thing you ever heard? • He looks up grinning like a devil

Moods

• Anxious • Sad • Hopeful