 Genius Meanings
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Taylor Swift – the 1
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“the 1,” the second single from the album, centers around the nostalgic remembrance of myths and lost loves. Taylor contemplates an alternate life in which her old wishes had “come
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Taylor Swift – Last Kiss
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In this emotional ballad, Taylor describes her feelings surrounding her break up with Jonas Brothers member Joe Jonas. The secret message for this song is “forever and always
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Taylor Swift – champagne problems
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“champagne problems” tells the story of a woman who shocks her would-be fiancé and their loved ones by turning down a marriage proposal right before Christmas. In an essay about
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Taylor Swift – Cruel Summer
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“Cruel Summer” narrates the fragility and uncertainty at the beginning of Taylor’s relationship with Joe Alwyn. The two met officially at the Met Gala in May 2016, although she was
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Taylor Swift – Mean
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Swift wrote “Mean” in response to music critic Bob Lefsetz, who gave her a cruel review after a February 2010 performance with Stevie Nicks. Lefsetz claimed that Swift “can’t sing
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Taylor Swift – I Almost Do
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“I Almost Do,” is a song that describes the internal conflict that goes on when reminiscing about a romance. Taylor commented on the song saying—
“I Almost Do'” is a song I wrote
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Taylor Swift – Question...?
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Reflecting upon a past relationship on “Question…?,” Swift asks her former lover if their newer romantic experiences compare to the time that they spent together. Implicitly, she
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Taylor Swift – cardigan
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Accompanied by the release of her project written and recorded during the lockdown due to COVID-19, “cardigan” is the lead single from Taylor Swift’s eighth studio album, folklore.
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Taylor Swift – Death By A Thousand Cuts
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“Death By A Thousand Cuts” compares the possible break-up of a relationship to a slow, painful death. It was inspired by the Netflix film Someone Great, rather than an aspect of
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Taylor Swift – Anti-Hero
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Described by Taylor herself as “one of my favorite songs that I have ever written”, “Anti-Hero” is the scintillating lead single from Midnights, her tenth studio album. Largely
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Taylor Swift (Ft. Chris Stapleton) – I Bet You Think About Me (Taylor's Version) [From the Vault]
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In “I Bet You Think About Me,” Taylor confronts her ex now that she was able to move on, knowing he still hasn’t. Using an angry and disappointed tone, Taylor puts the blame on her
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Taylor Swift – Vigilante Shit
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“Vigilante Shit” follows the topic of a woman who’s seeking revenge. Swift and the subject of the song ostensibly obtain their revenge – instead of getting sad, they get even.
The
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Taylor Swift – If This Was a Movie
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In “If This Was A Movie,” Taylor daydreams about a lost love coming back to her. The track was made available on the deluxe edition of Taylor’s album Speak Now. (2010). Lyrically
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Taylor Swift (Ft. Fall Out Boy) – Electric Touch (Taylor's Version) [From The Vault]
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“Electric Touch” sees Swift and Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy long for hope, vulnerability, and the uncertainty of new love while they also share their perspectives on the
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Taylor Swift – How You Get The Girl
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Taylor Swift unveiled a little snippet of this song in her Diet Coke ad.
https://twitter.com/taylorswift13/status/522413036729298944
The song works as an advice to a guy who
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Taylor Swift (Ft. Phoebe Bridgers) – Nothing New (Taylor's Version) [From The Vault]
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Swift mentions “Nothing New” in the journals she released alongside her 2019 record Lover. In the journal, she reveals she wrote it for her 2012 record Red — she later included it
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Taylor Swift – Stay Beautiful
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“Stay Beautiful” is a cute, heartfelt song about a boy Taylor had a crush on in high school. It epitomizes high school relationships, acknowledging that things may not work out
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Taylor Swift – Hits Different
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“Hits Different” was a bonus track on the Target-exclusive Midnights: Lavender Edition. However, due to requests from fans, Taylor announced on May 24, 2023 that the track would be
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Taylor Swift – the lakes
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Per the unforeseen announcement of Taylor Swift’s eighth studio album “folklore” and the subsequent release of the album’s track list, “the lakes” is the featured bonus track on
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Taylor Swift – Come Back... Be Here
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On “Come Back…Be Here”, Swift croons about a lover lost to time over a simple production reminiscent of her Speak Now days. On the deluxe version of Red, it appears as the 18th
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Taylor Swift – Dear John (Taylor's Version)
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[Verse 1] / Long were the nights / When my days once revolved around you / Counting my footsteps / Prayin' the floor won't fall through again / And my mother accused me of losin
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Taylor Swift – Come Back... Be Here
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On “Come Back…Be Here”, Swift croons about a lover lost to time over a simple production reminiscent of her Speak Now days. On the deluxe version of Red, it appears as the 18th
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Taylor Swift – Dear John (Taylor's Version)
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[Verse 1] / Long were the nights / When my days once revolved around you / Counting my footsteps / Prayin' the floor won't fall through again / And my mother accused me of losin
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Taylor Swift – "Slut!" (Taylor's Version) [From The Vault]
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“Slut!” leans fully into Swift’s media reputation as a “slut,” accepting that branding as long as it means she’s dating “the one.” The song, the first From The Vault track from
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Taylor Swift – Ronan
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Swift wrote “Ronan” about a three-year-old boy named Ronan Thompson, who died of neuroblastoma after an eight-month battle in 2011. Ronan’s mother, Maya Thompson, who gets credit
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Taylor Swift – betty
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“betty” touches on the aftermath of “august,” which describes a summer love that was doomed from the start. Listeners learn that while the summer affair was going on, the speaker
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Taylor Swift (Ft. The Chicks) – Soon You'll Get Better
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Swift dedicates this heartbreaking tune to her mother, Andrea, who was diagnosed with cancer in April 2015, then re-diagnosed some time in 2018. Swift previously spoke about her
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Taylor Swift – seven
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This song is about one of Taylor’s childhood friends who seemed to have had an unhappy life at home. Taylor reflects back on her innocence back then, how she thought that their
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Taylor Swift – august
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“august” is another folklore track produced with Swift’s frequent collaborator and friend Jack Antonoff, who called the song one of his “favorite things [they’ve] done together.”
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Taylor Swift – Is It Over Now? (Taylor's Version) [From The Vault]
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“Is It Over Now?,“ the closing vault track on Taylor’s Version of 1989, explores feelings of heartbreak and reflection in a relatable way: sharing moments of loneliness and
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Taylor Swift – Dear Reader
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“Dear Reader” is the final track of the 3AM edition of Taylor Swift’s 2022 album Midnights. The song is written from the perspective of an advice columnist, and in it, Taylor
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Taylor Swift – my tears ricochet
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Swift shared via Instagram that “my tears ricochet” is about an “embittered tormentor showing up at the funeral of his fallen object of obsession.” She revealed in a YouTube
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Taylor Swift – gold rush
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“gold rush” is a song depicting the jealousy the narrator has because she is attracted to someone who everyone admires.
Because of this, she has to stop picturing her life with
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The National (Ft. Taylor Swift) – The Alcott
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“The Alcott” is the final single from The National’s ninth studio album First Two Pages of Frankenstein .
Matt Berninger was inspired by his wife, Carin Besser, for the concept of
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Taylor Swift – Daylight
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In the final song on her album Lover, Taylor Swift sings about struggling through previous relationships, beginning to doubt her ability to find true love, until she meets someone
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Taylor Swift – All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor's Version) [From The Vault]
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Widely regarded as one of Swift’s best songs, “All Too Well” sees her picking up shards of memories after a gut-wrenching breakup. She jumps through time to reflect on her best and
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Taylor Swift – Tim McGraw
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“Tim McGraw,” which Taylor wrote in her freshman math class, was her debut single and first-ever published song. At the time, she was dating a senior named Drew Dunlap and believed
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Taylor Swift (Ft. Bon Iver) – exile
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“exile” describes two ex-lovers seeing each other following a break-up. Justin Vernon describes feelings of confusion about how quickly a lover moved on, while Swift offers a
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Taylor Swift – Fearless
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“Fearless” is about the feelings present when a new relationship begins. It is the title track of Taylor’s sophomore album and has become a fan-favorite over the years.
Taylor
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Taylor Swift – invisible string
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“invisible string” references an east Asian folk myth about a red thread of fate tying two soulmates together. Like on Swift’s 2019 track “Lover,” she expresses gratitude for past
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Taylor Swift – Better Man (Taylor's Version) [From The Vault]
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A cut from the original 2012 Red album, “Better Man” captures the feeling of getting out of a toxic, perhaps abusive, relationship and accepting the sorrow that follows the breakup
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Taylor Swift – willow
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“willow” is the lead single of evermore, Swift’s second surprise album of 2020 and her ninth record overall. She released the accompanying music video at midnight EST on December
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Taylor Swift – Cornelia Street
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“Cornelia Street” focuses on the central role the Manhattan street played in Taylor’s memories of an early relationship. Taylor really did rent an apartment on the street in 2016
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Taylor Swift – The Archer
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“The Archer” is a mid-tempo track about Swift’s insecurities in a relationship. It’s the third song released from 2019’s Lover, preceded by “ME!” and “You Need To Calm Down.”
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Taylor Swift – Bejeweled
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“Bejeweled” describes the narrator’s frustration with her lover, who does not value her as she deserves. In retaliation, she goes out for a night on the town. Despite her lover no
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Taylor Swift – Message In A Bottle (Taylor's Version) [From The Vault]
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“Message In A Bottle (Taylor’s Version) [From The Vault]” is Swift’s admission of fascination and admiration for a new potential lover. Although frightening, this new infatuation
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