As we wait in wild anticipation for Taylor Swift’s re-recording of Red to be released on November 12, I would like to take a moment to revel in the power-playing, guitar-strumming, song-writing genius that gave us permission to be “happy, free, confused, and lonely at the same time.” Every single one of Taylor’s songs are spilling over the brim with charged feelings. Growing up with her music in my life, I always felt so incredibly seen by each line. She sings the words in a way that feels very visceral and raw; how could you not relate? Here are 13 ‘Swiftie’ lines that utterly ruin me and put me back together again in the span of a second.
- “I might be okay but I’m not fine at all” — “All Too Well,” Red
To be quite honest, this line makes absolutely no sense, and yet I simply could not relate more.
- “Every time you call me crazy I get more crazy, what about that?” — “Mad Woman,” Folklore
I just love the craziness of this line. So many layers. So much to unpack. The angry woman inside of me feels deeply validated by this song.
- “Good girls, hopeful they’ll be, and long they will wait” — “Sad Beautiful Tragic,” Red
This line feels like an earth-shattering exhale. Hoping, waiting… for relationships, career advancements, life-long dreams… patience is the key, but damn is it hard sometimes.
- “I ask the traffic lights if it’ll be alright, they say ‘I don’t know’” — “Death By A Thousand Cuts,” Lover
It’s nice to know I’m not the only one that has extensive and intensive conversations with road traffic control devices while I am driving alone in my car.
- “I’m fine with my spite, and my tears, and my beers, and my candles” — “Closure,” Evermore
Sheesh. It really do be like that sometimes.
- “I see right through me” — “The Archer,” Lover
Ah yes, the moment when you sit down with yourself and confront the bullshit you’ve convinced yourself to believe. Nobody said self-reflection is a gay old time. It can be jarring, but if it means we can someday achieve a T-Swift level of self-awareness, then sign me up.
- “I should have asked you questions, I should have asked you how to be” — “Marjorie,” Evermore
I lost my grandma this year. There’s nothing I wouldn’t give to have one more blissful day with her, soaking up her wisdom. Missing someone you love is often full of pain, but this song reminds me that the memories are our constant comfort.
- “There’s an ache in you, put there by the ache in me” — “‘tis the damn season,” Evermore
And there you have it folks, an annoyingly simple description of human connection.
- “At dinner parties I call you out on your contrarian shit” — “gold rush,” Evermore
Contrarian shit has an unbelievably good ring to it, don’t you think? This line demolishes the nagging guilt I feel whenever I expose one of my friends in front of all our other friends. What is friendship for?
- “Time won’t fly, it’s like I’m paralyzed by it” — “All Too Well,” Red
All 29832574 days that have transpired since the beginning of the pandemic boiled down into a single sentence. Also, yes, I did pick two lyrics from “All Too Well,” mostly because it’s one of the best songs of all time.
- “When you are young, they assume you know nothing” — “Cardigan,” Folklore
Tell me about it.
- “And if you never bleed, you’re never gonna grow” — “the 1,” Folklore
Truer words were never spoken.
- “I’m so sick of running as fast as I can, wondering if I’d get there quicker if I was a man” — “The Man,” Lover
As a woman in STEM, this whole song gets me so fired up. I don’t always acknowledge the glass ceiling that glistens above my head, but it is there. This song gives women the power to talk about it.
If your favourite T-Swizzle lyric was not on this list, that’s okay. Everyone relates to every song in a different way; that’s what makes music universal. If Taylor Swift isn’t your jam, that’s okay too (but also have you talked to your doctor about this? ‘Cuz I think you might need to). No matter what your taste in music is, I hope that these lyrics spoke to you in some way, big or small. Now go have a Taylor Swift dance party, “rosé flowing with your chosen family.”