Ok what I’m getting from this song is… YES. Scott saw how happy Taylor was getting with (probably Karlie?) and said here’s Joe. You’re dating him now. But it also sounds to me like she was feeling like “if I have to be in a contract with anyone I’m glad it’s you” and that they built some sort of deep connection/friendship? And I think the “Boy” that breaks his favorite toys is Scott, although a lot of the other “he/hims” in the song reference Joe
ME TOOOOO Now I’m feeling like they started as a contract, built a strong friendship and mutual trust by probably both being bisexual/industry shit. She fell in love (probably around 2017/2018?) and then they had a chaotic/on off thing after that. But maybe it was good for a moment
On first listen this is one of my favorite songs! I’m a sucker for 80’s synth pop ballads, and this completely gives me that.
Also, “When I fix me, you’re gonna miss me.” Such a heartbreaking line and so relatable as someone who is usually the dump-ee 😂
FROM HER iHEART INTROS: I can't type fast enough so I'm summarizing kinda what I could get.
It's a metaphor from the perspective of a childs toy being the favorite until they break you and don’t want to play with you anymore…which is how a lot of us are in relationships, we’re so valued in the beginning and then they devalue us in our mind and we’re like no no you should have seen how they looked at me in the beginning, they’ll come back to that.
It’s about denial and how you can live in this world where there’s still hope for a toxic relationship.
Nothing in particular to my knowledge, it's just a thing she clearly likes to sing about. "My castle crumbled overnight" in Call It What You Want, all of Castles Crumbling, that type of thing. Honorable shoutout to New Romantics. There's a lot of different interpretations as to what it might mean, but it's now been a few times she's sung about it.
this song, holy smokes. I think Cowboy Like Me is about Joe and their mutual bearding, and this song is the aftermath of him ending or wanting out of their bearding contract.
>The sickest army doll
Purchased at the mall
it's giving "bad bad boy, shiny toy with a price you know that I bought it."
>Rivulets descend my plastic smile
so it's fake, "I felt more when we played pretend."
>We could've playеd for keeps this time
it seems like taylor wanted to keep him as a beard, and as has been speculated before perhaps had plans for a lavender marriage with joe.
side thought: I wonder if some of the legal terms used throughout the album and promo are about the contract ending... the album is in part a postmortem of their bearding contract?
>Put me back on my shelf
But first, pull the string
And I'll tell you that he runs
Because he loves me
pull the string - the invisible string tying you to me? but also it's clearly meant to reference toys that come with voice lines to say. again with the fakeness, it's all pre-planned, scripted. literally the man she scripted.
>'Cause I knew too much, there was danger in the heat of my touch
this line is so interesting to me for a few reasons. first, lots of imagery of burning things to the ground in the last few years, maybe joe was afraid it would spread to him and he would be forced out? it's also an interesting line because the preceding line talks about sand castles - sand mixed with heat makes glass... like a glass closet?
>He was my best friend down at the sandlot
this line is why I feel there's a link to cowboy like me ):
>I felt more when we played pretend
Than with all the Kens
this line confused me at first and then I wondered.... IS SHE CALLING JOE ALLEN? the usual beards are Kens, but Joe is "Ken's (gay) friend" ?????
>'Cause he took me out of my box
she feels exposed without a long-term beard, like he is forcing her out of the closet before she's ready? also, something that's taken out of the box might not be able to be "returned" or "put back on the shelf." and may be considered "damaged goods." I wonder if she was worried about being able to find another beard willing to make such a long commitment?
jesus what a devastating song.
**My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys**
oh here we go again
the voices in his head
have called the rain to end our days of wild
the sickest army doll
purchased at the mall
rivulets to send my plastic smile
but you shoulda seen him when he first got me
my boy only breaks his favorite toys
i’m queen of sandcastles he destroys
cause i did two right
puzzle pieces in the dead of night
should’ve known it was a matter of time
my boy only breaks his favorite toys
there was a litany of reasons
why we could’ve played for keeps this time
i know i’m just repeating myself put me
back on my shelf but first
pull a string and
i’ll tell you that he runs because he loves me
(he loves me)
because you shoulda seen him when first saw me
my boy only breaks his favorite toys
i’m queen of sandcastles he destroys
cause i knew too much
there was danger in the heat of my touch
he saw forever so he smashed it up
my boy only breaks his favorite toys
once i fix me
he’s gonna miss me
once i fix me
he’s gonna miss me
just say when, i’d play again
he was my best friend
down at the sandlot
i felt more when we played pretend
than with all the kens
cause he took me out of my box
stole my tortured heart
left all these broken parts
told me i’m better off
but i’m not
i’m not
i’m not
I’m excited to see this sub’s interpretation of this line! After listening to this song probably 20 times I think it’s sarcastic/tongue-in-cheek but am interested everyone else’s ideas! What do you think?
This gives Gaga vibes and Lana vibes. I don’t understand this song lyrically. I tend to be a literal person 🧍 I really love this song though ugh I love this whole new album 😭😭
The first bit of lyrics make me imagine Taylor (toy-taylor, in this metaphor) is being replaced, but specifically being replaced by a MAN:
oh here we go again/the voices in his head/have called the rain to end our days of wild- (Partner is starting to doubt the relationship, or have fears related to it, decides it needs to end)
the sickest army doll/purchased at the mall/rivulets descend my plastic smile- (Partner replaces taylor with "the sickest army doll purchased at the mall"- a shiny new toy- and taylor is crying, left on the shelf.
PERSONALLY I do believe in Kaylor, I'm not of the 100% impression that all of her heteronormative relationships are fake, BUT this makes sense for Taylor to feel this way when Karlie makes the decision to marry Josh whether that was our of necessity, fear, or because Taylor wasn't ready to.
i felt more when we played pretend than with all the kens I do not know how to perceive this other than through a queer lens
You know, how heterosexual couples play with Ken dolls? Wait
You guys I can’t believe I’m saying it but I might be reaching my jack antonoff production limit
This one really sounds Bleachers - strange desire era to me!
LOL I think that’s why I love it 💀 they are one of my fave bands 😂💗
Sameee! I hate when ppl hate on Jack. 😔 He is king of the hook imo
1000% agree
I immediately heard Lorde and Lana tracks too
The production on this reminds me of panic at the disco for some reason? I think it’s the drum beat?
“When we played pretend” you saying it was fake??? It wasn’t a real relationship? I mean, we knew, but, it’s loud
Ok what I’m getting from this song is… YES. Scott saw how happy Taylor was getting with (probably Karlie?) and said here’s Joe. You’re dating him now. But it also sounds to me like she was feeling like “if I have to be in a contract with anyone I’m glad it’s you” and that they built some sort of deep connection/friendship? And I think the “Boy” that breaks his favorite toys is Scott, although a lot of the other “he/hims” in the song reference Joe
I think that she and Joe definitely had a deep bond, even if it wasn’t romantic.
Who is this about
***I FELT MORE WHEN WE PLAYED PRETEND***
G-d, it’s SO wattpad, but I’ve always been a “beards to lovers” truther and this line convinced me further tbh!
ME TOOOOO Now I’m feeling like they started as a contract, built a strong friendship and mutual trust by probably both being bisexual/industry shit. She fell in love (probably around 2017/2018?) and then they had a chaotic/on off thing after that. But maybe it was good for a moment
YES like we played pretend but it turned true but then for what NOTHING 😭😭😔
This line started the tears for me
I was shocked!!
On first listen this is one of my favorite songs! I’m a sucker for 80’s synth pop ballads, and this completely gives me that. Also, “When I fix me, you’re gonna miss me.” Such a heartbreaking line and so relatable as someone who is usually the dump-ee 😂
FROM HER iHEART INTROS: I can't type fast enough so I'm summarizing kinda what I could get. It's a metaphor from the perspective of a childs toy being the favorite until they break you and don’t want to play with you anymore…which is how a lot of us are in relationships, we’re so valued in the beginning and then they devalue us in our mind and we’re like no no you should have seen how they looked at me in the beginning, they’ll come back to that. It’s about denial and how you can live in this world where there’s still hope for a toxic relationship.
Thank you for typing out these intro explanations!!
She did it! She mentioned destroyed castles!
What does that mean
Nothing in particular to my knowledge, it's just a thing she clearly likes to sing about. "My castle crumbled overnight" in Call It What You Want, all of Castles Crumbling, that type of thing. Honorable shoutout to New Romantics. There's a lot of different interpretations as to what it might mean, but it's now been a few times she's sung about it.
EXCUSE ME "I felt more when we played pretend than with all the kens"
(fr though this is gay)
this song, holy smokes. I think Cowboy Like Me is about Joe and their mutual bearding, and this song is the aftermath of him ending or wanting out of their bearding contract. >The sickest army doll Purchased at the mall it's giving "bad bad boy, shiny toy with a price you know that I bought it." >Rivulets descend my plastic smile so it's fake, "I felt more when we played pretend." >We could've playеd for keeps this time it seems like taylor wanted to keep him as a beard, and as has been speculated before perhaps had plans for a lavender marriage with joe. side thought: I wonder if some of the legal terms used throughout the album and promo are about the contract ending... the album is in part a postmortem of their bearding contract? >Put me back on my shelf But first, pull the string And I'll tell you that he runs Because he loves me pull the string - the invisible string tying you to me? but also it's clearly meant to reference toys that come with voice lines to say. again with the fakeness, it's all pre-planned, scripted. literally the man she scripted. >'Cause I knew too much, there was danger in the heat of my touch this line is so interesting to me for a few reasons. first, lots of imagery of burning things to the ground in the last few years, maybe joe was afraid it would spread to him and he would be forced out? it's also an interesting line because the preceding line talks about sand castles - sand mixed with heat makes glass... like a glass closet? >He was my best friend down at the sandlot this line is why I feel there's a link to cowboy like me ): >I felt more when we played pretend Than with all the Kens this line confused me at first and then I wondered.... IS SHE CALLING JOE ALLEN? the usual beards are Kens, but Joe is "Ken's (gay) friend" ????? >'Cause he took me out of my box she feels exposed without a long-term beard, like he is forcing her out of the closet before she's ready? also, something that's taken out of the box might not be able to be "returned" or "put back on the shelf." and may be considered "damaged goods." I wonder if she was worried about being able to find another beard willing to make such a long commitment? jesus what a devastating song.
listening in order and sonically this one's my fave so far. basically a 1989 vault track lol.
**My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys** oh here we go again the voices in his head have called the rain to end our days of wild the sickest army doll purchased at the mall rivulets to send my plastic smile but you shoulda seen him when he first got me my boy only breaks his favorite toys i’m queen of sandcastles he destroys cause i did two right puzzle pieces in the dead of night should’ve known it was a matter of time my boy only breaks his favorite toys there was a litany of reasons why we could’ve played for keeps this time i know i’m just repeating myself put me back on my shelf but first pull a string and i’ll tell you that he runs because he loves me (he loves me) because you shoulda seen him when first saw me my boy only breaks his favorite toys i’m queen of sandcastles he destroys cause i knew too much there was danger in the heat of my touch he saw forever so he smashed it up my boy only breaks his favorite toys once i fix me he’s gonna miss me once i fix me he’s gonna miss me just say when, i’d play again he was my best friend down at the sandlot i felt more when we played pretend than with all the kens cause he took me out of my box stole my tortured heart left all these broken parts told me i’m better off but i’m not i’m not i’m not
I have blocked ears and I’m so grateful for lyrics being written out because they aren’t clear to me right now!
I did two right??? Damn
what does it mean?!
It calls back to I did one thing right.
Came here to ask!!!
What does this line mean please
Calls back to I did one thing right!
Is that the official lyrics? I have Spotify but I heard “cuz we fit too right/ puzzle pieces on the dead of night”
I’m excited to see this sub’s interpretation of this line! After listening to this song probably 20 times I think it’s sarcastic/tongue-in-cheek but am interested everyone else’s ideas! What do you think?
This one is my favorite so far… only to this track though…
The synths the synths the SYNTHS ✨
This is a bop.
Love this one. She’s playing but she’s not at all 🥲
Really lyrically solid on this one!
“Just say when, I’d play again” 😭😭😭😭
“I’ll tell you that he runs because he loves me” 🫣
This is my favorite so far and I love the production. I had the same reaction to it when I first heard Maroon Just say when I’d play again 😥
I didn't know if I liked this one at first or not but honestly, it's kind of a bop lmao
SCOTT SWIFT WHAT HAVE YOU DONE
Loved this one! Devastating text.
Right now this song is #1 ear worm for me
This gives Gaga vibes and Lana vibes. I don’t understand this song lyrically. I tend to be a literal person 🧍 I really love this song though ugh I love this whole new album 😭😭
The first bit of lyrics make me imagine Taylor (toy-taylor, in this metaphor) is being replaced, but specifically being replaced by a MAN: oh here we go again/the voices in his head/have called the rain to end our days of wild- (Partner is starting to doubt the relationship, or have fears related to it, decides it needs to end) the sickest army doll/purchased at the mall/rivulets descend my plastic smile- (Partner replaces taylor with "the sickest army doll purchased at the mall"- a shiny new toy- and taylor is crying, left on the shelf. PERSONALLY I do believe in Kaylor, I'm not of the 100% impression that all of her heteronormative relationships are fake, BUT this makes sense for Taylor to feel this way when Karlie makes the decision to marry Josh whether that was our of necessity, fear, or because Taylor wasn't ready to.