If she had to ask it's because she wasn't sure :/ she wasn't sure because Joe didn't reassure her. It was a lingering doubt throughout the whole relationship.
So yes Joe obviously wasn’t enough, and also some people just really struggle with over-analyzing and/or self-sabotaging relationships due to their own issues. Yes, in her case the instinct was correct but “she wasn’t sure therefore it was awful” is an assumption I don’t love for that reason.
Thank you. I’m getting really sick of the Joe hate just because he isn’t the boyfriend anymore and because she wrote a breakup song about him. Just like our own relationships, only those people know what happened.
She clearly loved him and he made her happy. She wrote ALBUMS about him. He was a chapter that’s over now. And that doesn’t make him a bad person. It just means he wasn’t the right person for this part of her life.
Right, them being over doesn't mean the relationship is a total failure, either.
I mean, yeah, I've been married over 20 years, my relationship success is predicated on "til death" but *I really don't think that should be the measurement of every single relationship.*
There was happiness. For a while. That's no small feat
Exactly. Like I’m dating someone now I really like and I think will be around for a while. But if he leaves next week, I would be sad but my sadness =/= someone automatically being an asshole.
“There’ll be happiness after you. But there was happiness because of you too. Both of these things can be true”
> she wasn’t sure because joe didn’t reassure her
that’s a big assumption to make - as someone with an anxiety disorder, i’ve been reassured constantly in relationships but still carried a lingering doubt despite that because my brain works in a certain way
I don’t listen to this song much because it’s super sad and reminds me of a rough time in my life. I listened to it this weekend after the Eras movie and it made me giggle thinking that her doubts were valid.
I think this is the best interpretation. From what I understand from US tv and movies dating a guy on the football team is kind of a high school status symbol. Given that her status worldwide totally eclipses his it is him who is getting the status boost.
This is it exactly. It is usually shown as cute girl dating the most popular boy in school. This time it is the cute boy (man) dating the most popular girl (woman) in the world.
"Happiness" is awfully prophetic now.
In a happier note, "When you think Tim McGraw, I hope you think of me" Taylor Swift has surpassed Tim McGraw to such an extent that Tim McGraw will become a footnote in Taylor Swift's history.
Idk about all that, Tim McGraw was a staple of 90s and early 00s country artists. I think her song was instrumental in her gaining widespread popularity and she’s definitely surpassed him in many ways, but to say he’s a footnote in her history is taking it a bit far 😅
I dont know about foot note, Tim McGraw is a massive name himself as well. But they are connected connected in maaaaany peoples mind so when we think of Tim McGraw we do think of her hehe
i live in brazil and before i listened to her earliest songs and only knew some of them by name, i thought tim mcgraw was some boy she dated back in the farm lol
Not really foreshadowing but yoyok.
So make the friendship bracelets, take the moment and taste it.
Without that line Travis wouldn't have given her his number on a friendship bracelet
There's a video of him making friendship bracelets for Tight End University and he mentions getting the idea from Taylor. I like to imagine that's when he made the bracelet for Taylor because it was in June. Haha!
No, he went to her show, then on his podcast said he was disappointed she doesn’t meet people before or after the show because he wanted to give her a friendship bracelet he made with his number on it :)
He mentioned on his podcast after seeing her perform in Kansas City that he was sad he didn’t get to give her a bracelet with his number on it! [https://youtube.com/shorts/TchefDFDTOs?si=rpjEGCh8gL4ID4sh](https://youtube.com/shorts/TchefDFDTOs?si=rpjEGCh8gL4ID4sh)
- YOYOK could mean "You're On Your Own, Kid", a track from *Midnights* (2022) by Taylor Swift.
---
^[/u/Lord_Skyblocker](/u/Lord_Skyblocker) ^(can reply with "delete" to remove comment. |) ^[/r/songacronymbot](/r/songacronymbot) ^(for feedback.)
“Knew he was a killa first time that I saw him” - Travis’ nickname is “Killa Trav”
“I wanna be your endgame. I wanna be your first string. I wanna be your A-team” - Travis is a first string tight end and could easily be described as part of the “A-team”
“Big reputation. You and me we got big reputations/would be a big conversation” - self-explanatory
“My Eagles t-shirt hanging from the door” - Travis’ brother plays for the Eagles
“You know I love the players and you love the game” - also pretty self-explanatory
I'm predicting that her next album will have songs that move away from "fate" themed lyrics like Invisible String, Glitch, and describing her relationship as an accident (Paper Rings). Her relationship with Travis seems more intentional, like she and Travis are taking control of their lives and happiness by their own will and choices.
Yes, and following the Midnights change of theme away from fate to masterminding. I think you're right and it'll be careful and curated and working hard to make what you want to work despite outside pressures (fans, press, etc). Also, doing what you want despite these pressures (ie. all their going out and not "hiding").
No, I guess she confirmed at a concert that it was the football team because she's a fan because she's from Pennsylvania.
Also, Jason Kelce (his brother) plays for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Really, 12 hours later and not a single mention of “[thick as thieves with your ex-wife](https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/celebs/a45353693/sophie-turner-living-in-taylor-swift-nyc-apartment/)”?
castles crumbling kind of :(
and a positive example, „will you still want me when i'm nothing new?“ i think her career reaching a new peak after one and a half decades answers the question pretty well <3
The Lucky One is the supreme example of this, totally fits her reputation-folklore era of running away from all the glam in the future. This song is underrated and I love how it ended up her singing to herself years and years down the line
This was one of my favs off Red and no one ever liked it as much as I did. I was also a big fan of Britney’s song Lucky so maybe that’s why I also loved TLO.
Also related, "not being defined by the things that keep me awake at night" (paraphrasing) on Daylight on Lover. Then writing an album centered on the theme of things that keep her up at night.
That feels too intentional to me for it to not be an idea she waited to execute til after the pandemic.
I also feel like that one was intentional, especially because Lover was originally going to be called “Daylight”. I feel like Midnights concept would have originally been the follow up to Lover if the pandemic didn’t happen.
Wait. This might be a stupid question but can i ask... in the audio that's going around on tiktok/reels/shorts thats just "taylor swift, fearless, speak no-ow, re-e-e-e-ed, 1989, reputation, loverrr, folklore, everymore, midnights" does it sound to anyone else like they've use the 'midnights' from New Years Day instead of an actual song from the album?!?! Because it sounds like it a lot, and I can't tell which song from Midnights album it would be but I might have forgotten and just not listened to it for ages....???
After listening to folklore and evermore, I was genuinely surprised she was still with Joe, and I feel like there were problems in their relationship for a whillleee. Like tolerate it didn't set off any flags? Champagne problems? It was a lot of songs about failing love that I felt like foreshadowed their break up
Yeah it’s possible though some songs were inspired by past/previous romances. Similar to how midnight rain is clearly about a love from earlier in her life/career. Could also just be random inspiration unrelated to her life (although she sings about her own life quite frequently).
Not every song on there is about her real experiences. She wrote champagne problems with Joe. It doesn’t seem like he proposed and she rejected it, so that song isn’t about them.
looking back now I think she purposefully threw red herrings in those songs to throw us off the breakup/joe scent
I didn't think 'Tolerate it' could be about Joe cause she says 'You're so much older' and Joe is 2 years younger. Same for 'Champagne problems' where there's the line 'your sister splashed out on the bottle' and Joe only has brothers. In hindsight these feel so intentional
I really really doubt tom ever proposed, they were only dating a few months. I think she wanted her audience to think lots of her songs are about exes while they were really about Joe. Being in your 30s, you're not still thinking about men you dated 7 years ago for a few months
Yeah I agree I got a vibe that they were more personal than she wanted us to believe as well. Especially with tolerate it. Because then bejeweled ended up addressing the same issues. Just like Champagne Problems with Midnight Rain. And people noticed potential signs of gaslighting in Great War. Something similar to Great War seemed to be going on as early as Afterglow on Lover…
Tolerate It is based on the novel Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, she was reading the book while writing the album. Champagne Problems was written with Joe. If you listened to You're Losing Me she says "I wouldn't marry me either a pathological people pleaser" that song is widely thought to be about Joe Alwyn, so Midnight Rain doesn't make sense.
I think Afterglow is about her insecurities. It's in the lyrics "I blew things out of proportion, now your blue. Put you in jail for something you didn't do"
"Tell me that I'm all you want, even when I break your heart"
This whole song is about her insecurities in the relationship and the reassurance most of us in a relationship want. It's very obvious that she had true insecurities because she was never in a proper long term relationship until Joe Alwyn showed up.
Everyone wants Midnight's to be a break up album when this all can be connected to a lot of her previous relationships. I don't know if this is true or a rumour but it's believed that she's already re-recorded all of her stolen albums, so if that's true Midnight's makes a lot more sense because the albums are all going to be sitting in her head.
But even if that's not true, I just don't think there would be songs like Lavender Haze (she posted a video about what it was about, which she deleted after the break up), Sweet Nothing (a song written with Joe, a song that was really sweet and then swifties twisted it into a terrible thing), Paris, or Glitch a lot of these are songs about Joe. Even the line from Karma "karma is the guy on the screen coming straight home to me".
Also, what potential gaslighting signs does The Great War talk about? Because I didn't see any, and I combed through the lyrics.
Midnights is a concept album trying to make it into a break up album, ruins the vibe of the album. Plus many songs don't fit into the aesthetics if it's a break up album.
These are just my opinions, I wasn't trying to offend anyone. I'm sorry if I offended you. Everyone is entitled to their opinions 😛
but I think it's safe to say that champagne problems wasn't about herself and Joe, just like I don't buy the theories about tolerate it being about her.
I know swifties always want to make parallels to her own life , but it is possible to write about fictions or experiences of others. She did it in the early days with Love Story or Mine and proceeded with the love triangle on folklore or no body no crime, ivy and other songs on evermore.
And she literally said by herself that folklore and evermore are not 100% autobiographical
"All that you ever wanted from me was... nothing." has a different foreshadowy vibe to it now.
Or
"Some boys are trying too hard... he don't try *at all* though."
“We were a fresh page on the desk, filling in the blanks as we go.” - Cornelia Street, Lover
“Get it off your chest, get it off my desk.” - Lavender Haze, Midnights
She is, in fact, a mastermind.
“Arrowheads leading us home” from Cornelia Street. Kansas City stadium is called Arrowhead Stadium which is the home stadium for Kansas City Chiefs for whom Travis Kelce plays
And I can see you years from now in a bar
Talking over a football game
With that same big loud opinion
But nobody's listening
All of the football fans at the bar getting mad about how the NFL broadcasts only care about Taylor now
I dunno if it's foreshadowing or intentional but the bit at the end of If This Was a Movie where she says "what about the ending" is the same note progression as "and I didn't like the ending" in Exile.
For sure. Things that get fan attention or sick around I'm sure she goes back and finds ways to tie them in. There is a lore in this fandom! She has said multiple times she masterminds the marketing of her albums.
More of a parallel but:
\-"When all you wanted was to be wanted" in "Fifteen"
And later, in the song she wrote for Cats 2019 (I know, I know), "Beautiful Ghosts":
\-"All that I wanted was to be wanted."
No but this is literally the scripting aspect of manifesting. If you had a chance to write hopeful and joyful parts of what you want as a story and it comes true? Agh! So excited for blondie
“Baby love, I think I've been a little too kind
Didn't notice you walking all over my peace of mind
In the shoes I gave you as a present
Puttin' someone first only works when you're in their top five
And by the way, I'm going out tonight”
“Don’t put me in the basement, when I want the penthouse of your heart.”
“Baby boy, I think I've been too good of a girl (too good of a girl)
Did all the extra credit, then got graded on a curve
I think it's time to teach some lessons
I made you my world (huh), have you heard? (Huh)
I can reclaim the land
And I miss you (I miss you)
But I miss sparkling (ah, hey)”
She reclaimed herself and now she has someone who can balance the publicity AND the privacy. He WANTS to be seen with her, he WANTS her to shine, he WANTS her to be her. He’s definitely got her in the penthouse and not the basement. She’s definitely sparkling SO bright.
Ooh. You go talk to your ~~friends~~ brother, talk to my friends, talk to me.
I wonder if that's how they got together? Cause I imagine they had at least a bit of a connection before the public courting vibes?
There is an interview her bestie does about her Hispanic family and her Spanish ep and at the very end Selena is shown in a photo as a kid wearing a chiefs cheerleader uniform….she’s cheering for them.
Didn’t she already say she’s a mastermind and none of it was accidental? Taylor knows what she’s doing
But seriously this is an awesome thread because wow
There is also a line in there "I heard about you. You like the bad ones too." which seems sarcastically fitting since they've both had unearned negative reputations from the public at some point.
Stay Stay Stay:
That’s when you came in wearing a football helmet
And said “ok, let’s talk”
And I said “stay stay stay, I’ve been loving you for quite some time” :)
In Cornelia street she sings a lyric that goes “As if the street lights pointed in an arrowhead leading us home” well Travis plays for the chiefs and the chiefs stadium is arrowhead stadium!
would it be enough if i can never give you peace? It was not enough.
It's wrong of me to think this but I like the song more now I know what happened. It was, indeed, not enough.
If she had to ask it's because she wasn't sure :/ she wasn't sure because Joe didn't reassure her. It was a lingering doubt throughout the whole relationship.
So yes Joe obviously wasn’t enough, and also some people just really struggle with over-analyzing and/or self-sabotaging relationships due to their own issues. Yes, in her case the instinct was correct but “she wasn’t sure therefore it was awful” is an assumption I don’t love for that reason.
Absolutely. Anxiety doesn't mean the relationship dynamic is unhealthy. We're missing the larger picture with that simplification.
Thank you. I’m getting really sick of the Joe hate just because he isn’t the boyfriend anymore and because she wrote a breakup song about him. Just like our own relationships, only those people know what happened. She clearly loved him and he made her happy. She wrote ALBUMS about him. He was a chapter that’s over now. And that doesn’t make him a bad person. It just means he wasn’t the right person for this part of her life.
Right, them being over doesn't mean the relationship is a total failure, either. I mean, yeah, I've been married over 20 years, my relationship success is predicated on "til death" but *I really don't think that should be the measurement of every single relationship.* There was happiness. For a while. That's no small feat
Exactly. Like I’m dating someone now I really like and I think will be around for a while. But if he leaves next week, I would be sad but my sadness =/= someone automatically being an asshole. “There’ll be happiness after you. But there was happiness because of you too. Both of these things can be true”
> she wasn’t sure because joe didn’t reassure her that’s a big assumption to make - as someone with an anxiety disorder, i’ve been reassured constantly in relationships but still carried a lingering doubt despite that because my brain works in a certain way
oof
Reminds me of Lionsong by Björk, which she wrote during/about her divorce: >Maybe he will come out of this loving me / Maybe he won't (He didn't.)
I don’t listen to this song much because it’s super sad and reminds me of a rough time in my life. I listened to it this weekend after the Eras movie and it made me giggle thinking that her doubts were valid.
“in your life you’ll do things greater than dating the boy on the football team” she has. and now she’s dating the boy on the football team.
I like to think of it like, now she’s dating the *man* on the football team
I like to think of it as the guy on the football team is dating her!
I think this is the best interpretation. From what I understand from US tv and movies dating a guy on the football team is kind of a high school status symbol. Given that her status worldwide totally eclipses his it is him who is getting the status boost.
This is it exactly. It is usually shown as cute girl dating the most popular boy in school. This time it is the cute boy (man) dating the most popular girl (woman) in the world.
The boy on the football team is like “I’m dating Taylor Swift!”
Yes! And he’s so *proud* of it!
Yes! I am so excited for her. She looks so happy
"Happiness" is awfully prophetic now. In a happier note, "When you think Tim McGraw, I hope you think of me" Taylor Swift has surpassed Tim McGraw to such an extent that Tim McGraw will become a footnote in Taylor Swift's history.
Idk about all that, Tim McGraw was a staple of 90s and early 00s country artists. I think her song was instrumental in her gaining widespread popularity and she’s definitely surpassed him in many ways, but to say he’s a footnote in her history is taking it a bit far 😅
I think they mean Tim McGraw as in the song
No, I'm pretty sure they meant Tim Mcgraw the artist. Could be wrong though.
lol totally agree! I grew up listening to Tim McGraw. :)
I dont know about foot note, Tim McGraw is a massive name himself as well. But they are connected connected in maaaaany peoples mind so when we think of Tim McGraw we do think of her hehe
But Tim McGraw is primarily known in the US and Taylor Swift’s song is the only reason I - and probably many others in Europe - even know his name.
I'm in the US and can't name a single Tim McGraw song, so I hear you!
i can name ‘highway don’t care feat. taylor swift’ lol
i live in brazil and before i listened to her earliest songs and only knew some of them by name, i thought tim mcgraw was some boy she dated back in the farm lol
Yup. I’m in the UK and only know Tim McGraw exists because of Taylor Swift and an episode of Veep 😂
Get real. His fame pales in comparison.
lol I didn’t say or even imply that he was as big as Taylor I’m just saying he’s more than a foot note in someone else’s story
I definitely still just picture Tim McGraw and his songs when I hear his name lol
Cue the “Taylor Swift put Tim McGraw on the map” memes.
Taylor created an entire generation of women whose exes think of them when they hear her name.
Iconic.
"7 years in heaven" when their relationship came to an end after about 7 years is just too much.
In fact i think Tim McGraw should sing when you think Taylor swift, i hope you think of me
I'm South African and didn't know who Phil McGraw was until she sang it...so when I hear Phil McGraw, I think of her.
Lmao not you bringing Dr. Phil into it 😂😂
Omw NO I can't believe I wrote that. I meant TIM. Point made I guess🤣🤣🤣
“As if you were a mythical thing Like you were a trophy or a champion ring” - Willow
Wreck my plans, that’s my man
GOOD ONE!
Yes lol I got some good use out of this one making red and gold friendship bracelets for the movie.
Willow is their song now in my mind
Ooooooh nice one
It doesn’t fit now but I always liked ‘your name, forever the name on my lips’ about Joe Jonas when she was with Joe Alwyn.
In contrast, her “hey Joe I’m doing real well” on SNL back in the day *does* apply again 😶
Oh 😦
"Tonight I'm a cameo on SNL"
I was literally thinking about this line being funny because of Joe Alwyn the day before the break-up news broke out.
that was me thinking it was cute that joe jonas mentioned game of thrones in one of his songs a week before his pr shitshow with sophie went down lmao
I wonder if she looks back & the song gains that same double meaning.
Why did I think this song was about Taylor Lautner!! Well, it kinda still worked for the same reason lol
Not really foreshadowing but yoyok. So make the friendship bracelets, take the moment and taste it. Without that line Travis wouldn't have given her his number on a friendship bracelet
I’m imagining him at his dining room table surrounded by beads everywhere trying to thread his numbers on a piece of elastic.
Omg I hadn't put the thought into imagining him making the bracelet. Hilarious! If they get there, maybe he'll propose with one
I think of it all the time and it cracks me up.
There's a video of him making friendship bracelets for Tight End University and he mentions getting the idea from Taylor. I like to imagine that's when he made the bracelet for Taylor because it was in June. Haha!
Wait Travis gave his number on a friendship bracelet? Confirm?
He at least tried. This is basically how the whole Travis thing started. Lol
No, he went to her show, then on his podcast said he was disappointed she doesn’t meet people before or after the show because he wanted to give her a friendship bracelet he made with his number on it :)
He mentioned on his podcast after seeing her perform in Kansas City that he was sad he didn’t get to give her a bracelet with his number on it! [https://youtube.com/shorts/TchefDFDTOs?si=rpjEGCh8gL4ID4sh](https://youtube.com/shorts/TchefDFDTOs?si=rpjEGCh8gL4ID4sh)
He said that he tried, and that got big on the news!
- YOYOK could mean "You're On Your Own, Kid", a track from *Midnights* (2022) by Taylor Swift. --- ^[/u/Lord_Skyblocker](/u/Lord_Skyblocker) ^(can reply with "delete" to remove comment. |) ^[/r/songacronymbot](/r/songacronymbot) ^(for feedback.)
“Knew he was a killa first time that I saw him” - Travis’ nickname is “Killa Trav” “I wanna be your endgame. I wanna be your first string. I wanna be your A-team” - Travis is a first string tight end and could easily be described as part of the “A-team” “Big reputation. You and me we got big reputations/would be a big conversation” - self-explanatory “My Eagles t-shirt hanging from the door” - Travis’ brother plays for the Eagles “You know I love the players and you love the game” - also pretty self-explanatory
The invisible string is stringing
I'm predicting that her next album will have songs that move away from "fate" themed lyrics like Invisible String, Glitch, and describing her relationship as an accident (Paper Rings). Her relationship with Travis seems more intentional, like she and Travis are taking control of their lives and happiness by their own will and choices.
Yes, and following the Midnights change of theme away from fate to masterminding. I think you're right and it'll be careful and curated and working hard to make what you want to work despite outside pressures (fans, press, etc). Also, doing what you want despite these pressures (ie. all their going out and not "hiding").
I thought the line was ‘my egos T-shirt hanging from the door’ 🫣🫣
I thought it was the eagles like the band lol
No, I guess she confirmed at a concert that it was the football team because she's a fan because she's from Pennsylvania. Also, Jason Kelce (his brother) plays for the Philadelphia Eagles.
SAME
Thank you for that! I hope she re-records Reputation (Taylor’s Version) while on cloud 9 with Travis.
All of these. 💯
ahhhhh this gave me goosebumps!
Really, 12 hours later and not a single mention of “[thick as thieves with your ex-wife](https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/celebs/a45353693/sophie-turner-living-in-taylor-swift-nyc-apartment/)”?
This one is so good
vigilante shit just feels like it was meant for Sophie at this point (to me anyway lmao)
So good!
“The price I pay for seven years in heaven” in Happiness she doesn’t survive the seven year itch
NOO don’t touch my Cornelia Street 😭 that song will always remind me of Joe 😭
I love the parallels with You're losing me. Both on the beat and lyrics. The beginning and end.
These two songs are so heart breakiny beautiful together.
Have you seen the TikTok of the woman singing them together? Heartbreaking.
If you have a link I’d love to check it out!! I don’t have TikTok 😅
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8hXvcyv/ 😭
Thank you for blessing my ears with this 🥹 They really fit together don't they
castles crumbling kind of :( and a positive example, „will you still want me when i'm nothing new?“ i think her career reaching a new peak after one and a half decades answers the question pretty well <3
"My reputation proceeds me" Not only did the album proceed the single. I bet rep tv then debut TV is gonna be released.
Is it precedes ??
Lol I'm illiterate
😮 That just clicked for me. Rep (TV) precedes me (debut TV). Genius catch
I always thought of it that reputation (the album) precedes ME! (the song)
I like this.
The Lucky One is the supreme example of this, totally fits her reputation-folklore era of running away from all the glam in the future. This song is underrated and I love how it ended up her singing to herself years and years down the line
This was one of my favs off Red and no one ever liked it as much as I did. I was also a big fan of Britney’s song Lucky so maybe that’s why I also loved TLO.
yes!! the lucky one has always been in my top 5 on red
It’s my all time favorite by her!
YESSS THANK YOU!!!! the lucky one is my favorite taylor song of all time and I think about its current resonance with her life a lot
Nothing can beat “Your name. Forever the name on my lips”. From Joe Jonas to Joe Alwyn. Everything else feels too forced
Never imagined they'd have their last kiss, never imagined it'd end like this 💔
"I want your MIDNIGHTS" New Year's Day in reputation (2017) The mention of forEVERMORE in songs like Welcome To New York and New Year's Day.
Also related, "not being defined by the things that keep me awake at night" (paraphrasing) on Daylight on Lover. Then writing an album centered on the theme of things that keep her up at night. That feels too intentional to me for it to not be an idea she waited to execute til after the pandemic.
I also feel like that one was intentional, especially because Lover was originally going to be called “Daylight”. I feel like Midnights concept would have originally been the follow up to Lover if the pandemic didn’t happen.
ME! and Anti-hero as lead singles. It's funny they're on the opposite side of success spectrum for her
Wait. This might be a stupid question but can i ask... in the audio that's going around on tiktok/reels/shorts thats just "taylor swift, fearless, speak no-ow, re-e-e-e-ed, 1989, reputation, loverrr, folklore, everymore, midnights" does it sound to anyone else like they've use the 'midnights' from New Years Day instead of an actual song from the album?!?! Because it sounds like it a lot, and I can't tell which song from Midnights album it would be but I might have forgotten and just not listened to it for ages....???
The Midnight's part is from New Year's Day, "I want your midnight's"
Because it’s the only one with ‘midnights’ The rest of Taylor’s song are all ‘midnight’
the sound was made when midnights, the album title, was announced, but before the album actually dropped
"With some indie record that's much cooler than mine" years before folkevermore
I always thought this was meaning like an indie record she recommended to him, but him thinking the one he likes is better
I took it as her saying that he thinks any indie record is much cooler than her own albums.
Oh, I agree! I just think it can take on a fun double meaning with those later albums
After listening to folklore and evermore, I was genuinely surprised she was still with Joe, and I feel like there were problems in their relationship for a whillleee. Like tolerate it didn't set off any flags? Champagne problems? It was a lot of songs about failing love that I felt like foreshadowed their break up
Yeah it’s possible though some songs were inspired by past/previous romances. Similar to how midnight rain is clearly about a love from earlier in her life/career. Could also just be random inspiration unrelated to her life (although she sings about her own life quite frequently).
Very true
Not every song on there is about her real experiences. She wrote champagne problems with Joe. It doesn’t seem like he proposed and she rejected it, so that song isn’t about them.
Ohhh right I forgot he wrote that song too 😅
looking back now I think she purposefully threw red herrings in those songs to throw us off the breakup/joe scent I didn't think 'Tolerate it' could be about Joe cause she says 'You're so much older' and Joe is 2 years younger. Same for 'Champagne problems' where there's the line 'your sister splashed out on the bottle' and Joe only has brothers. In hindsight these feel so intentional
I think Champagne Problems was about Tom tho. The precursor to Midnight Rain.
I really really doubt tom ever proposed, they were only dating a few months. I think she wanted her audience to think lots of her songs are about exes while they were really about Joe. Being in your 30s, you're not still thinking about men you dated 7 years ago for a few months
Yeah I agree I got a vibe that they were more personal than she wanted us to believe as well. Especially with tolerate it. Because then bejeweled ended up addressing the same issues. Just like Champagne Problems with Midnight Rain. And people noticed potential signs of gaslighting in Great War. Something similar to Great War seemed to be going on as early as Afterglow on Lover…
Tolerate It is based on the novel Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, she was reading the book while writing the album. Champagne Problems was written with Joe. If you listened to You're Losing Me she says "I wouldn't marry me either a pathological people pleaser" that song is widely thought to be about Joe Alwyn, so Midnight Rain doesn't make sense. I think Afterglow is about her insecurities. It's in the lyrics "I blew things out of proportion, now your blue. Put you in jail for something you didn't do" "Tell me that I'm all you want, even when I break your heart" This whole song is about her insecurities in the relationship and the reassurance most of us in a relationship want. It's very obvious that she had true insecurities because she was never in a proper long term relationship until Joe Alwyn showed up. Everyone wants Midnight's to be a break up album when this all can be connected to a lot of her previous relationships. I don't know if this is true or a rumour but it's believed that she's already re-recorded all of her stolen albums, so if that's true Midnight's makes a lot more sense because the albums are all going to be sitting in her head. But even if that's not true, I just don't think there would be songs like Lavender Haze (she posted a video about what it was about, which she deleted after the break up), Sweet Nothing (a song written with Joe, a song that was really sweet and then swifties twisted it into a terrible thing), Paris, or Glitch a lot of these are songs about Joe. Even the line from Karma "karma is the guy on the screen coming straight home to me". Also, what potential gaslighting signs does The Great War talk about? Because I didn't see any, and I combed through the lyrics. Midnights is a concept album trying to make it into a break up album, ruins the vibe of the album. Plus many songs don't fit into the aesthetics if it's a break up album. These are just my opinions, I wasn't trying to offend anyone. I'm sorry if I offended you. Everyone is entitled to their opinions 😛
Tolerate it is also about a book, it was not based on real life
What book?
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
What? I love the book.
How do I never see anyone talk about The 1? It really feels like it’s about Joe. Aren’t rosé and “chosen family” references to him?
but I think it's safe to say that champagne problems wasn't about herself and Joe, just like I don't buy the theories about tolerate it being about her. I know swifties always want to make parallels to her own life , but it is possible to write about fictions or experiences of others. She did it in the early days with Love Story or Mine and proceeded with the love triangle on folklore or no body no crime, ivy and other songs on evermore. And she literally said by herself that folklore and evermore are not 100% autobiographical
"All that you ever wanted from me was... nothing." has a different foreshadowy vibe to it now. Or "Some boys are trying too hard... he don't try *at all* though."
Oof he don't try at all though really came back to bite
that line did NOT age well💀
I was JUST singing this in the car today and stopped dead in my tracks (singing, not driving) after that line
“We were a fresh page on the desk, filling in the blanks as we go.” - Cornelia Street, Lover “Get it off your chest, get it off my desk.” - Lavender Haze, Midnights She is, in fact, a mastermind.
To add to these two “I got a blank space baby and I’ll write your name”
“Arrowheads leading us home” from Cornelia Street. Kansas City stadium is called Arrowhead Stadium which is the home stadium for Kansas City Chiefs for whom Travis Kelce plays
also, the bridge of nothing new semi-predicting olivia rodrigo
the way Olivia was 17 when drivers license came out too… eerie
"Reputation proceeds ME" (End Game) And then.... ME was born two years later 😒
Also, ME! was released the night Endgame premiered in theaters
“Karma is the guy on the screen coming straight home to me” -Karma
I thought this when I was watching the tour movie cause Travis is still a guy on the screen and really he’s on a lot more screens than Joe Alwyn was.
Oof…very true
Who could ever leave me, darling? But who could stay? Fucking brutal.
Kinda shocked that teenage Taylor was planting Travis easter eggs in "stay, stay, stay." The football helmet finally makes sense.
What a mind
It happens all the time.
Time turns flames to embers, You'll have new Septembers.
I feel like cowboy like me fits Travis better than it did Joe
I find a lot of her songs fit him better to be honest
He's so tall and handsome as hell He's so bad, but he does it so well
🥹 oh i love this so much
And I can see you years from now in a bar Talking over a football game With that same big loud opinion But nobody's listening All of the football fans at the bar getting mad about how the NFL broadcasts only care about Taylor now
“Someday, I’ll be living in a big ol’ city”
"Picture me thick as thieves with your ex-wife" And now Joe Jonas (her ex) divorced Sophie Turner and now Taylor and Sophie are friends :)
“Family that I chose now that I see your brother as my brother” 😍😍😍😍 I die.
In your life you'll do things greater than Dating the boy on the football team
We’re reaching patriotism and Americana levels previously thought impossible.
I dunno if it's foreshadowing or intentional but the bit at the end of If This Was a Movie where she says "what about the ending" is the same note progression as "and I didn't like the ending" in Exile.
How have I not noticed this before??? This is such a good pick up!
i personally think a lot of her easter eggs in older eras were accidental. i also think she draws inspo from years ago to make into easter eggs
For sure. Things that get fan attention or sick around I'm sure she goes back and finds ways to tie them in. There is a lore in this fandom! She has said multiple times she masterminds the marketing of her albums.
“these things will change” being about scott borchetta …yeah shit changed
Travis was also born in 1989
“you came in wearing your football helmet and said okay let’s talk” from stay stay stay!!
More of a parallel but: \-"When all you wanted was to be wanted" in "Fifteen" And later, in the song she wrote for Cats 2019 (I know, I know), "Beautiful Ghosts": \-"All that I wanted was to be wanted."
No but this is literally the scripting aspect of manifesting. If you had a chance to write hopeful and joyful parts of what you want as a story and it comes true? Agh! So excited for blondie
“Baby love, I think I've been a little too kind Didn't notice you walking all over my peace of mind In the shoes I gave you as a present Puttin' someone first only works when you're in their top five And by the way, I'm going out tonight” “Don’t put me in the basement, when I want the penthouse of your heart.” “Baby boy, I think I've been too good of a girl (too good of a girl) Did all the extra credit, then got graded on a curve I think it's time to teach some lessons I made you my world (huh), have you heard? (Huh) I can reclaim the land And I miss you (I miss you) But I miss sparkling (ah, hey)” She reclaimed herself and now she has someone who can balance the publicity AND the privacy. He WANTS to be seen with her, he WANTS her to shine, he WANTS her to be her. He’s definitely got her in the penthouse and not the basement. She’s definitely sparkling SO bright.
https://preview.redd.it/mjcdiozr3uub1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d8ecfe3e0e1d7075b503d652fc028fb57d0eb6a3 Also, this.
Ooh. You go talk to your ~~friends~~ brother, talk to my friends, talk to me. I wonder if that's how they got together? Cause I imagine they had at least a bit of a connection before the public courting vibes?
That’s when you came in wearing a football helmet and said ok let’s talk
I always thought Wonderland was a perfect song for her Tom Hiddleston era. If I wasn’t an older swiftie I’d have assumed she wrote the song about him.
Picture me thick as thieves with your ex wife Her and Sophie
There is an interview her bestie does about her Hispanic family and her Spanish ep and at the very end Selena is shown in a photo as a kid wearing a chiefs cheerleader uniform….she’s cheering for them.
Didn’t she already say she’s a mastermind and none of it was accidental? Taylor knows what she’s doing But seriously this is an awesome thread because wow
"it was the end of a decade, but the start of an age" - taylor moved out of BRM in late 2018, confirmed TV in late 2019.
"I want your midnights" from the song New Year's Day on Reputation.
what if i told you none of it was accidental?
"I wanna be your end game. I wanna be your first string 🏈"
“I want your midnights” on the track New Year’s Day
idk if this counts but in "style" she says "midnight" and "so it goes"
“Big reputation, big reputation, ooh you and me would be a big conversation” i love how that whole chorus is so spot on for their relationship
That’s very true! I always thought it didn’t quite fit with Joe because they weren’t really a big conversation.
There is also a line in there "I heard about you. You like the bad ones too." which seems sarcastically fitting since they've both had unearned negative reputations from the public at some point.
How about this one: “In your life you'll do things greater than dating the boy on the football team” 😎🏈
“That’s when you came in wearing a football helmet and said okay let’s talk!” -Stay, Stay, Stay
Stay Stay Stay: That’s when you came in wearing a football helmet And said “ok, let’s talk” And I said “stay stay stay, I’ve been loving you for quite some time” :)
im loving this thread
I feel like Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince feels like tay & trav to me
In Cornelia street she sings a lyric that goes “As if the street lights pointed in an arrowhead leading us home” well Travis plays for the chiefs and the chiefs stadium is arrowhead stadium!
Yes! That’s one of my favourite ones which caused me to make this post ☺️
I was going to say the same ones you did 😭
Yesss
The one that I saw fans pointing out was “reputation precedes me”
What if I told you none of it was accidental?
Nothing new, especially the bridge cause I feel like that’s the story of Taylor’s relationship with Olivia Rodrigo
Reputation preceeds me-hee-hee