The year was 2020 and just like the rest of us, Taylor Swift was spending a lot of time at home. That’s when she wrote “Cardigan,” a song which is a part of a three-song love triangle!
Fans liked to speculate who were the real people behind the love triangle, but Taylor admitted it’s about three fictional teenagers, all named after the children of one of her best friends — Blake Lively. “Cardigan” is sung from Betty’s perspective, telling what it felt like to be loved and left by James.
Calling Camilla Belle a Floozy in"Better Than Revenge"
With a title like this, we know Swift was in full-blown retaliation mode. Well, she was about 20 when she wrote this song, so give her a break! This song is one of her most controversial ones, and it's rumored to be about Camilla Belle, who infamously started dating Joe Jonas while he was with Taylor! Why the controversy, you ask?
Well, there's one specific line in this song saying that Camilla is mostly known for what she does on the mattress. That is just... so shady! Camilla vaguely responded nine years later, tweeting that “Those who hurt you will eventually screw up themselves & if you’re lucky, God will let you watch.” Ouch!
Spilling Her Best Friend's Secrets in "Fifteen"
The retrospective song about how innocent and gullible you are when you're in your Freshman year of high school was actually written by a 17-year-old Taylor Swift! If you listen closely, you'll learn very intimate details about Taylor's bestie, Abigail. In the second stanza, Taylor spills that Abigaile gave "everything" to a lad who later changed his mind.
Could you imagine the entire world knowing such an intimate detail about you? Yikes! Still, Tay gives younger girls advice saying that time can help us heal, which is indeed very true.
Hitting on Stephen Barker in "Hey Stephen"
Taylor always was and always will be a hopeless romantic who takes her crushes way, way too seriously. "Hey, Stephen" was her way of telling her crush "hey, I’m kinda obsessed with you, here are 50 reasons why you should choose me." The song was written for Stephen Barker Liles of "Love and Theft" after the two toured together.
When Swift called to tell him she wrote a song about Stephen started to sweat and with good reason! But after hearing the surprisingly-sugary song, he wrote one back, called "Try to Make It Anyway!"
Calling Joe Jonas a Liar in "Forever & Always"
Joe Jonas only dated Taylor for about six months, but he got a lot of songs written about him. This track was inspired by their 24-second-phone breakup. The song called out Joe for leaving her after promising her that he will be there, well, "Forever & Always."
Taylor later admitted that dissing Joe the way she did was one of her most mouthy moments, saying that that was some "Teenage stuff." Man, we're so glad no one was there to record all the things we said and did in our teens. Crisis averted.
Dreaming About Drew in "Our Song"
One of her first hits was actually written for one of her first boyfriends. Since she was just a normal teenager back then, she also dated normal, non-famous boys. She didn't even write this song for an album but for a talent show!
Drew Dunlop was the lucky subject of a surprisingly sweet Taylor song. Swift's classmates loved the song so much that she decided to include it in her self-titled album. Guess her friends were prophets because the song became a hit!
Setting Fire to Jordan Alford in "Picture to Burn"
"Picture to Burn" is the OG Taylor diss track. She wrote it at 14, for her first album. Young Tay pulled out the big guns calling her ex, Jordan Alford, a "redneck heartbreaker who's really bad at lying."
She also complained he would never let her drive his pickup truck (which we guess was everything little Taylor ever wanted.) Finally, just because the song wasn't mean enough, she added that she could date all of his best friends and that if he ever tried to apologize her dad will show him what sorry feels like. Jesus, just... Jesus.
Defaming Her Own Father in "Mine"
According to Swift, if your parents split up, it'll make you pessimistic about love. While never publically acknowledged, it is highly rumored that her parents haven't been a thing for a long long time. In "Mine" Swift dreams about meeting a guy and having their life just fall into place, not repeating what she calls "her parents' mistakes."
Some suspect this song was about late “Glee” star Corey Monteith. Still, the real tea in this Tay track is that she's calling herself a "Careless man's careful daughter," Yes, no man is safe with Swift, and even her father found himself, well, dissed.
Shaming Girls in Short Skirts in "You Belong With Me"
One of her greatest hits is a song everyone can relate to. Swift confessed that like most of her music, this song is indeed about a real person, but his real name has yet to be revealed. In the song, unpopular Taylor is in love with her best friend who is dating a popular mean girl.
In recent years, many have complained that Taylor is unnecessarily belittling the other girl for doing normal girly things like wearing skirts and high heels! Still, even if the song is a bit unfair, we just love screaming to it, feeling like we're the lonely, unwanted girl wearing sneakers and a t-shirt.
Rewriting Shakespeare in "Love Story"
Undoubtedly one of the songs that are most recognizable with early Taylor is "Love Stroy." In a true teenage dramatic fashion, Swift wrote this song after her parents prohibited her from seeing a certain boy who has remained anonymous. If you need any proof of how dramatic Taylor was, well, she felt this was as tragic as Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet."
In Tay's version of the story, the young lovers don't die but end up marrying each other. This song is one of many pop songs that should be held accountable for our unrealistic expectations of love.
Drooling Over Drew in "Teardrops on My Guitar"
Yet another musical piece about a boy that Swift fancied for a period of time. People like to say that the girl dated too much, but let’s be real, we all had multiple crushes during our tweens. The song was about a boy called Drew Hardwick — someone she really liked, who ended up asking her... for girlfriend advice.
Being the good friend she was, Swift helped him out, but not without writing a melodramatic teenage song saying he's the reason for the teardrops on her guitar.
Calling Out the Critics in "Mean"
While many would use this word to describe the pop star herself, she's actually calling out someone else. Bob Lefsetz, a music critic who heavily slammed her 2010 Grammy performance is the mean man behind the song.
It seems like Taylor really manifested some success for herself when she wrote "Someday I'll be living in a big old city... I'll be big enough so you can't hit me/And all you're ever gonna be is mean." As if that wasn't sweet enough, she also won two Grammys for the song.
Dating Joe Jonas Wasn't a Fairytale in "White Horse"
Imagine a teenage prince riding a white horse. Did you see Joe Jonas? Well, Tay-Tay did. According to her, this is a song about learning real life isn't a fairytale. Written about the middle Jonas brother breaking her helpless heart, the song is telling Joe she used to be a dreamer before he let her down.
Later she adds that at this point it's way too late for him to try and come apologizing on a white horse. She ends on a semi-optimistic note saying she hopes someday she'll find someone who'll treat her right.
Spoiling Her Best Dress in "Fearless"
This song wasn't written about anyone in particular, but about an imaginary perfect date. Perfect involved a lot of dancing in the rain. It also involved kissing. Not plain, dry kissing, but kissing in the rain. Basically, in the eyes of young Swift, storms made everything a lot more sensual.
Back in 2008, when T wrote "Fearless", she had a lot less money. Maybe this is why she casually sings "With you, I'd dance in a storm/In my best dress/Fearless." Now that she's a millionaire there's no way she'd let frivolous sprinkles swaying ruin her most luxurious dress!
Apologizing to Taylor Lautner in "Back to December"
In "Back to December" Tay is the one apologizing to a guy she hurt. If this wasn't delicious and surprising enough for you, the guy in question is someone we all know very well — Taylor Lautner.
The Twilight star dated the 20-year-old singer for three whole months, after which she obviously wrote a song about him. Only this song wasn't about how he wronged her, but vice versa. She sings about swallowing her pride and saying "'I'm sorry for that night." What actually happened that night? We're dying to know, but it's not in the song, so guess we never will.
Humiliating John Mayer in "Dear John"
Swift has seen some scandals throughout her career, and one of them involved no other than fellow star-singer John Mayer. Released in 2010, in "Dear John" Swift calls out Mayer for dating her and severely mistreating her when he was 32 and she was only 19. The songstress went all out, putting his name in the title and asking him directly "Don't you think nineteen's too young/To be played by your dark, twisted games/When I loved you so?"
After the song's release, John commented that he felt humiliated a and huge feud obviously ensued. The two haven't made up, for obvious reasons.
Judging Jake Gyllenhaal in "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together"
When Swift came up with the concept for this song, she was surprised no one had ever written such a song before. We've all had our on-and-off relationships, and we all needed a song encouraging us to move on and never ever get back together.
This one is 100% about Jake Gyllenhaal, who reportedly kept breaking up with Taylor, making her hate him, and then calling her up again, making her love him. By the end of the relationship, she was so exhausted by his wishy-washiness that she had to write a massive hit about the experience. Thank you, Tay!
Telling Sam Amstrong That He "Should've Said No"
This fun and furious masterpiece was actually a last-minute addition to the singer's debut album. Written about yet another boy she dated in high school. Swift fans followed clues and learned that this song is 100% about one Sam Amstrong, who cheated on Tay.
Rumor has it that some of the things Swift sings here were things she actually said to him. We bet it was "You should've gone home/You should've thought twice 'fore you let it all go/And I should've been there, in the back of your mind/I shouldn't be asking myself why." All true and very relatable.
Addressing Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo in "Nothing New"
Ironically, "Nothing New" is a more recent song, released in 2021 when Swift rerecorded her 2012 album "Red." The track was originally written by 22-year-old Taylor who was already feeling like old news in Hollywood. Still, many think the bridge in the song is a direct reference to singers like Billy Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo who already broke some of Tay's records.
In the bridge, Swift describes the experience of meeting a young girl who already knows how to succeed as a singer, all thanks to Swift who paved the way. Swift knows she should be happy, but it just makes her feel old. We get it, sis!
Loving Gyllenhaal Felt "Red"
Gyllenhaal plays a role in both the Marvel and the Taylor Cinematic Universe. Swift was incredibly hurt by JG, which inspired one of her most successful albums, "Red." The titular song is about what it felt like to love and lose Jake, which is something we are all dying to know!
Well, the singer says it was like "Driving a new Maserati down a dead-end street/Faster than the wind, passionate as sin, ending so suddenly." Damn, that sounds good! It has been rumored that J secretly listens to the album from time to time, and with lines like that, can you really blame him?
Jake Was Casually Cruel to Swift in "All Too Well"
Unfortunately for Jake, because of a feud with her old label, Taylor has taken on re-recording her first six albums. Knowing that "All Too Well" is a fan favorite, she released the previously unheard, unedited 10-minute version of the song.
The song, as well as a short film Swift wrote and directed, both emphasize the age difference and power imbalance between the two, with heartbreaking lines like "I'll get older, but your lovers stay my age" When this one hit Spotify, Swifties and non-Swifties alike all went after Jake and with good reason.
Calling Out Joe Jonas for Acting Like He Was "Mr. Perfectly Fine"
The problem with dating Taylor is that you can end up in one of her songs even years later. For her, it's the gift that keeps on giving. For her exes, it's an ongoing PR problem. Taylor rerecorded her 2008 album "Fearless" and added a couple of new songs she wrote at the time.
"Mr. Perfectly Fine" is about how Mr. Jo likes to act like he's all perfect and fine, but, according to Taylor, he should actually be called "Mr. Change of Heart", "Mr. Casually Cruel", and "Mr. Insincere Apology so he doesn't look the bad guy." Ouch!
Taylor's Tragic 21st Birthday in "The Moment I Knew"
This is a song that Taylor has never performed live. Rumor has it, it's just too painful, as it's about how Jake never showed up for her 21st birthday. The audacity of this man! Tay describes how she kept looking at the door waiting for Jake to show but he never did, which led to her crying in front of all of her friends.
This was the moment she knew Jake and her were never meant to be and that she should probably find a man who'll treat her better.
Getting Real About Her Childhood in "Christmas Tree Farm"
"Christmas Tree Farm" marks something fans have been waiting for for years — an original Taylor-Christmas song they could play during the holiday season and still stay on topic.
The song follows a girl who grew up on a Christmas tree farm and still has that farm in her heart, and that girl is Swift. Yes, this is a semi-biographical song. The music video features baby pictures of the singer on said farm.
A Massage From Taylor to Jake in "I Bet You Think About Me"
If you've listened to this song and wondered who it could be about, well, Swift left enough clues for you to find out. The music video for this song is very, very red, and that's all we'll say for now.
The song is basically a letter to Jake, telling him she knows he still thinks about her, with his million-dollar couch, his organic shoes, and his stuck-up friends, and that it's good enough for her to know that he'll never be truly happy.
Addressing Kim and Kanye in "Look What You Made Me Do"
When "Look What You Made Me Do" came out, a whole new Taylor was unleashed with it. The first single off of her 2017 album "Reputation" is a hate letter to all of her own haters. The video is filled with easter eggs suggesting this one is 100% about the three Ks she loathes the most: Kim, Kanye, and Katy Perry.
She tells her hates she has a list of their names, all underlined in red, and that, honestly, is incredibly intimating. Even when it's coming from a pretty young blonde girl.
Publicizing Joe Alwyn's Sensual Skills in "King of My Heart"
Back in 2016, while we were all busy hating on Swift because of what she did or didn't do to Kanye, Swift went off the grid. Weirdly enough, her lowest point is where she found love with a normal, dare we say, poor man. "King of My Heart" is about her lover, Joe Alwyn.
She implies that all the rich men she dated before, never knew how to take her to the right places... if you know what we mean. Alwyn, on the other hand...
Taylor Feels Good in "I Did Something Bad"
The singer has had a good girl persona for most of her career. When she was #canceled on Twitter, she started feeling like this just didn't pay off at all. This is why in "Reputation" she decided to embrace the snake imagery she was given and just act like a full-blown witch!
In this track, she talks all about how good it felt to do something so bad. What was the "bad" thing? Well, take a look at all of the things Tay did in 2016, leading up to her public downfall, and pick one.
Wanting to Get Naked With a Secret Lover in "Dress"
If a song on her catalog is incredibly thirsty and filled with sensual innuendos, it's most likely about Alwyn. Still, many believe that the secret lover in "Dress" is actually model and former friend to Taylor, Karlie Kloss.
The two were tight in the times leading up to the release of this song, and while Swift always claimed to be straight, some silly people online claim there's proof otherwise. Whether you think it's about Joe or Karlie, you still gotta love the line "I don't want you like a best friend/Only bought this dress so you could take it off."
Admitting She's Actually Boy Crazy in "Blank Space"?
Throughout her career, Taylor has been called "boy-crazy" more than once. The public often sees her as a frantic woman who can't stop obsessing over blue-eyed boys only to go completely psycho and write a song about them a second later. On the surface, "Blank Space" seems like a straight-up admission of guilt.
But, Taylor has actually confessed this is more of a tongue-in-cheek parody of how others view her. Taylor was like, "You want crazy? I'll give you crazy!" And now we're really crazy about this song.
Breaking Up and Getting Back Together With Harry Styles In "Style"
It doesn't look like Swift was trying really hard to hide who this one is about, right? It's literally in the title. The track explores her tumultuous, unstable relationship with former One-Direction member Harry Styles. It seems like the two just can’t get enough of each other, so they get back together again and again.
She compares their romance to classic pieces that would just never go out of style. Do you guys think this means she'd always be willing to raise the relationship from the dead? We'll have to wait and see.
Addressing the Haters in "Shake It Off"
Most of the singer's biggest hits can be found in her 2014 album, "1989." This one might be the biggest one of them all. If there was any chance you didn't know Swift's name before, when "Shake It Off" came out you could no longer escape the singer.
This is another one all about how the media views her. Tay starts off naming all of the things people have said about her, but then she just, well, shakes it off! She's been around long enough to know that haters are just gonna hate, so no need to pay any extra attention to them.
Joe Alwyn Was So "Gorgeous" Taylor Was Scared to Approach Him
The track, from Swift’s “Reputation” is about a man so ridiculously gorgeous that Taylor can't even open her mouth next to him! At first, some people speculated the song was about Tom Hiddleston, but all of the clues actually point to Joe Alwyn. Mainly, the fact that Joe is two years younger than the singer, and that Hiddleston is much older than both. Why does this matter?
Well, the line "And I got a boyfriend/ he's older than us/He's in the club doing, I don't know what." Might indicate Tay had her eye on Joe while she was still with Tom.
Running Away From Calvin Harris in "Getaway Car"
In this fan favorite, the songstress uses the imagery of criminals in their getaway car to discuss the way she left Calvin Harris for Tom Hiddleston. But wait, there's more. In an insane plot twist, after Tom helped Tay evade the crime, she left him too. Basically, Tom was just driving the getaway car.
What happened next? Well, Tay tells it like it is "I left you in the motel bar/Put the money in a bag and I stole the keys/That was the last time you ever saw me." Ouch, we bet Hiddleston hates this one.
Calling Kanye Out in "This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things"
In the ultimate Kanye diss track, Tay decided she is done apologizing. In "This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things" she talks all about the lavish parties she used to have before a certain rapper rained on her parade.
She compares Kanye to a little kid who keeps breaking toys, so there's nothing left to do but take them away from him. She also calls him shady and blames him for stabbing her in the back and for trying to trick her. Jesus, this is too much, even for us!
Putting the Kim-Kanye Fued Behind Her in "I Forgot That You Existed"
They say that the opposite of love is not hate, but indifference. If that's true this song is more of a victory than an actual diss track. This one is the first song on her 2019 album "Lover," and it seems like she wanted it to set the tone for the album: I'm over all the drama (but not really.)
The title is pretty self-explanatory here. The real question is, is this even actually about Kanye? Some fans swear it has to be the case. Others claim this is actually about her ex-lover, DJ Calvin Harris.
Fighting for Gay Rights in "You Need to Calm Down"
Like almost anything the superstar does, this song sparked controversy. Why? Well, Taylor was trying to do a good thing here, and talk about the struggles of the LGBT+ community. However, many were mad at the fact she compared her own seemingly harmless haters to people who hate queer people.
Tay is also giving some solid, free advice in the song: We should all try and control our desire to shout about all the people we loathe. Great tip, but we don't think we're gonna take it. Just like Swift herself, we are actually having too much fun being shady!
Almost Asking Jake to Take Her Back in "I Almost Do"
She really did right a-l-o-t of songs about Jake huh? He must be really something, don't you think? In "I Almost Do" Taylor admits she's always a phone call away from begging Mr. Gyllenhaal to take her back.
She admits she has to spend all of her energy on *not* calling him, and we get it, girl, we've been there. She sings that Jake must think she hates him, but she's actually trying to avoid him because she doesn't want to risk being tempted to ever get back together with him.
Falling In Love With Conor Kennedy in "Begin Again"
“Red” was probably one of our favorite Taylor Swift albums. There's nothing like a bunch of breakup drama to keep us engaged throughout a whole album. Still, the song that finishes the album is actually a more hopeful one, and it's thankfully, not about Jake! It's highly likely that this song was written about non-other than an actual Kennedy!
Conor Kennedy got good treatment from Taylor. She sings that unlike someone else she's recently dated, Conor actually shows up on time and opens doors for her. Basically, meeting him has helped her believe in love again. Go Conor!
Knowing Harry Styles Was Bad News in "I Knew You Were Trouble"
The blonde singer is known for blaming boys for breaking her heart. In "I Knew You Were Trouble" she admits she's the one to blame for the fact that Harry Styles hurt her the way he did. Basically, all Tay needed was one look at Harry to know she's screwed. Put that aside and you learn some pretty harsh truths about Harry.
If you take these lyrics at face value: "No apologies/ He'll never see you cry/ Pretends he doesn't know/ That he's the reason why/ You're drowning" he comes off as a pretty toxic guy.
Calling Boyfriend Alwyn Poor in "Paper Rings"
In this cute, upbeat, "Lover" track, Taylor is so infatuated with her lover that she’d do away with all of the formalities and just get married with…well, paper rings!
Now, there are two different ways to look at this track. One would be that this is a sweet way to show him how much she loves him. The other is, well, addressing the fact that her net worth is more than 10 times his. At this point, she's so rich she doesn't really need a shiny ring from him, she can get the most luxurious one all by herself. All she truly wants is his love!
Thinking about "The 1" That Got Away
We all have someone like that, someone we dated and thought would be the person we'll end up with, but then we didn't. The first song on Swift’s album “Folklore”, “The 1”, explores the themes of nostalgia surrounding lost loves.
There's just one problem, even the noisiest of fans have not been able to pinpoint who this romantic song is actually about. Some say it's Jake, others say it must be Harry. One thing's for sure when it comes to Swifties, no mystery will be left unsolved for too long.
Roasting Leonardo DiCaprio in "The Man"
From her album "Lover," this song isn't about one particular man Tay has dated, but actually about what her life would have looked like if she were a man. Swift's answer? She'd be an alpha type. People would treat her with respect instead of discussing her dating life all the time.
In the song's bridge, Taylor calls out Mr. Leo for always dating young models and taking them to Saint-Tropez. For some reason, the media has never called him girl-crazy or has warned women not to date him.
Turning Down Marriage in "Champagne Problems"
"Champagne Problems" is a track from 2020's "Evermore." The song tells the story of a girl who turned down a marriage proposal from the guy she was dating. Declared one of the album's saddest songs, fans went crazy trying to speculate if there's a chance this song is about Taylor herself, and who's proposal did she refuse?
The song was written by Taylor and her boyfriend Joe Alwyn, and while many wondered if this was about the two of them, it's most likely just a sad fictional story they came up with to mess with our heads.
Breaking Up With Calvin Harris in "Exile"?
"Exile" is a track featuring the ever-talented Bon Iver. The song explores the types of miscommunications that lead to a breakup, and how spitting up with someone can feel like you've been exiled.
Each verse offers a different perspective on the relationship. This one seems to be completely fictional, but we bet Swift used some of her past experiences to draw inspiration. Fans theorized this one might be about Calvin Harris, who felt replaced when Taylor left him for Tom Hiddleston.
Getting Together With Joe Alwyn in "Cornelia Street"
From the album, “Lover”, this song is not about a person but more about a place and the part it played at the beginning of a fragile new relationship. It's been confirmed that it's about her connection with her current boyfriend Joe.
The year was 2016, and while renovating her apartment in Tribecca, Taylor rented a place on Cornelia street. She sings that if she ever loses Joe she'll never be able to walk that street again, saying "that's the kinda heartbreak time could never mend." Wow, that's putting a lot of pressure on Joe!
Comparing Her Relationship to a "False God"
Did you know Swift has a song where she compares coitus to... well, the creator? We're not even kidding, "Afterglow" is a song about how the faith one has in a relationship is much like the faith one has in god.
Taylor loves Joe so much that she says she'll always believe in their love, even if it's a false god. Wow, we need a moment! The song includes some risqué lyrics, like “religion’s in your lips...the alter is my hips” which alludes to some sensual acts...
Forgetting About Harry Styles in "Clean"
From the album “1989”, this track compares the experience of getting over someone to the experience of getting sober. Taylor said she wrote this song after being in the same city, London, as an ex for two weeks, and realizing she hasn't thought of him at all. At that moment she thought "I'm finally clean."
Now if you put two and two together, you'll get that this song is about Harry Styles, Swift's British Ex. Who else is going to be in London?
Joe Was Onto Taylor in "I Think He Knows"
You know how when you start a new relationship with someone, all of a sudden it feels like you know nothing? Does he want me? Do I want him? Does he know what I'm thinking or is he completely clueless? So many questions and no answers in sight.
In this upbeat "Lover" track, Taylor sings about how much she's into Joe, and about how she thinks he knows that. One of our favorite lyrics from this one is "He's so obsessed with me and boy, I understand." Gotta love that confidence, where can we get some?
Calling Tom Hiddleston the Wrong Guy in "Long Story Short"
This song sums up that tough time in 2016 when everyone called Swift a liar and canceled her, all because of Kim and Kanye. However, this one isn't a diss track, but more of an optimistic song about how everything actually turned out just right.
She sums up that entire year in a few lines — "And I fell from the pedestal/Right down the rabbit hole/Long story short, it was a bad time/Pushed from the precipice/Clung to the nearest lips/Long story short, it was the wrong guy." But she ends on a positive note, the final line being "Long story short, I survived."
Giving Herself the Credit She Deserves in "ME!"
Universally hated by both fans and casual listeners alike, many thought the song was childish and silly. But if you listen carefully to this collaboration track featuring Brendon Urie you'll see it's all about self-love and self-confidence.
Basically the type of track we always need to remind ourselves that we are pretty darn awesome. Fun fact: this song had over 65 million views in its first 24 hours after being put up on YouTube. Wild.
Jake Should Have Been a "Better Man"
This song is one of the rare ones that Taylor wrote but let others sing. At the time, it was sung by the American country group Little Big Town. But Taylor did record her own version of the song when she re-recorded "Red." Simply put, this is a song about what could have been if Mr. Jake Gyllenhaal was a better man.
Taylor's answer? The two would have still been together. It's hard to decide if Jake should be complimented or offended by this song. Probably both.
Calling Out Scott Borchetta in "My Tears Ricochet"
Borchetta who? Scott discovered Taylor and believed in her when she was just a little 14-year-old girl with big dreams. The two worked together up to 2017 when Taylor decided to leave, partly because he didn't let her own her masters.
Then, he sold all of them to a man she hates: Scooter Braun. This track seems like it's about a failed romantic relationship but listen closely and you'll see it's all an excuse to shade Borchetta with lines like "You wear the same jewels that I gave to you as you bury me" and "You turned into your worst fears." Yikes.
Calling Out Scooter Bruan in "Mad Women"
After claiming that most of the songs in 2020's "Folklore" weren't actually about her life, Taylor was free to, well, write about her life. Swifties are sure the song "Mad Women" is actually about Taylor's experiences with her enemy, Scooter, who bought all of her masters.
It gets really personal when Tay sings about how he likes to climb over people like her and then implies that Bruan has been cheating on his wife, saying he's been known to have side flings.
Taylor Enjoyed Ruining Everything in "The Last Great American Dynasty"
The song starts out telling the story of Rebekah Harkness, a woman who married an heir and inherited his fortune after he died. Rebekah was accused of having too many loud parties and too many lovers. Reminds you of someone? Well, in 2013 Swift bought the famous Holiday House Harkness spent her time in. The next logical step? She wrote a song comparing herself to Rebekah!
While everybody enjoyed saying that Harkness "had a marvelous time ruining everything" Taylor, in an f-everyone moment, sings about herself, saying, "I had a marvelous time ruining everything." Well, we can't argue with a marvelous time, can we?
Confessing She Likes the Public's Attention in "Mirrorball"
Here Taylor compares herself to, well, a disco mirrorball. This song is about the experience of being an entertainer, knowing your job is to give people a good time, even if you end up feeling like you've been broken into a million pieces. In a rare and vulnerable moment, Taylor admits she'll do anything to have people still looking at her and caring about what she does.
The real catch? Preceptive fans noticed that Tay actually wore a mirrorball dress in 2018, for the AMA's red carpet. Could this have been an easter egg?
Admitting She Might Have Had a Drinking Problem in "This Is Me Trying"
This track was definitely written about what the singer felt when she went AWOL for a full year in 2016. In her Diseny+ movie about "Folklore," Taylor said the song is partly about a person who is actively trying their hardest, every single minute, not to drink. She added that it's also about what it's like to leave school for adult life and learning no one gives you gold stars for your good behavior. Rude!
Fans speculated that the singer developed a drinking problem during the time she was canceled and many of them felt like the song confirmed it.
Her Father's Love Might Be a "Hoax"
One of Taylor's saddest songs to date, it can be hard to pinpoint who this song is exactly about. Tay herself said the song is the first time she used the same piece to talk about more than one person. It's partly about love, partly about business, and partly about a "sort of relationship that I considered family."
The line "Your faithless love's the only hoax I believe in" haunts those who want to know who it's about and what has that person done. One devoted fan claims that even though the singer will never admit it, "Hoax" might be about her father's faithless love.
Killing Without Getting Caught in "No Body No Crime"
In a cheeky and unexpected moment, Taylor decided to write a fake true-crime story with herself and her friends, the HAIM sisters, at the center. In the song, featuring the musical sisters, Este has a husband that decides to get rid of her and let his mistress move in.
In the second part, Tay executes revenge by making the husband disappear and pinning it on the mistress. Swift has said she's scared of being accused of a crime she didn't commit, so we guess her therapy was to imagine that she did commit one and put it in a song.
Singing With Her Grandma in "Marjorie"
"Marjorie" is a track Tay wrote about her grandma who died when she was 14 and didn't get to see her huge success. Marjorie was an opera singer, and her career inspired Swift to try and become a singer as well. In this track, she talks about life lessons she's learned from her grandma, and about how for her, Marjorie is still alive.
The coolest part? Swift used old recordings of her grandma in the song, so the two are actually singing together!
Singing About Her Grandfather's Life in "Epiphany"
It seems that Tay had a secret mission in "Folklore" and "Evermore" which was to incorporate songs about her grandparents. While "Evermore" featured a song about her grandmother, "Folklore" saw one about her grandpa, Dean, and his time in the military. Specifically, the time he spent fighting The Battle of Guadalcanal.
If you listen closely to other verses, you'll hear Tay also taking the time to thank medical teams for their work and discuss the difficulties of working in healthcare.
Refusing to Give Those Who Hurt Her "Closure"
"Closure" is a divisive song, not because of its lyrics, which fans loved, but because of its unpleasant sound, especially at the beginning. The song discusses a letter Tay received from someone who has hurt her and wants to mend things. But Tay? She will have none of that — according to the song, she's 100% fine with her spite and she doesn't want to give the other person closure.
Who is this song about? Theories range from Scott Borchetta to Karlie Kloss, and even to Kim Kardashian.
Talking About the Perils of Fame in "The Lucky One"
Swift has admitted that she penned this track in Australia but she's never told who this is actually about. "The Lucky One" discusses a famous singer who has found fame to be too painful and decides to leave it all behind.
Swift can relate to this singer, saying she understands why someone would choose to give up their career and live a more private life. One theory suggests that the song was written about Joni Mitchell and another says it might actually be about Kim Wilde.
Sending a Massage to Her Cancer-Sick Mom in "Soon You'll Get Better"
While the singer has discussed her private life in the past, she's always been very private about her mom's health. Swift's mother battled cancer once before, but in 2019, just before she released her album lover, Taylor shared that the cancer has returned.
In that same album, she included a song dedicated to her mom which featured her mom's favorite band, "The Chicks." It's about how she hopes her mom will get better soon and the fear of losing her for good.
Feeling Vulnerable in "Delicate"
Just like many of the other songs on her 2017 album "Reputation," this one also describes a new and secretive relationship. "Delicate" is all about the insecurities that come with starting a new relationship.
Should I tell the other person what I'm really feeling or is it too soon? Too delicate? Taylor wrote this song about meeting a new lover in the midst of the worst time of her life when her reputation was destroyed.
Millennials Can't Commit and Like to Play Dirty in "New Romantics"
We love a good satirical track from Swift and 2017's "New Romantics" is exactly that. Similar to "Blank Space" in its attitude and topics, in the song, Tay low-key admits how she and other "New Romantics" kind of enjoy getting their hearts broken.
Swift is exposing her entire generation by saying "We wait for trains that just aren't coming" and "We're so young, but we're on the road to ruin/We play dumb, but we know exactly what we're doing." Nonetheless, the song is a bop!
Taylor Still Had "Bad Blood" With Katy Perry
Another major hit from Taylor, "Bad Blood" is most likely all about Katey Perry who, according to Tay, tried to steal dancers from her, a thing that would have completely destroyed her tour!
Apparently, there was one point in time in which the two singers were friends or at least friendly, but it seems that now the two indeed have blood. At least we got a bop out of it!
Hiding From the Paparazzi in "I Know Places"
No one likes listening to the rich and famous complaining about how hard it is to be rich and famous, yet they still complain, and we still listen. In "I Know Places" Swift describes the media and the paparazzi as hunters, while celebrities — who are just trying to live their lives and maybe smooch a little bit — are foxes.
But, the singer has some tricks up her sleeves, and she knows places where she and her lover can hide. We're still waiting for a song detailing those specific locations...
Talking about Lena Dunham in "You Are in Love"
Swift discussed the song with Jimmy Kimmel, saying she wrote it about Lena Dunham's and Jack Antonoff's relationship. Lena is known for creating and starring in "Girls" while Jack is a well-known musician and producer who's been working with Taylor for years now.
Since the song was written, the two have broken up and moved on, but still, the song describes what they had as "True love." It seems that Swift has managed to stay friends with both of them even after they broke it off, which is pretty impressive.
Dating Harry Styles Was Anxiety Inducing in "Out of the Woods"
The sixth single of "1989" is all about how anxious Taylor felt when she was dating Harry Styles, and how much the media influenced their relationship as well. She said the entire relationship felt like one hurdle after the other and once they got over one problem, she couldn't stop thinking about the next one that might pop up.
The constant repetition of the titular line is supposed to represent the fixation an incredibly nervous person has when they don't know what's going to happen next.
Realizing What True Love Actually Looks Like in "Daylight"
This is a song about transformation, growing up, and moving into the light. When Taylor met Jake for the first time, she thought she was experiencing true love. What did true love feel like? According to Tay in 2012 it was "burning red."
Time passed, and Swift met Joe, her most stable boyfriend, who she has been dating since 2016. According to this song, when she met Joe she realized that love shouldn't be red, or even black and white, but golden, like daylight. How sweet!
Singing About a Mysterious Love Triangle in "Cardigan"
The year was 2020 and just like the rest of us, Taylor Swift was spending a lot of time at home. That's when she wrote "Cardigan," a song which is a part of a three-song love triangle!
Fans liked to speculate who were the real people behind the love triangle, but Taylor admitted it's about three fictional teenagers, all named after the children of one of her best friends — Blake Lively. "Cardigan" is sung from Betty's perspective, telling what it felt like to be loved and left by James.
Being the Other Girl in "August"
August is all about a summer romance gone terribly wrong. It’s believed to also be a part of Swift’s “Teenage Love Triangle” and told this time from the perspective of the gal whom James cheats on Betty with. She's completely infatuated but also knows the other person will never be truly hers.
It's a heartbreaking but upbeat song that evokes sweet feelings of nostalgia and it's a fan favorite. We think it's also one of Taylor's favorites, as she chose to perform it at the 2021 Grammy Awards.
The Key to Relationship Success in "Stay Stay Stay"
Imagine the perfect relationship, one where you feel safe and secure, one that lasts for years and years and adds great joy to your life. Now, snap out of your trance! When Swift found herself daydreaming about the perfect relationship, she got a song out of it. Swift toys with the idea of the ideal relationship.
Now, if you truly think about it, we think that Tay is onto something, the only difference between a successful relationship and a failed one is that in one of them, both people stay.
Sparking Marriage Rumors in "Lover"
There’s something so dreamy and romantic about the title track “Lover” by Swift. The song made its debut in a 2019 Vogue cover story, and the interviewer described the song as a “haunting, waltzy, singer-songwritery nugget.” The song is, in fact, dedicated to her partner Joe Alwyn.
It's a celebration of what a good relationship feels like. In a cheeky moment, Taylor sings "I take this magnetic force of a man to be my... lover," a line that has sparked many rumors saying the two were secretly wed.
Saying She Might Leave Fame Behind in "The Lakes"
This song proves that Swift is a poet at heart. Inspired by the 19th-century poets who decided to move to the lake district in England and isolate themselves from mainstream society, in this song, Taylor imagines herself doing the same.
Unlike in "The Lucky One," here Tay imagined herself running off with her lover, even calling him her muse, which is actually quite refreshing, having a woman call a man that and not the other way around.
About Having a "Cruel Summer" With Lover Joe
We personally like to catalog Taylor’s songs and albums by which boy they were written about. Since "Cruel Summer" is in 2019's "Lover," we know it's about none other than Joe Alwyn. The song paints the picture of Swift falling for him while also having the worst summer of her life.
Still, she has to play it cool and keep the relationship secret. The line "what doesn't kill me makes me want you more" kinda summarized the theme of this bop.
Admitting She's to Blame for Some of the Drama in"The Archer"
Taylor has been criticized many times for being childish and never taking responsibility for the things she's done. But, in "The Archer" she's comparing herself to her actual star sign and admits that in all of her relationships she's played both the role of the archer and that of the prey.
In the song, she also mentions her fear that her tendency to be dramatic and start fights might push her lover away, asking the ultimate question: "Who could ever leave me, darling/But who could stay?"
Relationship Disappointments in "Coney Island"
Anyone here a fan of The National? Yes? Good. Then you’ll probably enjoy this song, in which the band is featured. The song is a duet that almost feels like a conversation between two people.
The lyrics were written by both Taylor and Joe, and we're not sure if that confirms it's about their relationship or actually disproves it. Either way, this one seems to be about someone who prioritized their career over a relationship, and by the time they realized it, it was too late.
Missing Either Joe Jonas or Jake Gyllenhaal in "Holy Ground"
This track was written for Taylor's 4th album "Red," which is known to be all about Jake Gyllenhaal. The song is about remembering a past relationship — Tay describes how exciting it was when it started and how terribly painful it was when it ended.
You'd think it's safe to assume this song is about Jake, but Taylor incorporated a secret clue in the CD's booklet, reading "When you came to the show in SD.” That line has led many to believe it's actually about Joe Jonas, who was caught watching Taylor's show in San Diego during her "Speak Now" Tour.