I wanted to break down some lyrics from 1989’s TV release – This has been the first album since RED TV that actually has a chokehold on me. Speak Now TV did it’s purpose in reclaiming Taylor’s art but just nothing really stuck to me like her previous albums and re-recordings had. Fearless pretty much sounded like OLD Fearless with some less emotional gut punches [as expected] in specific songs, but the vault tracks of Red and 1989 really have been on a loop for me since they came out.
What’s interesting about these vault tracks is you can definitely see where songs were created by them, as ideas were scraped they were reclaimed by new tracks. Beats, lyrics, aspects of these vaults, because they didn’t make the cut, resurface in other songs on the albums that played with the same ideas, OR come to us in later albums.
A podcast I have been obsessed with because of the validity of the speakers is Every Single Album – and this was a GREAT educational podcast to listen to when discussing bits and pieces of these songs that show up in other songs. So in this breakdown I want to talk about some commonalities of other songs and also interpretations of this song. … … and I’ll probably do it for the other vaults, too.
First of all. This song has the melody of ‘Mastermind‘ – – just a bit. The podcast I referenced above mentions how they would love to see a documentary to see a lineage of what came first — the rerecords that maybe inspire Midnights – or Midnights that influence some of these vault tracks. This track itself has a ton of Midnights synths and also a big influence of Jack Antonoff with his own “Bleachers” sounds.
When the track names were announced – we did not expect that this would be a blast from the past of her hometown love discussion again. We alllll thought it was going to be about some 1989 timestamp of a situationship but.. once again, she does something completely unknowing to us – lol.
Lyrics
You had people who called you on unmarked numbers
In my peripheral vision
A few things about this line – I take this as a metaphor but since this is referencing what I am assuming is 2006-2009 time period, I cannot help but think about *67 and calling landlines as blocked numbers so we can’t see WHO is calling. Probably not the interpretation but, just a funny side step.
I do think this line intends on a few things: 1. people literally calling from numbers not being saved – and in my peripheral vision – means you SEE it, but you don’t really ask questions or don’t get the full story. 2. It also could be a metaphor – of relationships, situationships, happening on the side that are slightly aware but unseen.
This kind of goes along with the line “That you’ve been out and about with some other girl. He says, “What you heard is true, but I can’t stop thinking ’bout you and I-” from ‘Style.’ So although I think these songs are about two completely different people – it’s interesting to see this line, in a way, manipulated for a different setting.
Some other girl
I let it slide like a hose on a slippery plastic summer
This definitely backs up the previously stated breakdown of it was happening, it was somewhat assumed but never really acknowledged. I don’t know how I feel about the word slippery – in a song – lol – but if we are setting the mood for a summer album, I get it.
All was quickly forgiven
You were so magnetic, it was almost obnoxious
Again, different time periods but I see a lot of ‘Style’ in this song. Singing about a person who you think is the star of the show, feels too cool for you, and you can’t help but be completely mesmerized by them.
Flush with the currency of cool
I was always turning out my empty pockets
This is an interesting line to me because it gives this feeling of ‘I have nothing else to offer you.’ If this song is taking place during high school, Taylor herself didn’t have the money she has now – so this to me is meaning more than actual money in pockets. Like – she was giving all she had – she had nothing more to offer and didn’t think she was cool enough to be around this person – but she was emptying herself completely to try to fill the relationship. We see this in You’re on your own, kid, as she references trying to act cool – I’ll reference this later
And when it came to you
I didn’t come here to make friends
Completely different era but written later is ‘Dress’ and I can’t help but see this overlapping of “I dont want you like a best friend” – in this idea of I didn’t come back to this place to make friends but to win you over. The questions is did she actually go back to this reunion, or is this a thought in her mind? Is this a place that they met when he told her they would be ‘forever’ or get back together – and didn’t meet up to call it quits? So many questions.
We were born to be suburban legends
When you hold me, it holds me together
And you kiss me in a way that’s gonna screw me up forever
So flash back to a song called “Midnight Rain” – I saw people think this was about the same person… however, there is a difference. So I am not entirely sure they ARE the same person. Midnight Rain, feels like it’s a person who WAS giving their all to Taylor, but she wasn’t ready to settle down. This person however, feels like she was head over heels for them, and wanted them to be the legends from their school that stayed together, but – he wasn’t committing fully. So in reality I see this as almost the prelude to the Midnight Rain relationship. You know, the one you wanted to be with so damn badly, but they didnt give their time, so you ended up with someone nicer who actually DOES adore you – but it’s just not what you want. Wrong timing.
Another reference to this time is ‘You’re on Your Own, Kid”
Summer went away
Still, the yearning stays
I play it cool with the best of them
I wait patiently
He’s gonna notice me
It’s okay, we’re the best of friends
Anyway
I hear it in your voice
You’re smoking with your boys
I touch my phone as if it’s your face
I didn’t choose this town
I dream of getting out
There’s just one who could make me stay
All my days
There is just one that could make me stay… this you, high school person?
I had the fantasy that maybe our mismatched star signs
Would surprise the whole school
School. This is what first knocked my jaw open when hearing it for the first time. This is high school. Not 2013-2014. The moment they dated and lasted it would create buzz around the school. It would take people by surprise that it lasted. It would be *Iconic.*
When I ended up back at our class reunion
Walking in with you
You’d be more than a chapter in my old diaries
With the pages ripped out
I love these lines because you can picture all of this happening. We walk back into this old fucking gym- people’s mouth gasp that we were still a unit – and an iconic one. Instead of ripping these pages I had written about you, out of my diary because they hurt too much to revisit, we’d be living that truth and what I fantasized about.
I am standing in a 1950s gymnasium
And I can still see you now
This gives me the feeling of – now that we don’t talk, though again – different people I believe, but instead of staring at people on screens and phones, we’d be standing by each other. And I can still see you now – instead of assuming where you are.
I know that you still remember
We were born to be national treasures
When you told me we’d get back together
And you kissed me in a way that’s gonna screw me up forever
So again the reason I think this person is the prelude to Midnight Rain boy is because she was living ‘for the hope of it all’ – if you will- in thinking they would end up back together. When they broke up – maybe there was a time they gave her that glimmer of hope – then they sealed it with a kiss – but it was a lie – and oh so unnecessary.
Tick-tock on the clock, I pace down your block
I broke my own heart ’cause you were too polite to do it
Waves crash on the shore, I dash to the door
You don’t knock anymore, and my whole life’s ruined
and the verse that is CONSTANTLY stuck in my head [lol]
She realizes this person isn’t coming back but just stringing her along – she cut it out of her mind because this person wouldn’t just give her a straight up answer.
Waves crash on the shore – tides break – promises unkept – I run to leave this situation since you don’t show up any more – and in this moment my life is completely shattered because I envisioned us as ‘suburban legends’ that would forever stand through the test of time.
Tick-tock on the clock, I pace down your block
I broke my own heart ’cause you were too polite to do it
Waves crash to the shore, I dash to the door
You don’t knock anymore, and I always knew it
I always knew it – the side glance of the texts and phone calls you had been sending to others. I created this narrative in my head.. and in the end I broke my own heart with my love wishes.
And my life had been ruined
A hopeless romantic, our girl.