Listen to Tolerate it, and then Bejeweled and get ready to cry. These songs have similar narratives but different genre and tone. A lot of people hear pop music and discount it for its heartache and seriousness, but the lyrics alone are actually quite sad – but written in a way that is more of a dig to the person hurting the narrator rather than letting the hurt consume them. POP DOESN’T MEAN NOT SERIOUS.

Lyrical Interpretation

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

A big part of me thinks this song is about Karlie Kloss simply because of this line. This is not me stating they were a unit or were not a unit, but just in general – friend or more – the idea of getting a girl shoes for a gift for them to stab you in the back just makes sense to me. There are also some cross over and references of outfits in the music video which I will break down more in my next post.

But the idea of walking all over my peace of mind, really relates to tolerate it.

So I think this in speculation is about two different people that maybe hurt her, broke her heart, made her feel used. I think baby love is referring to Kloss – in whichever relationship way it was, and the second verse baby boy is referring to someone else. I honestly never believe her songs are simply about one person – specifically none of her new music. Debut, Fearless and Speak Now seem to be one track minded, but I honestly think everything after that became coded and loaded with multiple instances compressed into one experience.

Puttin’ someone first only works when you’re in their top five
And by the way, I’m going out tonight

I read this pretty facetiously. Like a last minute thing you’ve thrown onto someone. You get in an argument, you start to walk away and state oh ya by the way, and insinuate they have absolutely no say in if you stay or go.

Best believe I’m still bejeweled
When I walk in the room
I can still make the whole place shimmer

Taylor has a lot of narratives about fearing of becoming old news or out of date. With Nothing New, Lucky, and Mirrorball there are a lot of cross over of fearing of aging or becoming irrelevant in the industry, and also still being able to entertain people when she wants to. I think this set of lines is really up to the listener how they interpret it. Because of a lot of her old narratives and because I am also 31/32, I see this as an attempt to lift yourself back up, and convince ourselves that we are still hot, or still relevant.

And when I meet the band
They ask, “Do you have a man?”
I can still say, “I don’t remember”

I take this line a few different ways. Like she’s young enough that saying she is single is still acceptable – but she may not have much “time” left without judgement. The music video actually makes this line really funny in the times she puts different frames in it – but again – I’ll get to that later. I have a feeling the music video was just a lot of fun to make for her – but the lyrics themselves are much deeper. I do go back to Miss Americana in this song quite a bit and her discussion on being 30 and tolerated in the industry.

Familiarity breeds contempt

contempt: disregard for something that should be taken into account.

Being familiar with something, getting used to something, often makes you take advantage of it and disregard it. This is the same idea with Tolerate it, which is why there is a big cross over for me. You get used to someone making your home shiny and new, you don’t see the small tasks they do to make you happy every day.

With the lines above this could be a message to her fans, as could Tolerate it, to be honest – but it also could be to a friend or romantic partner. I always think her songs are written about several people or aspects of her life in one verse – so I haven’t rid the idea that it has a bit of both.

Don’t put me in the basement
When I want the penthouse of your heart

Just a killer line, that is all.

Diamonds in my eyes
I polish up real, I polish up real nice

Mirrorball. Shiny when you want to be on display, dusty when the spotlight isn’t on you.

I also kind of read Diamonds in my eyes as self reflective. You know when the light glistens in your eyes? And it has like, lights or the reflection of the lights in your eyes. That’s visually how i see this. Like goals and dreams we set our sights on – we want to be sparkly and new, what we envision makes us shine.

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

Tolerate it. I’ve put all my time and effort into you, and you didn’t even notice. I gave you my temple, my mural, my sky, and you didn’t give me anything in return. I’m going to go out, make you envious, and prove to you [and myself] I am worth something. The best revenge is showing your self worth and rising above the personal drama. Showing your happy in ways they could never make you.

I made you my world (huh), have you heard? (Huh)
I can reclaim the land

I made you my entire existence –
I am still wondering if the second line means win this person over again, and prove her worth, or move on to someone else who does cherish her.

And I miss you (I miss you)
But I miss sparkling (ah, hey)

I miss your love, but I miss the attention I deserve. Miss being single? Miss the affirmation? From someone who clearly doesn’t fill the cup.

Sapphire tears on my face

A gem colored blue

Sadness became my whole sky

My temple, mural and sky because filled with sadness. Every time I looked up all I saw was sadness, kinda like Maroon…

And I lost you
The one I was dancin’ with
In New York, no shoes
Looked up at the sky and it was maroon

In Maroon – a song symbolized with deep hurt.
What’s cool about this album is all of the songs interlink with one another.
Sure they go with her older albums, but every song on the album is tied to another, like an Invisible String, to prove all events lead us to where we are.

But some guy said my aura’s moonstone
Just ’cause he was high
And we’re dancin’ all night
And you can try to change my mind
But you might have to wait in line
What’s a girl gonna do?
A diamond’s gotta shine

I see these lyrics as honestly just more fun.
Going out, forgetting about your pain, gathering attention and putting the one who is at home and doesn’t cherish you on the back burner.

All in all this song is extremely catchy. Just like Anti-Hero I think the music video is a little less serious than the words themselves. There are always just fun parts of pop songs that aren’t as deep, but for the most part I see this song more of a fun way to spell out hurt and retaliation. Who it’s about is a little less relevant to me because I see it crossing over into many people and also just many feelings with fans and the industry.

Photo Representation

To say my life has been a mess is an understatement, so I apologize it’s taken me so long to make art. I really was thinking about this photograph for a long time. Including the Tolerate it theory. Crossing off the feeling you aren’t good or cherished enough and starting over. Proving to yourself that you are worthy of love, going out, feeling good enough despite what your mind or past relationships have told you.

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