The sweetest song in the world. Ironically Calvin Harris does have a song titled this as well. But the lyrics are not sweet – actually quite the opposite
[Verse 1]
You took my heart and you held it in your mouth
And with a word, all my love came rushin’ out
And every whisper, it’s the worst
Emptied out by a single word
There is a hollow in me now
[Chorus]
So I’ll put my faith in somethin’ unknown
I’m livin’ on such sweet nothin’
But I’m tired of hope with nothin’ to hold
I’m livin’ on such sweet nothin’
And it’s hard to learn, and it’s hard to love
When you’re givin’ me such sweet nothin’
Sweet nothin’, sweet nothin’
You’re givin’ me such sweet nothin’
There was some strange speculation on Tiktok about this being about her mom but I definitely strongly reject that narrative. ‘Sweet nothings’ has always been rooted in romantic verbiage. Though I can see how the song feels like a lullaby, I think the important thing to take away from the sound is comfort. We typically associate these types of bells and soft melodies to comfort and home- so the melody and instruments used in the song to me metaphorically resemble this type of home comfort that we get once our heart has found its home. They say home is where the heart is, but that’s not where mine lives.
sweet nothings in British English
(swiːt ˈnʌθɪŋz ) plural noun. pleasant, loving, and flattering things that a lover says to the person he or she loves.
It’s never been really used in history as a non-romantic saying. Even Calvin Harris’ song relates to this stranger giving him sweet nothing when his romantic partner was not.
Also, Taylor has definitely had an upped usage in british slang and words over the last four years lol
Lyrical Interpretation
I spy with my little tired eye
Tiny as a firefly
A pebble that we picked up last July
Down deep inside your pocket
We almost forgot it
Does it ever miss Wicklow sometimes?
This is a sweet verse and also why we can understand this speculation about it being about her mom is not a thing – Wicklow is a location in Ireland, and around August/September Taylor was seen there a lot because Joe was finishing filming Conversation with Friends.
The cute part about this verse is the idea of small things taken during travel. A little pebble that one of them picked up and thought was special. It dates a time they were together in a new location exploring, and took part of that experience home with them. Does it miss it’s original home?
They said the end is coming
Everyone’s up to something
I feel like this is the speculation on Lavender Haze. Everyone saying the relationship won’t last. It’s been 6 years and for some fans this is 6 years too long. The media has labeled her a serial dater, and chaotic for her doing exactly what people are supposed to do, which is experience life and not settle with people who aren’t right for you.
Everyone is always plotting against her personal love life. No matter what she says publicly – it will be spun in ways that fit someone else’s narrative. I think we can all relate to this in a personal level. Outside voices constantly creeping in and shifting how you view your own relationship; good or bad. Maybe you are with someone your family doesn’t agree with, maybe your family is toxic and doesn’t support your relationship because their definition of love is rooted in binary culture, maybe your friends only hear the bad stuff and give you one-sided opinions based on that? Regardless, these voices can be harmful.
I find myself running home to your sweet nothings
Running home to the person that makes you feel safe. That calms you down. That gives you the lil pieces of affirmation and love that you need.
Outside, they’re push and shoving
You’re in the kitchen humming
I love the juxtaposition of these two sentences. I’m not sure if the push and shoving is happening with one another [fans] or to her- like the expectation of her to say everything she is personally feeling, compared to the calmness of someone humming in a kitchen. Or is the fight among fans that she is aware of about her personal life?
But the contrast of people pushing and shoving [her or each other] paired next to someone just like.. doing dishes and humming in a kitchen is contrastly different.
I also love how she references pain and heartbreak or dancing in the refrigerator light in the past, like the kitchen was a place of pain, but now it is not, now it is a place of comfort and calm.
All that you ever wanted from me was sweet nothing
You gave me your sweet nothing, your affirmation, your gentle forehead kisses, your small acts of kindness, and expect nothing from me back. Goal love.
And if you are someone who needs this song to relate to you and not to her – take all of these words and apply them to your own life or desires for healthy relationships. Music should never be about the artist and only the artist. These next set of lines murder me.
On the way home
I wrote a poem
You say, “What a mind”
This happens all the time
STOP.
Think about the simplicity of joy and affection this is. You’re doing something you love as you pass time in the car. You write something down and say “I finished this poem, can I read it to you?” They say, yes. Afterwards you hear “What a mind,” which is such an English thing to say lol, and it becomes routine. The small gestures of affirmation – confirming the things you love. it’s too much, fam. it’s too much.
Industry disruptors and soul deconstructors
Speculators. People talkin’ shit about her career. People saying she doesn’t write her own shit. I think this is much more than just the speculation of her love life- but her career, and her existance.
And smooth-talking hucksters out glad-handing each other
Glad-handing:
a hearty welcome or enthusiastic reception
noun Informal. a hearty welcome or enthusiastic reception, especially one that is effusive or hypocritical.
So people talking shit about any aspect of her life – welcoming the bashing of one another. Playing on each other’s hatred or narratives to prove a point she never wanted discussed in the first place.
And the voices that implore, “You should be doing more”
I’ve seen a LOT of discussion on this. I think there could be two angles this is talking about. One that goes with the narrative of the song, is that this is being said to him about her. He should be talking about her. He should be supporting her. Or oppositely, SHE should be doing more with him. So romantically speaking – it could be discussing the expectation of dating in Hollywood. Their life is private so it can’t be real, right? exhausting.
But the other angle since she is talking about the outside voices above and her career, is that they are also saying she should be doing more with activism, speaking out, having and utilizing a platform that helps the greater good.
I always go back and forth on my expectations of celebrities. I love love love when people speak out but I do find it unfair to put the weight of change on people just because of who they are. I guess the empathetic side of me knows that if people are dealing with mental health; anxiety, depression, that it doesn’t go away just because you have followers and fans. It isn’t fair to expect people to speak out when they got into an industry just because they loved doing their job or loved writing music. Obviously, my respect is much higher for people when they do speak out in times our society needs it- it is one of the biggest reasons I love Halsey and other artists. Not only online, but during their concerts they take bold stances that DO put them as a target. But remember that: it puts them as a target… and Taylor already has routine break-ins and stalkers. So it is intimidating. I think people really need to understand they are not in her body, living her experience. She could have more anxiety then she puts out into the public – and she, I’m sure, is terrified of being physically hurt or threatened by her stances.
To you, I can admit that I’m just too soft for all of it
Ever have a person, best friend, partner – whoever – that you can be at your absolute most vulnerable and you know they will take you in and support you? This type of love and support isn’t reserved for only romantic relationships. The love that is so safe that you can fuck up and be politically incorrect on accident and they will understand your intention, the type you can do something weird as fuck and they’ll do it back to make you feel able to do those spurts of weird, the type you can go home and cry to and they will tell you that what you feel is valid no matter how small or large the problem is. That’s what this song is to me.
Photo Representation
you’re in the kitchen hummin’
My house isn’t as cottage-core as I see this in my head, but when I heard this I thought about the kitchen from the All Too Well short film, and the idea of trauma being erased by current peace. The thought of the locations of heartbreak being overridden with new memories. This image of someone doing the dishes, humming, while letting you kick back your feet comes to my mind. Another image I would love to make is riding in the car during the summer time – with your feet on the dash, note book in hand – and a hand to hold in the other. What a mind.
The last few years my spouse and I have gone through a lot of emotions, turmoil, ups and downs. In long relationships you have moments you have to choose one another – choose the hard work – choose the hard paths. After some moments of chaos, we’re finally in a good place – and the best place we’ve been in a long while. I’m such an emotionally connected person that sometimes when I lose this connection, I feel like I lose everything. But this person really just wants me – and wants the best for me. They want nothing else from me but my affection. damn. Choose love, even when it’s hard. Even when you feel lost. Those who are worth the wait for you to find yourself, will wait.
Paige Young 