I find it insane that as I am going through my own chaos of life – that every time I do one of these lyrical analysis breakdowns, some part of these individual songs are very relatable to my life. I think this is why art is so incredibly important. Question…? and Midnight Rain are not that deep lyrically – but they are still relatable. This is why Taylor has been so addicting for myself and for many of the fan base – all songs come out at times it feels like a life raft. Like the only thing that helps us put into words what we are feeling, has been her music – and at critical times when we needed to hear it.

As we go through life, it’s really important to remember that our experiences will always be put onto what we are listening to or reading into. We know only our experiences – which is again, why art is so critical to understand its open ended interpretation. If we can relate to art – it’s successful art, but that doesn’t mean our experiences are tied explicitly to what the artist intended. This is why I for the most part leave speculation out of my breakdowns, but also why I need to say my analysis are tied to my education and experiences and there are so many other interpretations to them. Taylor has done a good job getting rid of excessive pronoun usage, and using language that is dual faceted, and it seems to be very intentional. This is a smart move as an artist but also, as an artist making money [we literally cannot ignore this fact that she is pulling in a lot of money, which is why many of the theories and rumors on her relationships — she will never confront or say out loud, I fully believe that].

Lyrical Interpretation

It only hurts this much right now
Was what I was thinking the whole time

The first time I heard this I thought the lines were, “that’s what I was thinking the whole time.”

There are SO many ways to interpret this song and it’s plot but here are some of them that I think are the intention.
First and foremost this song reminds me a lot of Cornelia Street, and not because it’s the same lineage or plot, but because it is an outright fear of falling in love and getting hurt.

It only hurts this much right now, the pain and complete agony of beginning to trust someone else again, to fall for them, to talk yourself out of running. You do not want to get hurt but you absolutely adore this person. You don’t want to see the ending because you want to enjoy the ride, but you know the ending could destroy the entire journey.

With the next set of lines it feels like “what was I thinking the whole time??” It was telling yourself to breathe and understand that “If I fall, I’m quite literally never going to be able to get over you.” But this is the labyrinth of her mind – the self induced anxiety is a fear from the past and could not actually have rationale at all when the facts are laid out.

I blew things out of proportion, now you’re blue
Put you in jail for something you didn’t do

Other interpretation of the introduction is in the state of hurt – from the past. It only hurts this much right now, was what I was thinking then – and I have finally healed from that relationship, but now it’s happening again and I have to remember to…

Breathe in, breathe through Breathe deep, breathe out

to breathe and remember I made it through the past pain.

Also my therapist tells me to do this [lol]

I think I like the intention of the first idea presented more. What was I thinking during this new introduction of love? To breathe… but also to realize that you’re something special, and I will not be able to get over you if this happens.

I’ll be getting over you my whole life

I love the way this is presented because she states I’ll be getting over you my whole life, meaning it’ll never happen. It’ll take until the day I die, to not think of you again.

You know how scared I am of elevators

It’s interesting to me she first, uses the metaphor of an elevator which you are typically stuck on with strangers you do not know or want to know [lol], but also that she uses the movement of going UP while pairing it with a chorus that is about falling. I kind of understand the use of elevator in the sense it is an anxiety ridden journey for most of us. If it’s crowded its uncomfortable, and most of us have a fear of them falling or breaking, which would make sense with the chorus. The rollercoaster of love, if you will.

Never trust it if it rises fast
It can’t last

You know the love that happens so quickly that it seems skeptical? Like, there has to be flaws, right? Things can’t be so perfect so quickly without some consequence.

I think many of us feel this way because of past, doomed, toxic relationships. These relationships wound us from thinking good things happen, or that we deserve good love. Self Sabotage.

Uh oh, I’m falling in love
Oh no, I’m falling in love again
Oh, I’m falling in love

Again, the fear of it all. The love of falling in love, but the fear of getting hurt.
Cue: Snow on the Beach

I thought the plane was going down
How’d you turn it right around

This again, feels very Cornelia Street, to Afterglow, to The Great War for me.

I thought you were leading me on
I packed my bags, left Cornelia Street
Before you even knew I was gone
But then you called, showed your hand
Cornelia Street

I blew things out of proportion, now you’re blue
Put you in jail for something you didn’t do
I pinned your hands behind your back,
oh Thought I had reason to attack, but no
Afterglow

Somewhere in the haze, got a sense
I’d been betrayed Your finger on my hair pin triggers
Soldier down on that icy ground
Looked up at me with honor and truth
Broken and blue, so I called off the troops
That was the night I nearly lost you
I really thought I lost you
The Great War

It only feels this raw right now ‘

Raw is an interesting word choice – hah. I guess we think of RAW as real, unfiltered, sometimes painful. Honest and somewhat a mess, painful but real. Temporary because of the past pain.

Lost in the labyrinth of my mind

woof, same girl.

Lost in a maze that feels like it has no correct path. Every turn creates another set of choices to make – all feeling like they are cyclical and not actually giving you any answers or any exit.

Break up, break free, break through, break down

I see this as either the break from the anxiety, the breaking down of the walls of the labyrinth itself, breaking through those chaotic emotions and then physically breaking down and crying. Honestly this feels like a big ‘I’m in therapy’ song, because things we work on is in fact breaking up with our past ideas, rewriting narratives that are more accurate from what we irrationally were taught or what we thought at the time we were manic. Breaking free from the ideals we created and the walls we set up for ourselves, breaking through our own mind to be released free, and eventually breaking down everything that has held us capture prior.

You would break your back to make me break a smile

This line is the sweetest fucking line don’t @ me.

I’m breaking the fuck down but you would do the same for me to see me smile and be happy.
WHAT??!? Don’t tell me that’s not sweet.

You know how much I hate that everybody
just expects me to bounce back
Just like that

And this line kills me every time.

This line can be about so many things. However, in terms of the lines prior and staying within the same subject matter- this is definitely about new loves, break ups, writing good music, bouncing onto the new thing, or person. The scrutiny of the media making her heartbreaks clickbait instead of wondering if either person in the relationship is okay … makes me think a lot about Lavender Haze.

This album bashes the media a lot actually, as it should. Almost every song has an aspect of speculation, forbiddenness, pain, and commentary from the external world.

Photo Representation

Self sabotage. Having happiness within your life, tied to your invisible string, and chopping your dreams in reach, by your own hand.

Out of fear? Out of self loathing? Because you told yourself you could never deserve something so beautiful.

apaige photography art fan art labyrinth midnights taylor swift