Taylor Swift’s Songs: A Treasure Hunt for Hidden Meanings
In over ten years of making music, Taylor Swift has turned herself into one of the most powerful singer-songwriters ever. Having famous past boyfriends like Harry Styles, Joe Jonas, and John Mayer, she’s never been out of ideas for song inspiration. With these high-profile relationships under her belt, her influence in the music industry is indisputable.
Known as the queen of sly hints and coded messaging through her catchy tunes, Taylor loves to engage her fans by scattering hidden meanings and “Easter eggs” throughout her music. Let’s delve into the rich tapestry of her captivating songs, unravel the mysteries she’s woven in her lyrics and uncover the true inspiration behind them. It’s a thrilling journey to discover who the real subjects of her songs are.
Shaming Camilla Belle in “Better Than Revenge”
At just 18 years old, Taylor stirred up some drama with a tune suitably named “Better Than Revenge”. The song centers on a girl who has swooped in and taken someone else’s boyfriend. Now, the real question is, who could Taylor be referring to in this captivating controversy?
The gossip mill is buzzing about actress Camilla Belle. It seems she started seeing Joe Jonas, who was previously dating Taylor. The talk of the town is that Taylor’s song is all about her and Joe’s relations. The lyrics hint towards an “actress”, famous for “the things that she does on the mattress”. The interesting part comes when Belle retweets a message that says, there’s “No need for revenge. Just sit back & wait”. Now, that sounds like some intriguing shade!
Childhood Best Friends Name-Dropped in “Fifteen”
It’s not common for Taylor to mention real individuals from her personal life in her song lyrics. However, those who are true fans of Taylor, also known as Swifties, are aware that in her song “Fifteen”, young Taylor refers to her oldest friend, she sings, “You sit in class next to a red-head named Abigail, and soon enough you’re best friends”. Her words truly capture how quickly and deeply friendships can form during those formative teenage years.
In her writing, Taylor reveals some personal things about Abigail’s romantic history, noting that “she gave everything she had to a boy who changed his mind”. However, it seems Abigail didn’t take it to heart, because years later, she and Taylor are still the closest of friends to this very day.
“Hey Stephen” is About Stephen Barker, Not Colbert
When Taylor Swift’s album, “Fearless: Taylor’s Version” got a second round in the limelight, the mystery of the song “Hey Stephen” sparked curiosity among her fans. The playful reference to ‘Stephen’ had listeners wondering all over again. A few fans have even put forth the idea that the song might be about the television personality, Stephen Colbert!
In the written lyrics of the album, Taylor sneaks in various hints about the meanings of her songs. In this song, she emphasizes the words “Love and Theft”. These words are a nod to the country singing duo also named “Love and Theft”, and one of its members is Stephen Barker. At the time, Taylor was on tour with them, so it’s quite clear that Stephen is the real source of inspiration for the song.
Joe Jonas Was Called Out in “Forever & Always”
Taylor and Joe Jonas had a short-lived romantic relationship back in 2008, lasting only a few months, yet it had a notable impact. Evident by the extent of the song Taylor composed, Joe had a powerful effect on her. In that song, she notably called him out for breaking promises he’d made to her – specifically, the vow to be “forever and always” by her side.
In a previous chat on the TV show Ellen, she made a hinting reference to Joe as “the boy who broke up with me over the phone in 25 seconds when I was 18”. Later, she conceded that discussing the phone call live on television was the most rebellious act she had committed in her teenage years.