I love that you reacted to this...there is also an explicit version where "just 'things' we're dividing up" is 's h i t' we're dividing up...which hits harder to me. Because it shows how little the stuff means when love is gone.
@@allanaaron2281 and instead of every long, cold night, she says: every god damn night :) (replied to you, just so our messages are linked, I'm sure you already know this)
It so cool you are analyzing Tay Tay's words, thank you so much for this,it's very popular = 'all right now' if you know you know 😊. can't wait for her Era's Movie on the Big Screen. Always awesome to learn new stuff from her, fan since Tim Mcgraw ❤
"but now my eyes leak acid rain on the pillow where you used to lay your head" is on my top 5 lyrics from Taylor of all time. Such a nice way to explain "I've been crying on bed soo much that my face hurt"
“I was dancing when the music stopped” also means making a good thing out of a bad situation, like she was really giving all of her into the relationship
This phrase reminds me of when I suddenly found out my ex was cheating. Everything seemed perfect between us until I realized it. I was dancing when the music stopped, that’s what it felt like.
It's actually about her friend's divorce whose favorite book is the Great Gatsby so there are so many references to that book too. "Hope she'll be a beautiful fool" and "winning smile" and "green light".
The albums folklore and evermore are a mix of autobiographical, fictional, or stories about people in her life. It’s never been confirmed or anything but this song is believed to be about her childhood best friend Abigail’s divorce. Also I love your reactions I know people have been asking for folklore but I’d love to see you react to more from evermore. ivy, right where you left me, and cowboy like me are some of the best from this album.
Ah I seeee, a mix of all of the above. I'll keep that in mind as I react to more from those albums. So far, I've really enjoyed it! Ivy is on my short list ;)
I feel like this is the way taylor deserves to be analyzed: by a writer. they're songs, yeah, but they're beautiful literature. it has to be seen as that. I'm loving these videos, you're amazing
Also this song came out when she was still in a relationship. But this whole album is in some way fictional but not really. We as the fans can tell she wrote this for her best friend Abigail who divorced her husband of seven years while Taylor was working on this album :)
Also she broke up with her boyfriend of 6-7 years a few months ago (the guy from cruel summer and the archer +many more songs!) so this song is a full circle for her.
@@daniellafelippe981she said in an interview with Apple Music that evermore was a continuation of folklore and that she felt she had more stories to tell - she also refers to evermore as the sister album to folklore so it’s not a hard inference to make that these songs would also be semi-fictional. For example- tolerate it is about a fictional story she read, but Marjorie is about her grandmother. So the album is both fictional and non-fictional.
@@CaiticatASMR Well, folklore is not really fictional in any way. They are real stories told with fictional characters and some distortion to the storyline. I'm talking in that sense. As far as I am aware Taylor never said if tolerate it was fictional or not, it's just fan speculation.
The concept of not having met her "new me" yet appear 3 times in the song and I think each one has a different meaning. 1: "In the disbelief I can't face reinvention, I haven't met the knew me yet" - Like you said, after a breakup you have to reinvent yourself and you don't know what you will become after that. 2: "I hope she'll be a beautiful fool, who takes my spot next to you. No, I didn't mean that, sorry, I can't see facts through all of my fury, you haven't met the knew me yet" - Here she is acknowledging that he hasn't met someone new, the "new her" who will be by his side in the future. She's just imagining what it will be like when he does. 3: "All you want from me now is the green light of forgiveness. You haven't met the new me yet, but I think she'll give you that" - This is more like the first meaning, in that the "new me" really means the future version of her being able to forgive him. I like your interpretation of "the great divide" line being about something big that they went through together. Many Taylor songs refer to a big fight/argument that lasted for a while when she was with Joe. If you want more insight into that you should react to "The Great War", which is also a great song full of war/battle metaphors for relationships. Also, I would love a "Right Where You Left Me" reaction, it's about being stuck in the moment that someone broke up with you and it's a wordy one! Actually, you should react to the Evermore album in its entirety lol.
This is a past relationship she's looking back on. At the time of writing she was still with Alwyn. That's why she was able to definitively say, "there'll be happiness after you" because she'd found it with Joe, whom she'd been with for five years at that point and was seven years past the relationship she's singing about. Btw, you are listening to the PG version of this song. The original song says "all the years I've given is just shit we're dividing up." and "I pulled your body into mine every god damn night." Comparing her tears to acid rain is so spot on - corrosive and caustic, tears cried with great bitterness because it didn't work out despite her best efforts. Bitterness because he didn't love her as much as she'd loved him. The song Better Man is also about him with similar sentiments "I know I'm better off all alone than loving a man who didn't know what he had when he had it."
I know a lot of commenters are saying this is about Taylor's best friend Abigail, but I also think it's possible that the song is about her break ("divorce") from her old record label, with the song directed at Scott Borchetta. "My Tears Ricochet" from Folklore is also directed to Scott, but when she talked about the song she said it "reminded her of a divorce." This feels similar to me. Especially "I was dancing when the *music* stopped"
when I hear « when I’m above the trees I see this for what it is » I interpreted it as you see the things as they are, you see the truth, but when you’re in it your emotions take control of the truth so you don’t see it as it is, you see what you wanna see, you’re above the trees when you’re over the relationship
I love this. You are my favorite reactor. She has so many more songs for you to break in little pieces. “Right where you left me” “hoax” “exile” “my tears ricochet” “Marjorie” so many many many
@@meganmaclaineI think you do! Folklore and evermore are both such lyrically powerful albums you just have to do them all! She’s such an incredible lyricist that all her albums have endless songs worth reacting to though 😅
I highly recommend Right Where You Left Me (it's an Evermore deluxe track) It honestly is one of her best storytelling in her entire discography, right up there with All Too Well. You can see a music video in your head and she plays with the storytelling perfectly
Not to speculate on anyone's private life, but it's pretty accepted in the fandom that this song is actually not about her relationship, but from a point of view of her best friend got a divorce. Also, you listened to the clean version of the song which I don't think I've ever heard and found it really funny. The actual explicit lyrics are "All the years I've given is just shit we're dividing up" and "And I pulled your body into mine every goddamn night", which I think get the point across even better :)
@@toastttttyy Wow, so weird, I've never seen that 😂 I'm 99% sure she wouldn't say "And I pulled your body into mine every goddamn night" about her boss though 💀
I've heard this song was about one of her friends (Abigail) divorce. BUT I think its also about with the owner (Scott Borchetta) of the label that signed her when she was a teen. She has spoken about how a working relationship that long feels like a divorce. This is such a beautiful, sadness processing song, its cathartic.
@@katiejoy77 she said mtr reminded her also about a divorce or best friends but not that it was about that, in the evermore songwriting process she said happiness was about abigail and her divorce
"When I am above the trees I see it for what it is" In my interpretation this means that when you are in a higher view you can see things from a 3rd person perspective, but when you are "down" you are living it so you do not have this objective view of the situation
I remember Taylor saying in an interview (I think it was with Apple) that the 'new me' refers to his new girlfriend in a way. 'You haven't met the new me yet' implies that he hasn't met anyone yet.
your visceral reaction to the actual lyrics and writing of this was everything. I feel you, when I realised this was likely an analogy for breaking from her record label and losing her masters to Scott Borchetta who was like family to her I was like... OH. The significance of this to her entire rerecording process to own her own music and words. Pain.
i lost my boyfriend best friend and love of my life couple years ago after 7 years together. you have NO IDEA what this song means to me. i was dancing literally when i got the call and the music stopped, literally. you have no idea. honestly it’s HEARTBREAKING i can’t even listen to this one that much. so many of her songs i look at with grief perspective, like “right where y left me” is about a break up but to me it feels like grief. anyway glad you liked that one
Oh Isabelleee, I'm so sorry to hear this :(. That's so painful. Yes, this is a beautiful song to listen to, but living it is a whole different story. I've got you in my prayers, darlin! I'm so sorry you had to experience that :(
When she says leave it all behind.. It feels like she’s taking a breath and thought stopping herself. She’s starting to spin into the pain and anger, so she’s telling herself to leave it all behind and look forward. Which is so true to the grief process - it moves back and forth. I love this song and album so much. ❤
I always have one thing to say to anyone who is reacting or analyzing Taylor's lyrics: You should check out the song Ronan but get some tissues ready for it. *If you eventually choose this song, after the first full listen, please read a story about the song, it explains a few things*
Your visceral feelings touch our hearts and make this specially alive , I get the dichotomy : Yes , the happiness is so fabulous , as we celebrate the extent that it is the depth of our pain. Beautifully given to us
I always think about the "I was dancing when the music stopped" as a feeling, I've imagined the emotions you would feel if something like this might happen and I would personally feel wrong in the moment and as a "I thought we were fine and I was dancing but then the music stopped."
My favourite lines from this song are: 1. I can't make it go away making you a villain . 2. But now my eyes leak acid Rain on the pillow where you used to lay your head.... 3. There was happiness because of me. There was happiness because of you too.
I was so surprised by the Clean version cause I have never heard it hahaha! Evermore is my favourite album of all time! Lyrically, sonically - the stories stand on their own but weave together so well❤
I'm pleasantly surprised that you reacted to this beautiful song right after The Archer. Both of these songs are soooo beautiful. I thought that we'll be there someday, but not this soon. They really set you up. 🤣🤣
it’s so interesting that her saying “every long, cold night” is exclusive to the clean version of the song because it actually adds so much more imagery compared to the regular version (“every goddamn night”)
Thus song is about her relationship with Scott Borschetta who signed her to Big Machine Records when she was 16. He sold her masters to a rival in the music industry (i.e., Scooter Braun) and she said she wrote this song when she found out the news. Scott was super close to Taylor. She trusted him when she was a teenager and she singlehandedly built the record label too since she was the first artist signed.
Its not ab him, the song implies a romantic relationship “i pulled your body into mine every goddamn night” and the 7 years in heaven, she wasnt 7 years with scott she was 13 years with him
uh im happy to know that you reacted to my fav n comfort songs (the archer n happiness, waiting for illicit affairs n ivy lmao). thank youuuu, love your reaction!
The "you havent met the new me yet but i think she'll give you that" (the green light of forgiveness) has a double meaning "New me" can be referred to both the healed version of her... and his next girlfriend A healed version of her might forgive him and give him closure But sometimes we dont get closure from exes, and sometimes moving on is the getting closure, his next girlfriend can give him that maybe, the moving on amd letting go.
8:41 yes! Commas can change the entire meaning She actually added a comma in the middle of a sentence in the song Maroon on the TH-cam official lyrics video That comma does not exist in the spotify lyrics My mind was blown when i noticed that comma after months since the album Midnights came out And that one comma in the bridge changed the entire meaning from without it to with it.
You reacted to the clean version which threw me to begin with. I wonder if it changes your perception on the speakers emotional state, I definitely feel it comes across with more anger in the explicit version.
More anger for sure. “Shit we’re dividing up” definitely adds a lot. I think I still prefer “every long, cold night” though for what it adds metaphorically
I'm in love with your analysis. All too well 10 mins version , and Folklore love triangle - Cardigan, Betty and August. If you are doing so please add Willow to this love triangle because Betty gets her love in willow song. Btw off topic, you got such a lovely eyes and you are so pretty 🤩
Perfect timing! This song (alongside Right Where You Left Me and I Almost Do) is my current mood and is song of the day for me tbh Thank you for uploading this, i loved your reaction and analysis, this song has been on a loop today and I'm really hurting It feels good seeing this song from someone else's perspective
Aw I'm really sorry to hear you're hurting😥 but am so thankful for the way some songs just perfectly express what we need sometimes. I'm glad you enjoyed the vid - hang in there ❤🩹
what i like about the acid rain lyric is that realistically acid rain doesn’t burn your skin, it’s just toxic and not good for you. so it’s like she’s crying out all the toxicity and hurt from her relationship, i know she probably wasn’t thinking about that while writing but i like thinking about it
Its a also a great tip to listen and breakdown her songs in deeper always metaphorical way cause this song could even more be impactful if you incorporated bits of your experience in internalizing it. Anything can be a metaphor or a picture of a point in time in your life, which is ultimately what makes her relatable and lovable.
I really love your analysis of Taylor’s music. It’s becoming an automatic click when I see your videos pop up. Some songs I’d love to see your thoughts on. Death by a Thousand Cuts off the Lover album. I’d love to see you react to the entirety of Folklore, but some of my favorites on that album are The Last Great American Dynasty, My Tears Ricochet, Seven, and the Teenage Love Triangle songs. One of my all time favorite songs by her is Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve from her Midnights album. It’s about her relationship with John Mayer whom she dated when she was 19 and he was 32. She wrote this song when she was 32 and it is the 19th track on the album. It should be paired with Dear John from Speak Now which is also about that relationship, but was written immediately following the relationship.
I'm so late for this reaction because I dont want to listen to any TS song until 1989 is released but now I can finally listen to this!!! Happiness is really a well written song. Sad, yes. But this song is the reason why Evermore became my favorite album now despite being a swiftie since Fearless (original) era. 😭😭
The "great divide" they traversed is also explored in the "3am edition" track "The Great War" from her last album "Midnights". Also, I have to say that the explicit version of this echoes the sentiments and pain much better, in my opinion. By the way, they hadn't even broken up with Joe at that point, since she even co-wrote some songs with him on "folklore" and "evermore", as you said, him doing so under a pen name, "William Bowery", who she later revealed to indeed be Joe Alwyn. The true, universally acceppted breakup song for them is "You're Losing Me" -which has yet to be released on streaming, however it's available on TH-cam-from "Midnights". Also, from Genius, regarding "happiness": "It’s a classic Taylor track about moving on from a decaying relationship, but acknowledging the bits of joy that existed within a more destructive, hurtful context. It’s ultimately a hopeful song-what was bad was also good at times, and there will be good things still to come. She also mentioned that this was the last song written on the album-finished just a week before release." Your analysis was beautiful and this song definitely has my favorite lyrics from her "evermore" album.
Awww man. I wonder how much of it is to do with reflection on love relationships, or her relationship with Scooter which she's referred to almost like a divorce because of how he took and sold her masters without letting her know, as she was trying to buy them back. Favourite song on this album. Who am I kidding, they're all my favourite.
I watched this again Megan because you did such a great job breaking down this song. I really enjoyed it...something I should have said the first time.
Am I the only one who hears Happiness to be entirely abt Taylor’s relationship with Joe Alwyn. Yes I know she calls it 7 yrs in the song but I took it as longest relationship she’s ever had to date. Also if you watched VMA’s she added a sultry move to her dancing.. Closing her eyes & running her left hand down her thigh & slowly back up again as though sending a message that she is longing for her Lover! No, I’m not into sensationalism but rather I’m from the school of Semiotics. Once having established Tay’s mood I could then applaud her release of built up passion & sensuality. P.S. I’m don’t profess to be a writer but on the other hand I recognize talent when I see/hear it. And Megan you are the real deal. Truly enjoy your shows & wish you the very best.
Awesome video, I had never paid close attention to any lyrics before I started watching your critiques. I only liked the songs because of the rhythm of the music. It’s great to see what the artist meant when she was painting, writing in this case.
Thank you tons! Glad you've been enjoying them. I've been surprised by a few of them so far haha, because I similarly paid more attention to the music. Super fun!
@@meganmaclaine their mastery of the written language is incredible, you would thin that you would the have major in English and taken at least a few creative writing classes
I’m gonna recommend something other than dear John and would’ve could’ve shoulve lol, and something other than folklore-evermore… death by a thousand cuts i per think is a good well written song on lover. I 100% recommend it
You have to listen to Seven from Folklore now because there are lyrical parallels between the songs because they are both the 7th song on these respective albums!
I’ve always liked this song but I actually think the writing is similar on other Folklore and Evermore songs so you should check them out!! Favorites in particular are The 1, Cardigan, Hoax, Willow, Champagne Problems, Ivy & Coney Island
I would love to see what you think of the writing in a few other Billie eilish songs!! The ones that come to mind for me are bellyache, hostage, when the party’s over and the 30th. I’m loving your analysis of all these lyrics in these react videos!!
i noticed these are the clean versions of the tracks. i think the explicit versions add so much more weight to what she's saying. Eg. "every long cold night" is actually "every goddamn night," and for me, it feels so much angrier, wounded and frustrated than the former.
I was so focused on the lyrics, I forgot about the GATSBY references 🙈😆. What do you take away from this song?
I love that you reacted to this...there is also an explicit version where "just 'things' we're dividing up" is 's h i t' we're dividing up...which hits harder to me. Because it shows how little the stuff means when love is gone.
@@allanaaron2281
and instead of every long, cold night, she says: every god damn night :)
(replied to you, just so our messages are linked, I'm sure you already know this)
_Gatsby_ is apparently her favorite novel. As an English teacher, I approve. 👍🏼
It so cool you are analyzing Tay Tay's words, thank you so much for this,it's very popular = 'all right now' if you know you know 😊. can't wait for her Era's Movie on the Big Screen. Always awesome to learn new stuff from her, fan since Tim Mcgraw ❤
"but now my eyes leak acid rain on the pillow where you used to lay your head" is on my top 5 lyrics from Taylor of all time. Such a nice way to explain "I've been crying on bed soo much that my face hurt"
Yessss UGH
"this is awful, I love it" sums it all up. and it's my favorite kind of art.
Right??
“I was dancing when the music stopped” also means making a good thing out of a bad situation, like she was really giving all of her into the relationship
True! She was giving it her all 🥺
I always think of it like those party games from when you were like a child and legit were supposed to stand still when the music goes out haha
This phrase reminds me of when I suddenly found out my ex was cheating. Everything seemed perfect between us until I realized it. I was dancing when the music stopped, that’s what it felt like.
It's actually about her friend's divorce whose favorite book is the Great Gatsby so there are so many references to that book too. "Hope she'll be a beautiful fool" and "winning smile" and "green light".
Totally sinks in differently with that context! And yesss I'm so sad I forgot about the Gatsby references lol. Bad English major!! 🤣
The albums folklore and evermore are a mix of autobiographical, fictional, or stories about people in her life. It’s never been confirmed or anything but this song is believed to be about her childhood best friend Abigail’s divorce.
Also I love your reactions I know people have been asking for folklore but I’d love to see you react to more from evermore. ivy, right where you left me, and cowboy like me are some of the best from this album.
Ah I seeee, a mix of all of the above. I'll keep that in mind as I react to more from those albums. So far, I've really enjoyed it! Ivy is on my short list ;)
Yes! Right Where You Left Me! I forgot to include this one. SO GOOD!
Damn I'd never heard that, how do we know about her divorce? That's so heart breaking 😭
I feel like this is the way taylor deserves to be analyzed: by a writer. they're songs, yeah, but they're beautiful literature. it has to be seen as that. I'm loving these videos, you're amazing
Aw thank you tons!
“this is awful… I love it though” if that ain’t me
🤣🤣🤣 love that we share that experience lol
Maybe not awful? Just really really sad but she knows that she will come through it and she will evolve into “the new me “I love it so much.
Also this song came out when she was still in a relationship. But this whole album is in some way fictional but not really. We as the fans can tell she wrote this for her best friend Abigail who divorced her husband of seven years while Taylor was working on this album :)
Also she broke up with her boyfriend of 6-7 years a few months ago (the guy from cruel summer and the archer +many more songs!) so this song is a full circle for her.
Evermore was never said to be fictional. You can clearly see that this is her life, but told in a more poetic way.
Heartbreaking!
@@daniellafelippe981she said in an interview with Apple Music that evermore was a continuation of folklore and that she felt she had more stories to tell - she also refers to evermore as the sister album to folklore so it’s not a hard inference to make that these songs would also be semi-fictional. For example- tolerate it is about a fictional story she read, but Marjorie is about her grandmother. So the album is both fictional and non-fictional.
@@CaiticatASMR Well, folklore is not really fictional in any way. They are real stories told with fictional characters and some distortion to the storyline. I'm talking in that sense. As far as I am aware Taylor never said if tolerate it was fictional or not, it's just fan speculation.
fun fact! she finished writing this song a week before the album came out, so this was still really fresh for her
What on earth! That’s crazy
The concept of not having met her "new me" yet appear 3 times in the song and I think each one has a different meaning.
1: "In the disbelief I can't face reinvention, I haven't met the knew me yet" - Like you said, after a breakup you have to reinvent yourself and you don't know what you will become after that.
2: "I hope she'll be a beautiful fool, who takes my spot next to you. No, I didn't mean that, sorry, I can't see facts through all of my fury, you haven't met the knew me yet" - Here she is acknowledging that he hasn't met someone new, the "new her" who will be by his side in the future. She's just imagining what it will be like when he does.
3: "All you want from me now is the green light of forgiveness. You haven't met the new me yet, but I think she'll give you that" - This is more like the first meaning, in that the "new me" really means the future version of her being able to forgive him.
I like your interpretation of "the great divide" line being about something big that they went through together. Many Taylor songs refer to a big fight/argument that lasted for a while when she was with Joe. If you want more insight into that you should react to "The Great War", which is also a great song full of war/battle metaphors for relationships.
Also, I would love a "Right Where You Left Me" reaction, it's about being stuck in the moment that someone broke up with you and it's a wordy one! Actually, you should react to the Evermore album in its entirety lol.
Fantastic observation!
Love this!! Especially the idea of the 'new me' being the new girlfriend UGH
This is a past relationship she's looking back on. At the time of writing she was still with Alwyn. That's why she was able to definitively say, "there'll be happiness after you" because she'd found it with Joe, whom she'd been with for five years at that point and was seven years past the relationship she's singing about. Btw, you are listening to the PG version of this song. The original song says "all the years I've given is just shit we're dividing up." and "I pulled your body into mine every god damn night." Comparing her tears to acid rain is so spot on - corrosive and caustic, tears cried with great bitterness because it didn't work out despite her best efforts. Bitterness because he didn't love her as much as she'd loved him. The song Better Man is also about him with similar sentiments "I know I'm better off all alone than loving a man who didn't know what he had when he had it."
I gotcha. And yes, I discovered that after filming haha!
Clean version surprised me lmao
Yeah I didn’t realize there was another until I’d already filmed haha 🤷♀️ I don’t mind tho
I know a lot of commenters are saying this is about Taylor's best friend Abigail, but I also think it's possible that the song is about her break ("divorce") from her old record label, with the song directed at Scott Borchetta. "My Tears Ricochet" from Folklore is also directed to Scott, but when she talked about the song she said it "reminded her of a divorce." This feels similar to me. Especially "I was dancing when the *music* stopped"
I could see that. A similar kind of unexpected loss - I'm sure she pulled from her own experiences as she wrote it!
The fact that she wrote this while she was still Inlove❤️🩹
Ugh 🥺
when I hear « when I’m above the trees I see this for what it is » I interpreted it as you see the things as they are, you see the truth, but when you’re in it your emotions take control of the truth so you don’t see it as it is, you see what you wanna see, you’re above the trees when you’re over the relationship
Yesss, I agree! Such a good way of describing that experience, too
Another with on the swing with Pennsylvania under her ❤
This is one of the most heartbreaking songs she’s ever written. Anyone who has been through a divorce can surely relate to this
The Great War is also an awesome song that talks about her self sabotage too… Love that one
I love this. You are my favorite reactor. She has so many more songs for you to break in little pieces. “Right where you left me” “hoax” “exile” “my tears ricochet” “Marjorie” so many many many
Aw thank you! I'm so glad. And honestly, I may just have to do them all at this point XD lol
@@meganmaclaineI think you do! Folklore and evermore are both such lyrically powerful albums you just have to do them all! She’s such an incredible lyricist that all her albums have endless songs worth reacting to though 😅
I highly recommend Right Where You Left Me (it's an Evermore deluxe track)
It honestly is one of her best storytelling in her entire discography, right up there with All Too Well.
You can see a music video in your head and she plays with the storytelling perfectly
Ooooh good to know!!
Completely agree. One of my absolute favorites
Next recommendation: The lakes by Taylor Swift
Not to speculate on anyone's private life, but it's pretty accepted in the fandom that this song is actually not about her relationship, but from a point of view of her best friend got a divorce. Also, you listened to the clean version of the song which I don't think I've ever heard and found it really funny. The actual explicit lyrics are "All the years I've given is just shit we're dividing up" and "And I pulled your body into mine every goddamn night", which I think get the point across even better :)
I’ve always seen everyone in the fandom talk about the song being about Scott stealing her masters
For me, _...just things we're dividing up_ and _...every long, cold night_ and sounds more natural and matches the mood of the song better.
@@toastttttyy I thought this song was about herself and her label now I’m confused 😭
@@toastttttyy Wow, so weird, I've never seen that 😂 I'm 99% sure she wouldn't say "And I pulled your body into mine every goddamn night" about her boss though 💀
Tbh I kind of agree.... esp "long, cold night"@@Aldz__
You should react to “my tears ricochet” !! For me its the best song shes ever written
I've heard this song was about one of her friends (Abigail) divorce. BUT I think its also about with the owner (Scott Borchetta) of the label that signed her when she was a teen. She has spoken about how a working relationship that long feels like a divorce.
This is such a beautiful, sadness processing song, its cathartic.
It is about abigail, taylor said it herself
🎶both of these things can be true🎶
That's so weird, I thought she said that about "My Tears Ricochet"? I wonder why I remembered it wrong
@@katiejoy77 she said mtr reminded her also about a divorce or best friends but not that it was about that, in the evermore songwriting process she said happiness was about abigail and her divorce
@@angiieeets oh thank you! 💕
I always see the ending as her reminding herself that once the pain fades all that will be left is happiness.
Anyone else spend most of the video trying to make out the book titles for recommendations? Don’t mind me I’m just a book nerd 😂
Hahaha I love that! 🤣 if you’re wondering about any of them, let me know 🤓
"When I am above the trees I see it for what it is" In my interpretation this means that when you are in a higher view you can see things from a 3rd person perspective, but when you are "down" you are living it so you do not have this objective view of the situation
I remember Taylor saying in an interview (I think it was with Apple) that the 'new me' refers to his new girlfriend in a way. 'You haven't met the new me yet' implies that he hasn't met anyone yet.
Yess a couple others have mentioned this too. Makes total sense and makes the line way more heartbreaking 😖 - but so good!
your visceral reaction to the actual lyrics and writing of this was everything. I feel you, when I realised this was likely an analogy for breaking from her record label and losing her masters to Scott Borchetta who was like family to her I was like... OH. The significance of this to her entire rerecording process to own her own music and words. Pain.
i lost my boyfriend best friend and love of my life couple years ago after 7 years together. you have NO IDEA what this song means to me. i was dancing literally when i got the call and the music stopped, literally. you have no idea. honestly it’s HEARTBREAKING i can’t even listen to this one that much. so many of her songs i look at with grief perspective, like “right where y left me” is about a break up but to me it feels like grief. anyway glad you liked that one
in the disbelief i cant face reinvention? i am sobbing jesus i cant finish the video i am sorry hahahahahah
acrOSS OUR GREAT DIVIDE??? i can’t i CANT
Oh Isabelleee, I'm so sorry to hear this :(. That's so painful. Yes, this is a beautiful song to listen to, but living it is a whole different story. I've got you in my prayers, darlin! I'm so sorry you had to experience that :(
When she says leave it all behind.. It feels like she’s taking a breath and thought stopping herself. She’s starting to spin into the pain and anger, so she’s telling herself to leave it all behind and look forward. Which is so true to the grief process - it moves back and forth.
I love this song and album so much. ❤
I love this song so much! If you like this kind of Taylor songwriting, try to react to Right where you left me, or The Lakes :)
oh yes i love the lakes!
I always have one thing to say to anyone who is reacting or analyzing Taylor's lyrics:
You should check out the song Ronan but get some tissues ready for it. *If you eventually choose this song, after the first full listen, please read a story about the song, it explains a few things*
Ooooh 👀👀
Your visceral feelings touch our hearts and make this specially alive , I get the dichotomy : Yes , the happiness is so fabulous , as we celebrate the extent that it is the depth of our pain. Beautifully given to us
I always think about the "I was dancing when the music stopped" as a feeling, I've imagined the emotions you would feel if something like this might happen and I would personally feel wrong in the moment and as a "I thought we were fine and I was dancing but then the music stopped."
“i was dancing when the music stopped” LITERALLY HOW IT FEELS TO BE DUMPED OUT OF NOWHERE PLEASE
For reallll tho DX
My favourite lines from this song are:
1. I can't make it go away making you a villain .
2. But now my eyes leak acid Rain on the pillow where you used to lay your head....
3. There was happiness because of me.
There was happiness because of you too.
Such good ones!!
My fav is „haunted by the look in my eyes that would‘ve loved you for a lifetime, leave it all behind“
Dancing is a metaphor in Taylor songs. It represents the relationship. just like we dance with our hands tied or i drop your hand while dancing
Yesss it pops up everywhere, you’re right!
I was so surprised by the Clean version cause I have never heard it hahaha! Evermore is my favourite album of all time! Lyrically, sonically - the stories stand on their own but weave together so well❤
Oh man, you absolutely have to listen to the rest of folklore and evermore. Such good lyrical content in those albums.
I'm pleasantly surprised that you reacted to this beautiful song right after The Archer. Both of these songs are soooo beautiful. I thought that we'll be there someday, but not this soon. They really set you up. 🤣🤣
Haha they sure did, but I loved it! ☺️
it’s so interesting that her saying “every long, cold night” is exclusive to the clean version of the song because it actually adds so much more imagery compared to the regular version (“every goddamn night”)
i am so happy to see someone appreciate happiness!!!
Yesss I really enjoyed it :)
Thus song is about her relationship with Scott Borschetta who signed her to Big Machine Records when she was 16. He sold her masters to a rival in the music industry (i.e., Scooter Braun) and she said she wrote this song when she found out the news. Scott was super close to Taylor. She trusted him when she was a teenager and she singlehandedly built the record label too since she was the first artist signed.
Its not ab him, the song implies a romantic relationship “i pulled your body into mine every goddamn night” and the 7 years in heaven, she wasnt 7 years with scott she was 13 years with him
uh im happy to know that you reacted to my fav n comfort songs (the archer n happiness, waiting for illicit affairs n ivy lmao). thank youuuu, love your reaction!
Yay! Glad you enjoyed them 🥰
this is my favorite taylor song. it's just so beautiful.
It's lovely!!
out of context but the nonchalant way you just said "if u know u know" in the middle of a literary analysis is just crazy. blows my mind.
The "you havent met the new me yet but i think she'll give you that" (the green light of forgiveness) has a double meaning
"New me" can be referred to both the healed version of her... and his next girlfriend
A healed version of her might forgive him and give him closure
But sometimes we dont get closure from exes, and sometimes moving on is the getting closure, his next girlfriend can give him that maybe, the moving on amd letting go.
The idea of "new me" being the new gf is heartbreaking in a whole other way. NO THANK YOU 😅🤧
8:41 yes! Commas can change the entire meaning
She actually added a comma in the middle of a sentence in the song Maroon on the TH-cam official lyrics video
That comma does not exist in the spotify lyrics
My mind was blown when i noticed that comma after months since the album Midnights came out
And that one comma in the bridge changed the entire meaning from without it to with it.
That is too cool! Love that you noticed that haha 😆. A fellow comma appreciator 🥲
Also how ' the one' is meeting on the internet and "Take her home' is much louder on her Tour ..love your Chanel 💯💕 Thank you
"Guys this is so sad. Ok, it's just a song, alright!" THATS JUST SO ME
Hahaha 😅 I’m glad we share this feeling 😆
You reacted to the clean version which threw me to begin with. I wonder if it changes your perception on the speakers emotional state, I definitely feel it comes across with more anger in the explicit version.
More anger for sure. “Shit we’re dividing up” definitely adds a lot. I think I still prefer “every long, cold night” though for what it adds metaphorically
that's my favorite song of evermore, it's painful but it's so beautiful
It is lovely ☺️
Loving all your reactions!! I would recommend "Ivy" and "Right where you left me" from evermore. These songs truly show her best writing❤
Thank youuuu!
Was it' Ivy' they wrote together? ❤️❤
@@jeannie779 I believe it was champagne problems
This is also the “clean” version. The normal explicit version hits a bit harder
Truth!
You trying to comfort yourself with “it’s just a song”. 😂
Hahaha guilty XD
this will always be my fav Taylor Swift song ❤️
same!! it’s ALWAYS overlooked but it’s one of her best
I'm in love with your analysis.
All too well 10 mins version , and Folklore love triangle - Cardigan, Betty and August. If you are doing so please add Willow to this love triangle because Betty gets her love in willow song.
Btw off topic, you got such a lovely eyes and you are so pretty 🤩
Aw thank you May! These are all on my short list! 🥰
@@meganmaclaine 😀
I love this song so much
Perfect timing! This song (alongside Right Where You Left Me and I Almost Do) is my current mood and is song of the day for me tbh
Thank you for uploading this, i loved your reaction and analysis, this song has been on a loop today and I'm really hurting
It feels good seeing this song from someone else's perspective
Aw I'm really sorry to hear you're hurting😥 but am so thankful for the way some songs just perfectly express what we need sometimes. I'm glad you enjoyed the vid - hang in there ❤🩹
what i like about the acid rain lyric is that realistically acid rain doesn’t burn your skin, it’s just toxic and not good for you. so it’s like she’s crying out all the toxicity and hurt from her relationship, i know she probably wasn’t thinking about that while writing but i like thinking about it
Loved your reaction and thoughts on the song💗
You should do "Tolerate it" or "The Lakes" next😊
Thank you ❤❤❤. I've got my eye on The Lakes 👀 haha
Its a also a great tip to listen and breakdown her songs in deeper always metaphorical way cause this song could even more be impactful if you incorporated bits of your experience in internalizing it. Anything can be a metaphor or a picture of a point in time in your life, which is ultimately what makes her relatable and lovable.
Yes, and I love how we can all get something a little different out of it depending on our own experiences and where we're at when we're listening 🥰
@@meganmaclaine indeed 🥹💖
"champagne problems" next, please!!! 🤎🤎🤎
next Thursday! 🤩
I really love your analysis of Taylor’s music. It’s becoming an automatic click when I see your videos pop up.
Some songs I’d love to see your thoughts on. Death by a Thousand Cuts off the Lover album. I’d love to see you react to the entirety of Folklore, but some of my favorites on that album are The Last Great American Dynasty, My Tears Ricochet, Seven, and the Teenage Love Triangle songs. One of my all time favorite songs by her is Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve from her Midnights album. It’s about her relationship with John Mayer whom she dated when she was 19 and he was 32. She wrote this song when she was 32 and it is the 19th track on the album. It should be paired with Dear John from Speak Now which is also about that relationship, but was written immediately following the relationship.
Aw yay! Thanks Nicole. I'm so glad you're enjoying them 😍. I'm hoping to do a full album reaction one day but until then ☝these are on my list!
i don't think folklore and evermore are autobiographical. for the most part, these are stories she's crafted up in her mind. she's absolutely amazing!
I was expecting this to happen, but not this early!
Heeheehee ^.^
I'm so late for this reaction because I dont want to listen to any TS song until 1989 is released but now I can finally listen to this!!! Happiness is really a well written song. Sad, yes. But this song is the reason why Evermore became my favorite album now despite being a swiftie since Fearless (original) era. 😭😭
Haha I love that you did a little TS fast XD. Yes, I really liked this one!
I’m soooo excited for more videos like this from you! Can’t wait!!
Thank you tons!!
Another amazingly written song with a similar theme is the great war from Midnights deluxe tracks you should check it out
I think You're losing me is also a song worth analysing- it's heartbreaking though!
The "great divide" they traversed is also explored in the "3am edition" track "The Great War" from her last album "Midnights". Also, I have to say that the explicit version of this echoes the sentiments and pain much better, in my opinion. By the way, they hadn't even broken up with Joe at that point, since she even co-wrote some songs with him on "folklore" and "evermore", as you said, him doing so under a pen name, "William Bowery", who she later revealed to indeed be Joe Alwyn. The true, universally acceppted breakup song for them is "You're Losing Me" -which has yet to be released on streaming, however it's available on TH-cam-from "Midnights".
Also, from Genius, regarding "happiness": "It’s a classic Taylor track about moving on from a decaying relationship, but acknowledging the bits of joy that existed within a more destructive, hurtful context. It’s ultimately a hopeful song-what was bad was also good at times, and there will be good things still to come. She also mentioned that this was the last song written on the album-finished just a week before release."
Your analysis was beautiful and this song definitely has my favorite lyrics from her "evermore" album.
Welcome to 'Swifty' world 🌎❤️
Awww man. I wonder how much of it is to do with reflection on love relationships, or her relationship with Scooter which she's referred to almost like a divorce because of how he took and sold her masters without letting her know, as she was trying to buy them back. Favourite song on this album. Who am I kidding, they're all my favourite.
one of the best written songs
Check out the explicit version of this song, it really hits
We need a no body no crime reaction
whenever possible react to taylor's officials lyric videos, in there i feel like we get the sentences broken as taylor intended
I watched this again Megan because you did such a great job breaking down this song. I really enjoyed it...something I should have said the first time.
Aw thank you, Madeline! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!!
also i am pretty sure this one was a poem before she turned into a song! just a fan feeling
That would be super cool!
Always love to see your analysis on Taylor's songs. ❤
thanks doll! ❤️
Am I the only one who hears Happiness to be entirely abt Taylor’s relationship with Joe Alwyn. Yes I know she calls it 7 yrs in the song but I took it as longest relationship she’s ever had to date.
Also if you watched VMA’s she added a sultry move to her dancing.. Closing her eyes & running her left hand down her thigh & slowly back up again as though sending a message that she is longing for her Lover!
No, I’m not into sensationalism but rather I’m from the school of Semiotics. Once having established Tay’s mood I could then applaud her release of built up passion & sensuality.
P.S. I’m don’t profess to be a writer but on the other hand I recognize talent when I see/hear it.
And Megan you are the real deal. Truly enjoy your shows & wish you the very best.
Thank you tons! You can imagine it takes on a whole new meaning when she sings it now that they've split 😣
This is a great reaction. I think you would really enjoy All to well short film 10 minute version. She produced and directed the video.
Thank you! ATW 10min is on my list oh yes ;)
Awesome video, I had never paid close attention to any lyrics before I started watching your critiques. I only liked the songs because of the rhythm of the music. It’s great to see what the artist meant when she was painting, writing in this case.
Thank you tons! Glad you've been enjoying them. I've been surprised by a few of them so far haha, because I similarly paid more attention to the music. Super fun!
@@meganmaclaine their mastery of the written language is incredible, you would thin that you would the have major in English and taken at least a few creative writing classes
This album came out in 2020 so it’s not about the recent breakup, but it does have similar metaphors to the songs about it
would love a video on Right Where You Left Me. thanks!
You just earned a subscriber hereeeee ❤️
So happy you’re here! 🥰
I’m gonna recommend something other than dear John and would’ve could’ve shoulve lol, and something other than folklore-evermore… death by a thousand cuts i per think is a good well written song on lover. I 100% recommend it
Thanks for this!!
My favorite song off Folklore is "The Lakes." I would love to hear your take on it!
I've got my eye on this one!
You have to listen to Seven from Folklore now because there are lyrical parallels between the songs because they are both the 7th song on these respective albums!
Ooooh good to know 👀
Wow, you were listening to the clean version, I just noticed
Please react more to folklore and evermore. The lyrics of these two albums are soooo good! And I am sure you will love the vibe.
love this series so muchhh
I’m so glad!
Subscribed !! As an aspiring writer and swiftie, this content is right up my alley. Hope you can do “ivy” soon it’s a literal POEM
Aw yay! Welcome 🤗. So glad you enjoyed it and thanks for the recommendation 😍
I'd like to see shrike by hozier.
A shrike is a bird that impales it's food on Throns :)
I’ve always liked this song but I actually think the writing is similar on other Folklore and Evermore songs so you should check them out!! Favorites in particular are The 1, Cardigan, Hoax, Willow, Champagne Problems, Ivy & Coney Island
I’m so excited for more of your videos!
Thank you!! ❤️❤️❤️
I would love to see what you think of the writing in a few other Billie eilish songs!! The ones that come to mind for me are bellyache, hostage, when the party’s over and the 30th. I’m loving your analysis of all these lyrics in these react videos!!
Thank you! And thanks for the new Billie recs. I definitely want to explore more of her work. Appreciate the support ❤
I love your reactions!
Thank you again 🥺🥰
Waiting for Champagne Problems 😢
Next Thursday! 😍
i noticed these are the clean versions of the tracks. i think the explicit versions add so much more weight to what she's saying. Eg. "every long cold night" is actually "every goddamn night," and for me, it feels so much angrier, wounded and frustrated than the former.