5 Taylor Swift Songs That Aren’t About Her Exes

Taylor Swift, the iconic American singer/songwriter, currently has ten albums out. She has been writing songs since she was a little girl and moved to Nashville when she was thirteen to pursue a career in music. Accused of only writing about her exes, here are five songs as proof to refute that:

“Mirrorball” - Folklore

Mirrorball is a song about how Swift feels as though she is a mirrorball, meaning she has different sides of herself that she shows to different people. As Swift describes them, “Mirroball’s reflect light. They are broken a million times and that’s what makes them so shiny. We have people like that in society too.” They are hung above the dance floor and shine for everybody else, which makes for a beautiful metaphor about not knowing who you really are when you aren’t performing for everyone else. 

“Fifteen” - Fearless (Taylor’s Version)

Fifteen is a sweet and innocent song about being fifteen years old and all of the emotions that come with it: starting high school, making new friends, and figuring out who you are. Although it does have some mention of love in it, the main focus is about growing up and starting to figure out what is important to you.

“Never Grow Up” - Speak Now

A heartbreaking song that starts as a message to young kids telling them to enjoy their childhood and all of the embarrassing things that come with it: “you're mortified your mom's droppin' you off / At fourteen, there's just so much you can't do.” Then, it transitions to talk about leaving home and going to college; the feeling of being left alone in your dorm and finally being able to control your life. The emotion captured in this song is almost unbearable to listen to as Swift perfectly encapsulates her feelings of ambivalence about growing up.  

“The Lucky One” - Red (Taylor’s Version)

This song starts out telling the story of another woman who was in the spotlight for so long before Taylor Swift came along, but she finally got tired and disappeared from the public view. Then, it shifts to talk about Swift and her rise to stardom after that woman, and how everyone views her as “lucky” for being famous. She then says, “they tell you that you're lucky, but you're so confused / 'Cause you don't feel pretty, you just feel used.” This song is about her finally realizing that the life of a star is not as glamorous as everyone believes. 

“The Archer” - Lover

An incredible song about her relationships between friends and lovers, and how she attracts but also repels them. Swift cleverly reveals her anxiety at the end of the song, where she sings, “'Cause they see right through me / They see right through me / They see right through.”  She repeats this line over and over, building up and finally asking the audience if they can see through her too. Swift puts on an act as if she isn’t affected by the hate, but in reality she is and she’s afraid people can see right through her.

By Bay Tilley