10 of Taylor Swift’s Best Lyrics!

If you didn’t know already, Taylor Swift DOES in fact write her own song lyrics! Here are some of her best songwriting moments to date.

In a recent interview with The Los Angeles Times, Gorillaz frontman Damon Albarn went on record saying that Taylor Swift “doesn’t write her own songs.” This was met with criticism from critics and fans alike, and even Swift herself, who tweeted that his statement was “SO damaging.” Her longtime producer Jack Antonoff was quick to come to her defense, as was Aaron Dessner of The National, who most recently collaborated with Swift on “Evermore.”

Albarn has since apologized for his remarks, saying “I totally agree with you. I had a conversation about songwriting and sadly it was reduced to clickbait. I apologize unreservedly and unconditionally. The last thing I would want to do is discredit your songwriting. I hope you understand.”

In light of the misunderstanding, we take a look at some of Swift’s most powerful lyrics (which of course, she wrote herself).

“And there we are again when nobody had to know/you kept me like a secret but I kept you like an oath.”– “All Too Well,” from Red

This much anticipated 10-minute version of this track was released back in November and the added lyrics cut even deeper than the original release. Delicately woven with metaphors and references to twin flames and upstate New York, the song not only depicts the breakdown of a toxic relationship but the loss of innocence. The accompanying short film starred Stranger Things star Sadie Sink and former Teen Wolf star Dylan O’Brien and plays out the relationship described in the song on screen–10-year age gap and all. The title says it all–despite the gaslighting in this relationship, Swift remembers it “all too well,” so well that she is depicted writing a book about it at the end of the film.

“All the girls that you’ve run dry/Have tired, lifeless eyes/’Cause you burned them out/But I took your matches before fire could catch me/So don’t look now, I’m shining like fireworks over your sad, empty town.”– “Dear John,” from Speak Now

This song, written when Swift was only 19 years old, is a reflection written in the form of a “dear John” letter addressed to an ex who mistreated her. Upon recognizing his “dark twisted games,” Swift moved on and sold out her Speak Now Tour in minutes. She truly did shine over his sad empty town.

“He’s the reason for the teardrops on my guitar/The only thing that keeps me wishing on a wishing star/He’s the song in the car I keep singing, don’t know why I do”– “Teardrops on My Guitar” from Taylor Swift

This song from her debut album in 2006 is a stand-out pop-country track. The lyrics are more simple than her later work, but their simplicity is extremely relatable. The small-town high school unrequited crush is a trope that many of her young listeners at the time could relate to, and the song’s emotional rawness is certainly what carried it up the charts.

“Cause I’m not your princess, this ain’t a fairytale/I’m gonna find someone someday/Who might actually treat me well/This is a big world, that was a small town/There in my rear-view mirror disappearing now/And it’s too late for you and your white horse/to catch me now”– “White Horse” from Fearless

“White Horse” depicts a sentiment many can relate to–of someone coming back to apologize when it’s just too late and you know you deserve much better. Girls are conditioned to wait on their knight in shining armor to ride in on a white horse and save the day, but Swift knows the truth and saves herself instead. The story about self-worth is a powerful one coming from Swift at such a young age.

“They’d say I hustled/Put in the work/They wouldn’t shake their heads and question how much of/this I deserve/What I was wearing/If I was rude/Could all be separated from my good ideas and power moves?”– “The Man” from Lover

The Lover track is a feminist anthem filled with references to Swift’s long run in the music industry. An honorable mention for the chorus of course, in which she sings “I’m so sick of running as fast as I can, wondering if I’d get there quicker if I was a man.” Throughout her career, Swift has been criticized for her personal life by both the public and the media at large–which, at one point, caused her to take a break from the public eye. Of course, this led to her Reputation era.

“I never trust a narcissist/But they love me/So I play ’em like a violin/And I make it look oh so easy/’Cause for every lie I tell them/They tell me three/This is how the world works/Now all he thinks about is me”– “I Did Something Bad” from Reputation

Reputation is viewed by fans and critics alike as much more than an album, but an era of drastic change. After a hiatus following 1989, Swift made it her business to take her power back. With her reputation held under a microscope for so long, she began to examine it herself and critiqued the critics right back. Safe to say, Swift did something good with this album.

“And I wake up in the middle of the night/It’s like I can feel time moving/How can a person know everything at 18 but nothing at 22?/And will you still want me when I’m nothing new?”– “Nothing New (featuring Phoebe Bridgers)” from Red

This track was a vault song from Red that came out for the first time in 2021 and features indie rock singer-songwriter, Phoebe Bridgers. The verses split between the two offer strong commentary on the treatment of young women in music, specifically speaking to Swift’s experience with her initial rise to fame at only 16 years old. It’s an earnest tale of growing up and hoping to stay relevant (despite still being young).

“I think I’ve seen this film before/And I didn’t like the ending/You’re not my homeland anymore/So what am I defending now?/You were my town/Now I’m in exile, seein’ you out/I think I’ve seen this film before”– “Exile (featuring Bon Iver)” from Folklore

Swift’s last two albums (Folklore and Evermore) are unique in their writing process when compared to her previous albums because the songs are a blend of real events and stories (or “lore”) belonging to other people. This song, detailing the breakdown of a relationship after someone recognizes a toxic pattern, is easily rooted in true events. Filled with beautiful metaphoric references to the silver screen against a stripped harmonic sound, this hauntingly heartbreaking song is a must-listen.

“Say you’ll remember me standing in a nice dress/Staring at the sunset, babe/Red lips and rosy cheeks/Say you’ll see me again/Even if it’s just in your wildest dreams, ah-ha/Wildest dreams, ah-ha” – “Wildest Dreams” from 1989

1989 was Swift’s first true foray into pop music with more mature themes. This song not only has beautiful imagery but places Swift in her power in a relationship––a theme we see much more of in her later albums. Her songs grew up with her, and 1989 was definitely a turning point in her style.

“I, I stayed there/Dust collected on my pinned-up hair/I’m sure that you got a wife out there/Kids and Christmas, but I’m unaware/’Cause I’m right where/I cause no harm, mind my business/If our love died young, I can’t bear witness/And it’s been so long/But if you ever think you got it wrong” – “Right Where You Left Me” from Evermore

This bonus track off of Evermore has some of Swift’s most heart-wrenching lyrics to date. The song has recently gained traction on TikTok due to its late release as a bonus song despite its powerful writing. The lyrics detail a woman stuck on someone she was in a relationship with in her early 20s, though the other party has moved on with their life. As usual, the song is full of metaphors and plays out its scene in a restaurant that the woman “haunts,” much like how her past haunts her.

These are only a fraction of Swift’s powerful songwriting prowess–we can’t wait to see what vault tracks the next re-release may bring. Taylor Swift, thank you for providing songs fit for any occasion for over a decade.