Our list of The Real Meaning Behind The Songs On Taylor Swift’s Midnights Album looks at the real meanings behind the songs on Taylor Swift’s Midnights album. The album was released on October 21, 2022. This is her 10th studio album. The singer returned to her pop sound for this project. She tackled different subjects on this album. She talked about anxiety, insecurity, self-criticism, self-awareness, insomnia, self-confidence and love.
The album was inspired by self-hatred, revenge and the ups and downs of romance. Taylor Swift informed the Swifties on TikTok that she would be releasing the album. Midnights is a success and broke records all over the world. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 charts. This is her 11th number one album. Midnights had 10 Top 10 songs in the same week. There aren’t too many artists who can achieve that accomplishment. Our list of The Real Meaning Behind The Songs On Taylor Swift’s Midnight Album will go into detail about the songs on the hit album.
Real Meanings Behind The Songs On Taylor Swift’s Midnights Album
# 1 – Lavender Haze
The first song on our list of The Real Meaning Behind The Songs On Taylor Swift’s Midnights Album is “Lavender Haze.” This track is about her relationship. She is involved in a relationship and it’s being held under a microscope. Reporters and fans are curious to know what’s going on with her and Joe Alwyn. They want to know if they are getting married. She discusses how everyone wants to know her business. People want to know how their relationship is going and if she’s having a baby. She wants to be in a “lavender haze” with her boyfriend. The term means being in a love glow. If you are in that haze, you will do anything to stay there. She got the term from watching Mad Men. The singer noticed the similarities between her relationship and the term “lavender haze.”
She was inspired to write this song because people were too fascinated by her relationships. She’s had to deal with people wondering about her love life for years. This song gives her a chance to explain how she wants her relationship to be between the two of them. They want to be happy without everyone prying into their business. Here is a fun fact about the song. Actress Zoe Kravitz co-wrote this song. She also sings backing vocals on the song. The fans enjoyed the song because it peaked at number two on the Hot 100 charts. The track debuted with 41.1 million streams.
# 2 – Maroon
The second song on our list of The Real Meaning Behind The Songs On Taylor Swift’s Midnights Album is “Maroon.” This track is about the ups and downs of a past relationship. As Swifties know, Taylor Swift loves to refer to colors in her songs. She uses colors to describe how she is feeling. In “Maroon,” Taylor Swift talks about the ups and downs of a past relationship. She describes dancing with the person in New York. This could be a nod to Harry Styles or Tom Hiddleston since she was seen in New York with both at one point in time. She describes the relationship keeping her up at night because she was thinking about it. She says he is all over her like a dress she can’t wear anymore. She uses wine imagery to describe how she feels touched by the ex-lover.
This track is a throwback to her hit song “Red” where she uses the color to describe a relationship. Taylor Swift uses “Maroon” as an extension of the relationship. She wants her listeners to know what went on during the relationship. Tay Tay uses the color of maroon to describe how complex relationships can be. She understands about her past relationships and knows what to expect when it comes to love. She used to believe that love was the color of red, but now she realizes that she has to accept the complexities of relationships. The track debuted at number three on the Hot 100 charts.
# 3 – Anti-Hero
“Anti-Hero” is a song about insecurity. Taylor Swift delves into self-deprecation on this track. She doesn’t feel like a hero. She talks about how she’s self-conscious about her height as well as her singing. She wanted to share with her Swifties that she had bad thoughts about herself in the middle of the night. She wants her fans to know that she deals with insecurities about herself the same way they do. She knows that she’s viewed as a hero, but she doesn’t see herself as one at all. The singer and songwriter touches on the subject of depression. She deals with it too. She deals with depression late at night.
The song is about self-loathing. She puts herself down in this song quite a bit. She felt this song was one the most personal songs in her catalog because it gave her a chance to reflect on herself. It’s a dark song for her. She doesn’t feel like a person. She is aware of her flaws. She takes responsibility for her mistakes and flaws. This is an answer to her critics who believe that she doesn’t take responsibility for the things she’s done. She talks about the things she’s done in the past. This is the first single from the album. The track peaked at number one on the Hot 100 charts.
# 4 – Snow on the Beach ft. Lana Del Rey
“Snow on the Beach” shifts gears for the singer. The song is about two people in love. It’s about comparing love to “snow on the beach.” It’s about a relationship that’s like a dream come true. Two people fall in love with each other at the same time. It’s hard to believe that someone that you love has fallen for you at the same time. You have to pinch yourself to believe that someone you love happens to love you at the same time. You would never find snow on the beach and that’s what she’s describing in the song. The couple are happy and it’s like a beautiful fantasy.
The track is like a fantasy for people falling in love at the same time. Taylor Swift admires Lana Del Rey and feels blessed to have her in her song. They used this metaphor to describe love because it’s surreal like seeing snow fall on the beach. The singers refer to singer Janet Jackson in the song. They have a reference to Janet Jackson’s hit “All for You” in the song. The song peaked at number four on the Hot 100 charts.
# 5 – You’re on Your Own, Kid
The next song on our list of the Real Meaning Behind The Songs On Taylor Swift’s Midnights Album is “You’re on Your Own, Kid.” The track is about self-reliance. She realized she was on her own when it concerned what she was going through. She revealed that she was dealing with personal struggles when she was behind closed doors. She’s one of the biggest stars in the world, but she feels lonely. She didn’t have anyone to turn to when she needed someone. She was dealing with self-esteem issues which led to her eating disorder. Taylor Swift shocked her fans by admitting that she struggled with an eating disorder.
Taylor Swift talks about the things she gave up for fame. She gave up her privacy for fame. People made jokes about her personal life. Everyone was laughing except for her. As the song progresses, she looks inside of herself and realizes what really matters. She realizes that everything happens for a reason. “You’re on Your Own, Kid” is a track that makes you realize that it’s time to make peace with your past. The singer rounds out the track by letting the listeners know that you may be on your own, but you always have been on your own. The peaked at number eight on the Hot 100 charts.
# 6 – Midnight Rain
“Midnight Rain” is a track about a relationship. The “Shake It Off” singer talks about a relationship from her past. She talks about how different they were from each other. He wanted one thing and she wanted another. They were opposites of each other. He wanted to settle down and she wanted to make a name for herself. She wanted fame while he wanted a private life. He wanted life to be comfortable, but she wanted to experience the pain in relationships. She acknowledges how she was the reason why the relationship didn’t last. She let her ambition for success get in the way of her relationship. The singer and songwriter didn’t want to settle down in a relationship.
She wanted the listeners to know that she wasn’t blaming him for why the relationship didn’t work out. She blamed her need for success for the destruction of the relationship. People thought the song was about actor Taylor Lautner because she took responsibility for their breakup. There are some fans who think the song is about actor Tom Hiddleston. She didn’t admit that the song was about either of them, but people thought it was. This song is different from her previous tracks because she places the blame solely on herself. On her previous tracks, the guys betrayed her for why the relationships didn’t work out.
# 7 – Question…?
“Question…?” is about a woman who wonders where her relationship is headed. She wants to ask him about where their relationship is going. The singer asks him about kissing someone in a crowded space. She tells him about his friends laughing at them, but they end up clapping for them too. Swifties thought this song was about singer Harry Styles because they kissed each other in public. The “Blank Space” singer wonders if he ever leaves in the middle of the night. This song is a reference to “Style,” and was possibly a dig at Harry Styles. She continues to ask him questions throughout the song.
This track is about hypothetical questions Tay Tay wished she asked her former flame questions when they were together. She wanted to know what would have happened during their relationship. She talks about the baggage she carries with her to the next relationship. Taylor Swift doesn’t admit the song is about Harry Styles even though she describes what’s happening during their time together. People suggested that this song was inspired because she ran into Harry Styles at an awards show. The song peaked at number seven on the Hot 100 charts.
# 8 – Vigilante Sh*t
“Vigilante Sh*t” is a revenge song. She wants to get revenge on people who have done her as well as other women wrong. She goes into detail about someone who hurt her. In the first verse, she talks about a past boyfriend who hurt her. She references how he lied to her. She wondered how many lies he told her. She was hoping that looks could kill. She’s willing to try to kill him with her looks. She wants to let her cheating man know that she will be dressed for revenge. She wanted to make her ex-boyfriend pay for what he did to her throughout their relationship. She doesn’t stop at what was done to her.
In the second verse, she talks about a married woman who has been betrayed by her husband. Tay Tay sides with the wife. She was happy the wife was going to get everything in their divorce. She made sure the wife found out about his evil ways. She let him know that he was going to lose everything. Fans thought the verse could be about rapper Kanye West or Scooter Braun. She had public beefs with both men so the verse could be about either of them. They are both divorced so that could be another hint the song is about one of them. In the third verse, the singer talks about a former business partner. She talks about the crimes he committed and how someone reported him to the FBI. The song peaked at number 10 on the Hot 100 charts.
# 9 – Bejeweled
“Bejeweled” is a song about self-confidence and self-worth. Taylor Swift informs her man that he won’t be able to break her heart. She’s not going to let him depreciate her value. She refuses to be the only one romantic towards him. She felt like she was the one doing all the work in the relationship. She was being too nice to him during their relationship. She didn’t notice that he was walking over her confidence. The singer felt like she was more valuable than her boyfriend. She would be able to attract someone else because she’s more loyal than he would ever be to anyone. She feels like she’s still “bejeweled.”
Fans were curious about the subject of “Bejeweled.” Some fans thought the song was about DJ and producer Calvin Harris or about actor Tom Hiddleston. People speculated that Calvin Harris was intimidated by her success. She was able to move on with her life by dating someone more popular than him. There was speculation that Calvin Harris couldn’t handle the fact that Taylor Swift was more famous than him. This track is about picking up the pieces of your broken heart. She expresses confidence in the song. The peaked at number six on the Hot 100 charts. It debuted with 35.5 million streams.
# 10 – Labyrinth
The next song on our list of the Real Meaning Behind The Songs On Taylor Swift’s Midnight Album is “Labyrinth.” The track is about being afraid to move on after dealing with heartbreak. She finds herself falling in love again and she’s afraid because of what happened in her last relationship. She meets someone who changes her mind about love. The “Cardigan” singer appreciates the new love in her life, but she doesn’t want to be overly confident about it. She’s not sure if the relationship will last because she fell in love too fast. She knows that relationships that happen too quickly don’t always last long. She doesn’t want that to happen to her.
Taylor Swift feels confused about falling in love so quickly. She has mixed emotions about being with a new man after her failed relationship. She’s not talking about one relationship. She’s talking about relationships in general. Taylor Swift wants to talk about how it feels when your emotions are tied up in knots. She wants to protect her man’s heart and he wants to make her smile again. Here is a fun fact about the song. The first line in the song is from her commencement speech at New York University. The song peaked at number 14 on the Hot 100 charts.
# 11 – Karma
“Karma” is a song about having a good life and being rewarded for doing good things. She feels everyone needs to have good moments and feel good for doing the right stuff. The song is a celebration of her success and longevity in the music business. She believes in reaping what you sow. She believes that what you give out is what you put in when it concerns “karma.” She appreciates the idea of “karma” because it’s been good to her. She prides herself on keeping her yard clean. She doesn’t go out of her way to start trouble with people.
In the second part of the song, Taylor Swift talks about someone who stole from her. The person stole from her more than once. She tells the person that there’s more to life than money. He may have gotten away with taking money from her, but “karma” won in the end. The song is rumored to be about Scooter Braun because he is considered her rival in music. She felt like she was able to last in the music business because she didn’t do anything shady. Taylor Swift believe she and “karma” were friends with each other because it helps her while others are suffering. The song peaked at number nine on the Hot 100 charts.
# 12 – Sweet Nothing
“Sweet Nothing” is about a good relationship in the public eye. The couple stay inside so they can get away from the frenzy of the press. They are happy at home versus being out in the public eye under a microscope. She talks about how crazy it is when they are outside together, but everything is calm when she’s inside with her man. He wants to tell her “sweet nothings” when they are at home. Taylor Swift is happy to finally be with someone who makes her feel at home. She loves that he doesn’t have any expectations of her. She’s happy that he doesn’t add to the stress in her life. He makes her happy.
Taylor Swift is thankful that she is in a relationship where she can find relief. Her relationships have been in the spotlight for years so she’s thankful to have a man who doesn’t want anything from her. He wants to whisper “sweet nothings” to her. “Sweet Nothing” is one of the few love songs on the album. It’s a tribute to her personal love story. She’s happy to have him in her life. Taylor Swift wrote this song with her boyfriend Joe Alwyn. The singer confirmed the song is about Joe Alwyn. The track peaked at number 15 on the Hot 100 charts.
# 13 – Mastermind
The final track on our list of The Real Meaning Behind The Songs On Taylor Swift’s Midnights Album is “Mastermind.” The song is about plotting and scheming. She does this in her career and in her personal life. She was plotting to be in her new relationship. She considers “Mastermind” to be a song about manifesting what you want in life. She goes after what she wants in life. Her relationship may appear to have happened through fate, but that might not have been the case. She laid down the groundwork for him to be with her. Her manifesting worked for her. She was the “mastermind,” and was able to get him in her life. She proved that she was a bigger “mastermind” when it came to love. She was calculating when she wanted her man.
Taylor Swift wanted to write a song that poked fun at herself. She wanted her fans to see the other side of her. She infers that her manipulative behavior came about because she wasn’t popular when she was a kid. She talked about the loneliness she felt when she was a child. Taylor Swift is proud of this song. She doesn’t paint herself up to be a victim or to be self-righteous on this song. She owns up to her scheming and calculating ways in the song. If she wasn’t a “mastermind,” she wouldn’t have the career that she has today. She wouldn’t have the relationship that she has now. The song peaked at number 13 on the Hot 100 charts.
Updated October 31, 2023
Real Meanings Behind The Songs On Taylor Swift’s Midnights Album article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2023
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