Taylor Swift’s “New Romantics” Lyrics Meaning Show How Well She Understands Her Fans.
In Taylor Swift’s latest move to take over the world, one 1989 single at a time, the artist announced that her next single would “New Romantics.” But, before we get to watch what’s sure to be another amazing music video, what we really need is a lyric analysis of “New Romantics,” because homegirl went deep in there and seems to have really thought out what she was saying.
This song is wonderful because it’s not a love song per se, despite the fact that it discusses love. It’s not a breakup song per se, despite the fact that it discusses break up and heartbreak. It’s dancey and upbeat and really screams exactly what the generation of people born around 1989 are feeling about amore.
I’m not calling Taylor Swift the voice of a generation (but I am. I’m calling her the voice of our generation), but she does happen to have a voice and to be saying many of the things the generation is feeling so I mean… The best part about this song is how it’s slightly satirizing millennials’ behavior. Meanwhile, by using “we” instead of “I,” the singer really is speaking for us all. She also shows she doesn’t take herself or love too seriously, which, with all the hate she gets, is wonderful. Let this lyric analysis help you all to appreciate how fantastic this song is.
1. “We’re All Bored, We’re All So Tired Of Everything”
Us millennials, we’ve seen everything. Nothing feels new anymore.
2. “We Wait For Trains That Just Aren’t Coming”
We’re all waiting for these wonderful significant others, these soul mates, but they might not actually be out there.
3. “We Show Off Our Different Scarlet Letters. Trust Me, Mine Is Better”
I see your literary reference to Nathaniel Hawthorne's Scarlet Letter. You go, girl, good to know you read that in high school as required by Pennsylvania schools just like me (repping the home state yo). This speaks to the fact that it seems like people are always trying to explain why they are damaged and dismiss their issues. But guys, everyone’s got them. Everyone.
4. “We’re So Young, But We’re On The Road To Ruin”
Yikes. This is unfortunately exactly how I feel about any relationship I hop into.
5. “We Play Dumb, But We Know Exactly What We’re Doing”
I believe this is referring to how people act like they don’t realize how much someone cares for them and that they are hurting them. But they know. They always know.
6. “We Cry Tears Of Mascara In The Bathroom”
This may or may not be a reference to when Jake Gyllenhaal stood then-girlfriend Swift up at her 21st birthday, and she allegedly locked herself in the bathroom and cried all night. Or, you know, any middle school dance ever.
7. “Honey, Life Is Just A Classroom”
Now here’s she’s either saying that you just continue to learn as life goes on or that high school never ends. Both of which are inevitable truths.
8. “‘Cause Baby I Could Build A Castle Out Of All The Bricks They Thew At Me”
Swift’s like “Yeah, I gotta lotta haters, but I’m going to take that hate and build myself a castle because I am a goshdarn princess, d*mnit.” This chick’s gonna build an empire founded on hate. Very Sith of her.
9. “And Every Day Is Like A Battle, But Every Night With Us Is Like A Dream”
I’m going to say that this means that, though Swift’s a famous celebrity, her days are just as hard as the rest of ours. And she makes sure our nights are “like a dream” whenever she has a show we attend.
10. “Baby, We’re The New Romantics”
Damn Taylor, back at it again with the literary references. This, and the whole concept of the song, is a play on a style of writing in the 1800s: literary romanticism.
11. “Heartbreak Is The National Anthem, We Sing It Proudly. We’re Too Busy Dancing To Get Knocked Off Our Feet”
Yes, we live in a world where swiping left defines a relationship, but we’re all too busy shaking it off to give a care about it. We know romance is dead, and we don’t care.
12. “The Best People In Life Are Free”
Awww, the best people in life are the ones who don’t want anything from you like friends and family.
13. “We’re All Here, The Lights The Noise Are Blinding”
Everybody’s always trying to go to the next hip spot. And that spot is always too loud.
14. “We Hang Back, It’s All In The Timing”
Meeting your soulmate ain’t gonna go down at no bar. Timing is everything.
15. “It’s Poker. You Can’t See It In My Face, But I’m About To Play My Ace”
Swift’s saying she’s a big player in the game of love, but she’s not going to be sharing any tidbits. Very different from her past lifestyle of writing song after song about exes.
16. “We Need Love, But All We Want Is Danger”
Who among you hasn’t fallen for the bad boy who doesn’t love you enough?
17. “We Team Up, Then Switch Sides Like A Record Changer”
When you’re young all sorts of changes take place all the time. Youth is ever-changing. Sigh.
18. “The Rumors Are Terrible And Cruel, But Most Of Them Are True”
She’s just poking fun at all the rumors about her that happen all the time. But they can’t really all be true; she’s just being sarcastic –– right?
19. “Please Take My Hand And Please Take Me Dancing And Please Leave Me Stranded. It’s So Romantic”
This speaks to the bad boy thing again. We think someone who doesn’t care about us enough to leave us stranded is worthwhile. They aren’t.
In conclusion, Swift has rattled off another hit that describes pretty much exactly how I feel at that moment. Seriously, get out of my brain. I’m warning you.
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