Ready For It - lyrics anlysis
1- “Knew he was a killer first time that I saw him, wondering how many girls he left and left haunted”
I think this line is a response to the general public’s constant tendency to scream “maybe you’re the problem!” and a satirical use of the topic she addressed in I Knew You Were Trouble, implying that she never learns and runs into relationships blindly, making it her fault that she’s getting hurt.
“I knew you were trouble when you walked in, so shame on me now”, I Know You Were Trouble
“a new notch in your belt is all I’ll ever be”, I Know You Were Trouble
2- “I know nothing better, I keep him forever, like a vendetta”
This seems to be referencing to the love-crazy character the media portrays Taylor as, always falling head over heels for everyone she meets. She is also often blamed for relationships ending because she was “coming on too strong”
“(..)friends close to Taylor Swift and Conor Kennedy are blaming the split on the singer getting too serious too fast” -DailyMail, 2012
“It all became too much and Harry found her a little too demanding.” -Mirror, 2013
It also seems like a throwback to the “crazy” character she played in Blank Space
3- “Touch me and you’ll never be alone”
While this line appears to be implying sensual activities at first glance, I believe she means it in a more eerie way - if a person is thought to be romantically involved with Taylor, they will not be left alone by the media or paparazzi until the relationship has ended, and maybe long after.
4- “In the middle of the night, in my dreams, you should see the things we do”
This, also, sounds rather sexual at first, but I was wondering if she might just be referring to regular, every day activities that she can’t partake in and that therefore can never be part of her relationships because of her fame and her constantly being in the public eye.
5- “Me, I was a robber, first time that I saw him, stealing hearts and running off and never saying sorry”
Taylor has been the punchline of countless jokes about snatching helpless men and being a man-eater. “You know what Taylor Swift, you stay away from Michael J. Foxes son.”, Tina Fey said at the Golden Globes in 2013, receiving nothing but praise for it.
The line could be referring to this particular part of her publicly perceived character that has invaded her life ever since the start of her career.
“(..)he denied there was something between them. But, hey, it’s hard to trust anyone these days — especially when it comes to TayTay.”-Elite Daily, 2016
"I’m going to have a lot of little angry Taylor Swift fans after me, but she has been quite promiscuous,”-Professor Green, The Sun
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0RWjPiuD50 (2:00, Ellen playing a game with Taylor playing on the same point)
6- “We’ll move to an island” (see 2)
Here she’s being the hopeless romantic again, a little too naive, and coming on too quickly.
For many of her relationships, there have been rumours about the couple moving in together, and almost all of them were followed by saying how crazy and unable to take things slow she is.
Oh, and she’s also really rich and greedy, of course.
“(..)she’s running into this thing like she just got word that the Single People Apocalypse is coming and only those in serious relationships will be saved.”-The Hollywood Gossip, 2017
“Because nothing says “let’s take this slow” like a giant down payment on a house in a luxury resort town.”-Fuse, 2012
“Things are really getting serious between Taylor Swift and Calvin Harris — (..) they’re even planning on living together soon (..)! But are they moving too fast?!”-Hollywood Life, 2015
7- “Burton to this Taylor”
Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton lead a relationship that received a lot of media coverage, even back in the day, and got a lot of criticism, much like all of Taylor’s relationships do. Especially Elizabeth was very infamous for her love life, having been married eight times.
Their relationship was also very on and off, so she might be hinting towards the same topic she addressed in songs like We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together and Style.
“Taylor and Burton’s affair caused a worldwide scandal, and was condemned by the Vatican”-Vogue, 2017
“(..)they would entrance and enrage the invested public, not to mention the paparazzi(..)”-Famously
“I remember when we broke up the first time”, We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together
“When we go crashing down we come back every time”, Style
8- “Every lover known in comparison is a failure, I forget their names now, I’m so very tame now, never be the same now” (see 2)
This might be addressing how almost every time Taylor is dating someone, wild speculation ensues and a source somewhere claims she’s certain that this is the right person and that she’s sure this time, painting an image of the same impulsive, naive, clueless young girl.
I see another parallel to Blank Space here.
“Taylor trusts Clavin more than anyone she’s ever met, and she’s ready to take the next step(..)”-Hollywood Life, 2015 (yes, it actually says Clavin)
“Be that girl for a month”, Blank Space
“No one has to know”
This line seems kind of sarcastic to me, since clearly, everyone does have to know, it’s inevitable with her lifestyle, and she continues to disprove this very lyrics throughout the rest of the song.
“Let the games begin”
I believe this refers to the never ending cycle of the media coverage and publication of Taylor’s life, and how it has almost become a game; one which, in my opinion, she seems to perfectly describe in one of her previous songs, I Know Places.
“Something happens when everybody finds out, see the vultures circling, dark clouds”, I Know Places
“They are the hunters, we are the foxes, and we run”, I Know Places
Conclusion: This is another satirical song about the media, not a love song.
jacobvanloon
annaxmalina
areudirty
tangentwithtanner
vaporwave
dededos
kaledo-art
snowghoul
