As most know, Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour ended after a year and nine months—149 shows, 51 cities, 21 countries—and became the highest-grossing tour ever. Throughout the tour, and even following the conclusion of it, I have seen people say that “Taylor Swift only writes about her boyfriends” or that she only writes about “relationships.” Yet I find it nearly impossible to have the highest-grossing tour ever and only write about your boyfriends, so that can’t be the case. Swift shares multiple life lessons in various songs throughout all of her albums, and I (of course) have many favorites, but these are my top five.
- “The best people in life are free.”
This one is self-explanatory, but I still love it. A bonus track from Swift’s first pop album, 1989, “New Romantics” is about embracing youth and optimism—a fun song for young people like me who choose to see life through tinted lenses. I like this lyric because I think platonic or romantic relationships are supposed to be easy and fun for the most part. Effort has to be put in by both parties, but unconditional love will be there no matter the circumstance. They just do anything for you no matter what. Being free means you constantly bring joy to someone’s life by just being yourself and appreciating them. This is something you cannot sell or buy. It does not necessarily have to be a relationship, either. It can be any person who has enhanced your life by a small gesture.
- “If you never bled, you’re never gonna grow.”
To me, this lyric always seemed random. This lyric came from Taylor Swift’s song “The 1.” It wasn’t until I looked at the song deeply that the lyrics made sense. The song explores the idea of losing someone Swift wished would have been “the one.” Swift implies that she lost this person because of that person’s mistakes. She claims it is okay because if you never bleed, you will never grow. Similarly to “You’re on Your Own, Kid,” it explores the idea of making mistakes and losing. I love this lyric. After all, it reminds me that it is okay to mess up because it is the only way I will learn. It is also okay to “bleed” physically or emotionally since that is the only way to make myself a stronger person.
- “Hold on to the memories. They will hold on to you.”
“New Year’s Day,” the last track of Swift’s sixth studio album, Reputation, is probably my favorite song. The way Swift goes about expressing herself is awe-inspiring. This is perhaps one of her best life lessons. What we take to the grave when we die will not be our wealth, problems, or attractiveness, but our memories. The ones we made during our time living. This lyric is so sentimental, as we live in a world where living in the moment is hard, but vital. This lyric encapsulates holding on to the past and rembering it with love.
2. “Everything you lose is a step you take.”
This lyric encapsulates a lesson most people have to learn. Our society constantly reminds us how losing is a bad thing, but a lot of the time when you lose, you gain something, too. This lyric came from Swift’s fifth track on her 10th studio album, Midnights. “You’re on your own, kid” takes you through growing up. Although complex, Swift gives encouraging advice, with this lyric being one of them. The moments we lose are more crucial than the moments we win. They make you work harder and try harder. Losing a game, a friendship, or a valuable item constantly helps us become the best possible versions of ourselves.
- “Sometimes, giving up is the strong thing. Sometimes, to run is the brave thing. Sometimes, walking out is the one thing that will find you the right thing.”
I could write a 10,000-word essay about this song. “It’s Time to Go” is a bonus track from Swift’s ninth studio album, Evermore. In this song, Swift talks about the familiar ache we get when our soul breaks; how when that feeling arises in our soul that’s also when we know that it’s time to go. Most people think that staying shows strength. I like to believe otherwise. I think that knowing your limit is a strong thing; being able to realize and say, “This is enough.” To me, leaving is scarier than staying since, most of the time, you are walking out on something you have always known. I relate to this song deeply. Moving on because you have had enough is not a sign of weakness; it is a sign of resilience and courage. It could bring you new opportunities and the happiest you’ll ever be.
Yes, Taylor Swift often writes about her boyfriends and relationships, but people forget everything is up to interpretation. It truly depends on how you look at it. These five examples are great examples of Swift embarking on a journey different from a romantic one.
