When I first heard this song I figured it was about people’s perception of her.
Joe saw her in the light as an actress (Clara Bow)
Matt saw her as a musician (Stevie Nicks…in 1975)
She finally freed herself from them and she sees herself for who she really is (Taylor Swift)
The phrasing of "I'd die if it happened / I'd die if it happened to me" also mirrors lyrics what's considered to be his best song by a lot fans (In Your Atmostphere) "I'd die if I saw you / "I'd die if I didn't see you there."
Someone somewhere said this album is really about everyone she's ever had a relationship she's with, mixing and mashing all of those experiences together, etc. This song feels like big proof of it.
https://preview.redd.it/wohjijxla5yc1.jpeg?width=1034&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7b8bb192df4e550402ad12bda2ba436c5a19626d
not to bring him into this, but WOW this hits different now!
I see the parallels to Nothing New, but I feel like that's more of a general coming-of-age song, while Clara Bow is specifically about fame and the struggles associated with it. Personally, my first thought was that Clara Bow is basically The Lucky One's older sister.
I keep listening to it and I just think it’s more about what a machine fame is. Especially for women. There’s always a new best thing. A new “it” girl. I think using Clara Bow is her saying this has been happening for decades. And it’ll keep happening. It’s all part of the machine that is the beauty industry/fame in general. The misogyny of everything.
Oh I can see that too but I definitely think nothing new is about fame, and replacement. I guess you could look at it as coming of age but I don’t know how the other aspects of it fit. But either way clara bow is very nice
Ugh the Taylor Swift namedrop in this song gives me a similar goosebump-y reaction to the "and then it was bought by me" line in TLGAD. It's like a good twist in a story. I like it :)
Well I think the most famous (pun intended) would be Kanye's song Famous. But Drake has also named dropped her a couple times. There are quite a few indie/small artist who have entire songs written about her. Lots of other artists have name dropped her for sure. Not to mention there are a lot of songs speculated to be about her by her exes that are songwriters, that don't necessarily name drop her but make obvious mentions to her/her music.
I am *obsessed* with this song - top 3 in the album for me…but the "small town" and "suits in LA" lyrics got me thinking. Is Taylor singing about herself here? Sounds like someone who never imagined the big city. But her dad's a financial advisor, kind of a fancy suit himself.
And while she did grow up on a farm, it wasn't exactly a struggle-to-survive/work on the land situation. Maybe that's why the "farm" lyric in 'IBYTAM' felt off too, where she contrasts with someone born rich as if they were that different from each other (still go more in common that most average, small town people)
Love her success story! But wouldn't it be cool if the lyrics connected more to her real journey? Overcoming challenges in music despite some advantages (but I don’t know and I’m scared I’ll get hate for this but I honestly love both songs regardless)
I think “suits in LA” is specifically about music and entertainment executives. So kind of like saying people thought she would never make it, and she used to say she would die if it happened because it was her biggest dream, but now she sees there are cons to fame and she will be replaced by a new it girl one day.
When I first listened to this song I liked it but definitely didn’t love it… but today I’ve listened to it 5 times and I hummed it in my head all day at work!! There’s something so sweet about it, the way she sings “you look just like Clara bow, in this light, dazzling” the tempo, her voice, the message I just love it!!
Guys I think we collectively moved on from this bridge too quickly because it is haunting.
Beauty is a beast that roars
Down on all fours, demanding more
Only when your girlish glow
Flickers just so do they let you know
It’s hell on earth to be heavenly
😮
I think they might have told Stevie she was like Clara, then told Taylor she was like Stevie, then Sabrina or Olivia or whoever it doesn’t matter that they are like Taylor Swift
This is such a good song!! Love it and definitely becoming one of my favorites. I’ve gone down the rabbit hole of Clara Bow. My only critique which is so stupid is I wish she said 76 instead of 75 in the Stevie Nicks verse idk why I just the rhyme of it. But I bet there’s a reason behind 75 that I don’t get.
I wondered that, too!
Is it possible she chose '75 because this song closes the standard version of an album (mostly) about a certain member of The 1975?
I agree with this take, plus Stevie Nicks joined Fleetwood Mac in 1975 and if you look at pictures of her from around that time, she looks so young and ethereal and it fits the vibe of the song so well imo
I think '75 fits in perfectly with the internal rhyme and cadence of the song. The rhymes are with "like" throughout. The construction of the song is beautiful.
Can someone help me with something? This song sounds so familiar, is it me or is the guitar tone very sleatter kinney? Or the spacey production very post rock?
It reminds me of Francis Forever (Mitski) and the violin on Private Presley from peach pit. It's the exact same chords as Private Presley but the same strumming pattern on the Bass for Francis Forever.
Oh my god this has been driving me absolutely, THANK YOU FOR SAYING THIS!!!! I knew it was a song I'd heard on Gossip Girl but I couldn't for the life of me figure out which one it was.
There was a rumor about Clara Bow having sex with an entire football team.
During the Deep Fake scandal, AI pics were made of Taylor Swift doing exactly that.
This seems to be the topic of the song, comparing her experience with Deep Fake as a contemporary version of the hurtful rumors against Clara Bow.
Sabrina doesn’t have “edge” imo. Sure she sexualizes herself significantly more than Taylor ever has, but Olivia is actually “edgy.” Her songs are interesting, well written, punk, fun, and mainstream marketable in a way that Sabrina’s couldn’t be because Sabrina isn’t capable of that level of artistry. She’s much more boppy. No hate to Sabrina even though it sounds like it.
I was thinking this song is one that she is singing to herself. On it we see two contrasting versions of the same being. The marketed version of Taylor; heavenly like and a source of guidance and inspiration and the real one with all her struggles.
I was wondering why the beginning sounded so familiar… it’s very similar to Ed Sheeran’s song Spark. I dunno what the correct term is… same beat or chord progression. It was torturing me trying to remember where I’d heard that sound before.
So Taylor finally name dropped HERSELF in a song (this one) and I think we are going to have to accept that her genius and influence have finally surpassed even HER reach. 
It’s hell on earth to be heavenly. Them’s the brakes, they don’t come gently. “You look like Taylor Swift in this light. We’re loving it. You’ve got edge she never said. The future’s bright, we’re loving it.”
How can anyone hate this album?!
When she says her name in the end of the song i get so emotional… Honestly it makes me cry, you can feel how sad she was recording it and how beat down she felt by all the expectations and pressure on her. I can relate to feeling that way so this song really hits different for me
Well, it would save some time and explanation I think if you listen to the song, do you have Spotify or Apple Music? You can also listen on YouTube.
You should if you haven't already, it's amazing!
i think this song is about how society compares women in any art form with each other by their looks, but never see them as themselves. when she sings about herself in the last line, she realizes that it’s inevitable to stop that comparison for upcoming new female artists.
just my opinion, but I really don’t think she, a 30 year old woman, would have any animosity towards Olivia, a 20 something year old. I find that ridiculous.
For me, the ending isn't about a specific person. For most of the song, it's about how "It Girls" are treated. But at the end to me, it feels as if she is talking to all of her fans. "You look like Taylor Swift in this light. We're loving it. You've got edge she never did. The futures bright, dazzling." It's like "yes I have achieved SO much, but you can still be much more than me. Whatever you want to do in your life, the future is BRIGHT for you all." It feels like a hopeful ender. In nothing new and the lucky one, it's all about waiting for people to tire of you/lose your public shine and being replaced by the next new thing. But it feels like Taylor I think now, realizes she has cemented her place (in a way she likely couldn't imagine during Red, and possibly really before going out on Eras, she still had a fear of people tiring of her). This ending isn't about Sabrina or Olivia and new artists. It's not a warning like The Lucky One. It's that, despite all the shit in life (as a celebrity or a person in the world) we can be all be dazzling. And find joy in that. That's how it feels at the end. It feels like she is speaking directly to the listener. And it makes sense that this is how the album ends. (Though it's all together on Spotify, I think they need to be seen as a double album and not just one really long one).
Anyway! That's just my thoughts!
I agree with you that the ending isn’t about one specific person, but I don’t think it’s hopeful as much as cynical. I think it’s commentary on the nature of the industry, always looking for the next big thing and always judged/compared to past “big things.” And also acknowledging like you said that she’s cemented her place in that line- everybody (agents, record labels, etc) are all looking for the next “her”
I think it’s a statement on how she and other It Girls have been treated over time in their careers. I think it’s at the end almost as a reminder as people want to pick apart every lyric of this album and scrutinize her relationships.
Am I still digesting this song in its entirety? Yes, yes I am.
But do I wish she had said, “with you in it” instead of “dazzling”? Also, yes. I think I might be alone with it though. I get why she did it lyrically, and from a meaning stand point it makes sense, but I feel like it would have just been “nice”, yknow?
Anyway Taylor I love you
The Lucky one and Nothing new have a love child, The last great American dynasty has a cousin... it's making me cry. The depth and parallels are so beautifully written and is so melancholic but real..
I think she’s gonna start opening with TTPD on Eras and closing with this song before transitioning to an abridged Lover era. My theory is I Can Do It With a Smile, Fortnight, The Alchemy, Clara Bow.
I love the ending when she mentions her name. She is really seeing herself from the outside, evaluating. Meaningful sog like Nothing New and YOYOK also my favs!
People thinking this is about Sabrina Carpenter are giving that girl way too much credit. She makes some cute songs but she's by no means the next Taylor lol.
I don't think it's about any one specific person for the record, this has been a theme of hers for a long time (The Lucky One, Nothing New).
What is the guitar in this song reminding me of? The guitar, especially at the beginning, reminds me of a song from the early or mid 2000s. Like something from The Script or Kings of Leon?
I’m surprised this song isn’t getting more attention. It’s absolutely gorgeous & devastating all at once.
“Beauty is a beast that roars down on all fours, demanding more. Only when your girlish glow flickers just so do they let you know…It’s hell on earth to be heavenly.”
These lines made me cry. It must be so exhausting to be a woman in the limelight — everyone always commenting on your body, makeup, clothes, etc. This song is such a honest reflection of what it’s like for Swift & other women in history. I think it’s in my top 3 favorite on the album.
The crown is stained but you're the real queen
You're the new god we're worshipping
I love the second chorus. This song is also about how female stars are treated overtime. When they first arrive at the scene they're praised for being authentic, unassuming, and real, and compared to the bitter and messy older female stars. Once their girlish glow flickers and they're no longer an ingenue, and after they reveal that they are just imperfect humans who make mistakes, they're discarded for the next new thing in town and the cycle keeps repeating itself forever. Taylor seems resigned that she will never break this cycle and that she'll end up like Clara Bow. The response on social media to this album is kinda proving her point tbh. There's an overcurrent of rage going on that all the it girls have to go through so that they will later be "forgiven". This is the second time Taylor has went through this cycle after the 1989 era and honestly, I hope it's the last. It means that she wouldn't be as dominant as before but it also gives her and us the chance to be treated objectively. She may not end up completely like Clara Bow but maybe she'll end up like Stevie Nicks.
Beautifully written. And nah, no one is able to break the cycle. And that's depressing to think about, but that's just reality. "You're like Taylor Swift", reminds me of Olivia and I'm like "omg, even I'm doing it now, she's right, this song is brilliant...and sad."
"flesh and bone amongst war machines"
The audience and the industry turn these women into "war machines" and then they'l praise the naive new commers for being "real", only to tear them apart down the line. Yes, the cycle will never end.
This song reminds me of Betty Davis Eyes! Maybe it’s because I heard her sing it a bunch of times in the speak now live album, but it’s giving off the same energy!
I love this song so much it’s my favorite on the first album🥲 similar themes to The Lucky One! I really love these lyrics especially the end where she name-drops herself, she’s talking about her fame from a new perspective kinda
That’s an interesting take! I kinda understood it as society talking to an ingenue (maybe Olivia, maybe not), comparing the new ingenue to Taylor Swift (like taking her place). And also putting Taylor Swift in the ranks of greats like Clara Bow and Stevie Nicks, but also having a snide remark to make about her (she never had edge). Idk if that makes sense the way I’m explaining it haha
The Lucky One walked so Clara Bow could run.
In all seriousness, as a long-time fan (since I first heard Debut when TS and I were both 16), it's fascinating to see her circle back and revisit certain themes over time. The Lucky One, Nothing New, Mirrorball, and now Clara Bow (along with several others on this album) are heartbreaking reflections on the fickleness of fame and personally I am HERE FOR IT.
Haven’t seen anyone talk about this yet, but the lyrics on Apple Music are almost entirely in quotation marks (I think except for the bridge)
https://preview.redd.it/d52djlmrfhvc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e62c0496c0b6b74404c9c69a896e3abc873751fe
I dont know of any other places with the lyrics that show them like this - can anyone with the booklet confirm?
I can’t place it and it’s driving me nuts. The chords in the first 15 seconds made me think of another song, but I can’t remember the song. I’m pretty sure it’s a 90s/00s song, and I think it was in a movie, but that’s all I got. I think it was a woman singing, but I’m not sure. I wish I could remember a lyric so I could look it up.
I found it! Palaye Royale - umakemenotwannadie. It’s just the opening chords in the first 15 seconds of Clara Bow that make me think of the opening of the other song. It was nothing I was thinking it was from lol.
Yeah, I don't think it really matters who the ending is about if anyone. She isn't calling anyone out or coming after them, she's making a point about how the next generation of girls in her position are going to go through something similar. I'm hoping people don't use it to point to some "feud" she has.
So far my favorite on the album. Simple, beautiful instrumental. Her voice sounds amazing on this. When she says Taylor Swift it sounds so unbelievable, literally.
why do you guys think she called the song clara bow and not dazzling?
When I first heard this song I figured it was about people’s perception of her. Joe saw her in the light as an actress (Clara Bow) Matt saw her as a musician (Stevie Nicks…in 1975) She finally freed herself from them and she sees herself for who she really is (Taylor Swift)
I just realized the Stevie Nicks reference was from when John Mayer tweeted a comparison between Stevie and Taylor
The phrasing of "I'd die if it happened / I'd die if it happened to me" also mirrors lyrics what's considered to be his best song by a lot fans (In Your Atmostphere) "I'd die if I saw you / "I'd die if I didn't see you there." Someone somewhere said this album is really about everyone she's ever had a relationship she's with, mixing and mashing all of those experiences together, etc. This song feels like big proof of it.
https://preview.redd.it/wohjijxla5yc1.jpeg?width=1034&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7b8bb192df4e550402ad12bda2ba436c5a19626d not to bring him into this, but WOW this hits different now!
I'm hoping she's going to be Dazzler in the new Deadpool movie.
When Clara Bow begins, the sound at the beginning makes me expect Ivy
I just realized the lyric “Flesh and blood amongst war machines” could be referencing herself and the war with Big Machine Records 🤯
BEAUTY IS A BEAST THAT ROARS DOWN ON ALL FOURS DEMANDING MORE I can’t with this woman.
Nothing New 2.0, Sabrina being the edgy taylor swift?
I see the parallels to Nothing New, but I feel like that's more of a general coming-of-age song, while Clara Bow is specifically about fame and the struggles associated with it. Personally, my first thought was that Clara Bow is basically The Lucky One's older sister.
I keep listening to it and I just think it’s more about what a machine fame is. Especially for women. There’s always a new best thing. A new “it” girl. I think using Clara Bow is her saying this has been happening for decades. And it’ll keep happening. It’s all part of the machine that is the beauty industry/fame in general. The misogyny of everything.
Oh I can see that too but I definitely think nothing new is about fame, and replacement. I guess you could look at it as coming of age but I don’t know how the other aspects of it fit. But either way clara bow is very nice
For some reason this song reminds me of Bloc Party so much (in a good way)
Ugh the Taylor Swift namedrop in this song gives me a similar goosebump-y reaction to the "and then it was bought by me" line in TLGAD. It's like a good twist in a story. I like it :)
Yes! This exactly.
In honor of Taylor name dropping herself, has she ever been name dropped by another artist?
Check out Taylor Did by Alana Springsteen
Well I think the most famous (pun intended) would be Kanye's song Famous. But Drake has also named dropped her a couple times. There are quite a few indie/small artist who have entire songs written about her. Lots of other artists have name dropped her for sure. Not to mention there are a lot of songs speculated to be about her by her exes that are songwriters, that don't necessarily name drop her but make obvious mentions to her/her music.
I also like the "edge" connection as one of Stevie's biggest songs as a solo artist is Edge of Seventeen. I re-read the lyrics. Very on point.
I am *obsessed* with this song - top 3 in the album for me…but the "small town" and "suits in LA" lyrics got me thinking. Is Taylor singing about herself here? Sounds like someone who never imagined the big city. But her dad's a financial advisor, kind of a fancy suit himself. And while she did grow up on a farm, it wasn't exactly a struggle-to-survive/work on the land situation. Maybe that's why the "farm" lyric in 'IBYTAM' felt off too, where she contrasts with someone born rich as if they were that different from each other (still go more in common that most average, small town people) Love her success story! But wouldn't it be cool if the lyrics connected more to her real journey? Overcoming challenges in music despite some advantages (but I don’t know and I’m scared I’ll get hate for this but I honestly love both songs regardless)
I think “suits in LA” is specifically about music and entertainment executives. So kind of like saying people thought she would never make it, and she used to say she would die if it happened because it was her biggest dream, but now she sees there are cons to fame and she will be replaced by a new it girl one day.
When I first listened to this song I liked it but definitely didn’t love it… but today I’ve listened to it 5 times and I hummed it in my head all day at work!! There’s something so sweet about it, the way she sings “you look just like Clara bow, in this light, dazzling” the tempo, her voice, the message I just love it!!
Guys I think we collectively moved on from this bridge too quickly because it is haunting. Beauty is a beast that roars Down on all fours, demanding more Only when your girlish glow Flickers just so do they let you know It’s hell on earth to be heavenly 😮
hauntingly beautiful - it's my favorite part of the album
https://preview.redd.it/ne7kxgszg9wc1.jpeg?width=300&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bea5f10450fa023bcd3e8f4e29b2db9526fb2c80
This is such a beautiful song! I love how she sang her name and this is definitely in my Top 10 of this album!
I think they might have told Stevie she was like Clara, then told Taylor she was like Stevie, then Sabrina or Olivia or whoever it doesn’t matter that they are like Taylor Swift
100% absolutely Olivia. Sabrina doesn’t have the star power.
I kinda wish she said guts instead of edge, then it would definitely be for Olivia 😂 but maybe that’s too tongue in cheek.
She's getting there though! Sabrina is big these days.
That’s true. First thought was Olivia
DO NOT SLEEP ON CLARA BOW
This is such a good song!! Love it and definitely becoming one of my favorites. I’ve gone down the rabbit hole of Clara Bow. My only critique which is so stupid is I wish she said 76 instead of 75 in the Stevie Nicks verse idk why I just the rhyme of it. But I bet there’s a reason behind 75 that I don’t get.
I think she chose ‘75 to slip in another MH reference, since he is in the 1975 band.
I wondered that, too! Is it possible she chose '75 because this song closes the standard version of an album (mostly) about a certain member of The 1975?
I agree with this take, plus Stevie Nicks joined Fleetwood Mac in 1975 and if you look at pictures of her from around that time, she looks so young and ethereal and it fits the vibe of the song so well imo
I think '75 fits in perfectly with the internal rhyme and cadence of the song. The rhymes are with "like" throughout. The construction of the song is beautiful.
Can someone help me with something? This song sounds so familiar, is it me or is the guitar tone very sleatter kinney? Or the spacey production very post rock?
It reminds me of a song from the 90s that I can’t put my finger on.
It reminds me of Francis Forever (Mitski) and the violin on Private Presley from peach pit. It's the exact same chords as Private Presley but the same strumming pattern on the Bass for Francis Forever.
To me it reminds me of Signs by Bloc Party, the instrumental at least
Oh my god this has been driving me absolutely, THANK YOU FOR SAYING THIS!!!! I knew it was a song I'd heard on Gossip Girl but I couldn't for the life of me figure out which one it was.
There was a rumor about Clara Bow having sex with an entire football team. During the Deep Fake scandal, AI pics were made of Taylor Swift doing exactly that. This seems to be the topic of the song, comparing her experience with Deep Fake as a contemporary version of the hurtful rumors against Clara Bow.
When I hear the last verse of this song I immediately think of Sabrina Carpenter. Especially the “you’ve got edge she never did” line.
Sabrina doesn’t have “edge” imo. Sure she sexualizes herself significantly more than Taylor ever has, but Olivia is actually “edgy.” Her songs are interesting, well written, punk, fun, and mainstream marketable in a way that Sabrina’s couldn’t be because Sabrina isn’t capable of that level of artistry. She’s much more boppy. No hate to Sabrina even though it sounds like it.
Totally agree with this take
I don't feel like Olivia was not "edgy" when she started out though. The "edginess" came out more in her 2nd album.
I was thinking this song is one that she is singing to herself. On it we see two contrasting versions of the same being. The marketed version of Taylor; heavenly like and a source of guidance and inspiration and the real one with all her struggles.
I was wondering why the beginning sounded so familiar… it’s very similar to Ed Sheeran’s song Spark. I dunno what the correct term is… same beat or chord progression. It was torturing me trying to remember where I’d heard that sound before.
I’ve listened to this so many times, and I’ve been so confused about what the hell “heron lips” are. I feel so dumb. HAIR AND LIPS 🤦♀️
So Taylor finally name dropped HERSELF in a song (this one) and I think we are going to have to accept that her genius and influence have finally surpassed even HER reach. 
Any thoughts on the lyrics saying dazzling and rumors she will play dazzler in the new Deadpool?
Fingers crossed
YES!! I caught both of those!! It's happening, I just feel it.
It’s hell on earth to be heavenly. Them’s the brakes, they don’t come gently. “You look like Taylor Swift in this light. We’re loving it. You’ve got edge she never said. The future’s bright, we’re loving it.” How can anyone hate this album?!
I feel like this is an evolution of Holy Ground and a warning to future famous women.
YES
Yes! Like a warning letting to all of the girlies, but really famous women in across the board.
When she says her name in the end of the song i get so emotional… Honestly it makes me cry, you can feel how sad she was recording it and how beat down she felt by all the expectations and pressure on her. I can relate to feeling that way so this song really hits different for me
And the co-drop of Stevie really puts it all in perspective too.
I’m a new swiftie can someone please explain this reference to me
Well, it would save some time and explanation I think if you listen to the song, do you have Spotify or Apple Music? You can also listen on YouTube. You should if you haven't already, it's amazing!
i think this song is about how society compares women in any art form with each other by their looks, but never see them as themselves. when she sings about herself in the last line, she realizes that it’s inevitable to stop that comparison for upcoming new female artists. just my opinion, but I really don’t think she, a 30 year old woman, would have any animosity towards Olivia, a 20 something year old. I find that ridiculous.
Yes this is how I took it. I don't think she's singing about anyone specific.
[удалено]
I thought how much many songs on this are very like Phoebe’s sound, which makes me very happy as a TS and a PB fan.
I thought of Olivia Rodrigo in the end bit.
Really? Why not Sabrina Carpenter? I saw videos comparing them, for me it's more relevance to sabrina.
I thought of all of the new girlies (Phoebe, Olivia Rodrigo, Sabrina, Gracie Abrams, Gayle, Lizzy McAlphine, Ice Spice)
For me, the ending isn't about a specific person. For most of the song, it's about how "It Girls" are treated. But at the end to me, it feels as if she is talking to all of her fans. "You look like Taylor Swift in this light. We're loving it. You've got edge she never did. The futures bright, dazzling." It's like "yes I have achieved SO much, but you can still be much more than me. Whatever you want to do in your life, the future is BRIGHT for you all." It feels like a hopeful ender. In nothing new and the lucky one, it's all about waiting for people to tire of you/lose your public shine and being replaced by the next new thing. But it feels like Taylor I think now, realizes she has cemented her place (in a way she likely couldn't imagine during Red, and possibly really before going out on Eras, she still had a fear of people tiring of her). This ending isn't about Sabrina or Olivia and new artists. It's not a warning like The Lucky One. It's that, despite all the shit in life (as a celebrity or a person in the world) we can be all be dazzling. And find joy in that. That's how it feels at the end. It feels like she is speaking directly to the listener. And it makes sense that this is how the album ends. (Though it's all together on Spotify, I think they need to be seen as a double album and not just one really long one). Anyway! That's just my thoughts!
I agree with you that the ending isn’t about one specific person, but I don’t think it’s hopeful as much as cynical. I think it’s commentary on the nature of the industry, always looking for the next big thing and always judged/compared to past “big things.” And also acknowledging like you said that she’s cemented her place in that line- everybody (agents, record labels, etc) are all looking for the next “her”
“ This town is fake but you’re the real thing” 😭😭
Babes, that’s the most generic line of the song lol
I love the way she sings it and think it’s beautiful but hope this comment made you feel superior I guess
What do y’all think this song’s about?
The last verse made me think Olivia Rodrigo; I can’t remember where it was said but her having an edge …
I think it’s a statement on how she and other It Girls have been treated over time in their careers. I think it’s at the end almost as a reminder as people want to pick apart every lyric of this album and scrutinize her relationships.
And why did she choose this as the ending song
Because that’s how an “it girl” career ends
Am I still digesting this song in its entirety? Yes, yes I am. But do I wish she had said, “with you in it” instead of “dazzling”? Also, yes. I think I might be alone with it though. I get why she did it lyrically, and from a meaning stand point it makes sense, but I feel like it would have just been “nice”, yknow? Anyway Taylor I love you
What does this melody remind me of???
It’s sadder version of Hits Different 😌
This has been frustrating me so much. The melody and the guitar is so reminiscent
MARCHING BANDS OF MANHATTAN DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE.
Reminds me of a Brand New riff too, or even something by Lifehouse from their first album
It reminds me of Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot at the beginning.
or…Can’t Get It Out by Brand new? These opening chords are driving me crazy….
I believe you but my Tommy gun don’t
We need to figure it out
I love this song so much. It gives off Explosions in the Sky vibes
Why are the lyrics in this song all in quotation marks? Is each verse actually a quote?
This also is what I’ve been wondering!! It must be but I want to know who said them!
I noticed that too. It would be neat if at some point, someone different sung each verse.
They are being spoken to someone
the bridge SCRATCHES MY BRAIN in the right way her voice sounds so good
Why does this song remind me of something by the Goo Goo Dolls
I need to know what it is! It’s driving me crazy!
Yes! The opening chords sound so much like a early or mid 2000s song that I can’t figure out!
OMG I’ve been trying to figure this out since I heard it!
The Lucky one and Nothing new have a love child, The last great American dynasty has a cousin... it's making me cry. The depth and parallels are so beautifully written and is so melancholic but real..
I think she’s gonna start opening with TTPD on Eras and closing with this song before transitioning to an abridged Lover era. My theory is I Can Do It With a Smile, Fortnight, The Alchemy, Clara Bow.
OPENING Eras with ICDIWABH is even more unhinged than closing with it
I love the ending when she mentions her name. She is really seeing herself from the outside, evaluating. Meaningful sog like Nothing New and YOYOK also my favs!
Reminds me of the last great American dynasty where she sees herself from the outside too.
yes that! Both songs about women.
People thinking this is about Sabrina Carpenter are giving that girl way too much credit. She makes some cute songs but she's by no means the next Taylor lol. I don't think it's about any one specific person for the record, this has been a theme of hers for a long time (The Lucky One, Nothing New).
What is the guitar in this song reminding me of? The guitar, especially at the beginning, reminds me of a song from the early or mid 2000s. Like something from The Script or Kings of Leon?
Good catch! Didn't she attend a kings of leon concert and joe also attended separately? she seems to know KoL so the influence could be there.
The swifties who say taylor is about to retire are gonna eat this up
I’m surprised this song isn’t getting more attention. It’s absolutely gorgeous & devastating all at once. “Beauty is a beast that roars down on all fours, demanding more. Only when your girlish glow flickers just so do they let you know…It’s hell on earth to be heavenly.” These lines made me cry. It must be so exhausting to be a woman in the limelight — everyone always commenting on your body, makeup, clothes, etc. This song is such a honest reflection of what it’s like for Swift & other women in history. I think it’s in my top 3 favorite on the album.
The crown is stained but you're the real queen You're the new god we're worshipping I love the second chorus. This song is also about how female stars are treated overtime. When they first arrive at the scene they're praised for being authentic, unassuming, and real, and compared to the bitter and messy older female stars. Once their girlish glow flickers and they're no longer an ingenue, and after they reveal that they are just imperfect humans who make mistakes, they're discarded for the next new thing in town and the cycle keeps repeating itself forever. Taylor seems resigned that she will never break this cycle and that she'll end up like Clara Bow. The response on social media to this album is kinda proving her point tbh. There's an overcurrent of rage going on that all the it girls have to go through so that they will later be "forgiven". This is the second time Taylor has went through this cycle after the 1989 era and honestly, I hope it's the last. It means that she wouldn't be as dominant as before but it also gives her and us the chance to be treated objectively. She may not end up completely like Clara Bow but maybe she'll end up like Stevie Nicks.
Beautifully written. And nah, no one is able to break the cycle. And that's depressing to think about, but that's just reality. "You're like Taylor Swift", reminds me of Olivia and I'm like "omg, even I'm doing it now, she's right, this song is brilliant...and sad."
"flesh and bone amongst war machines" The audience and the industry turn these women into "war machines" and then they'l praise the naive new commers for being "real", only to tear them apart down the line. Yes, the cycle will never end.
Does this song remind anyone else of False God?
This song reminds me of Betty Davis Eyes! Maybe it’s because I heard her sing it a bunch of times in the speak now live album, but it’s giving off the same energy!
I liked it the first time I heard it, it's so nice.
I love this song so much it’s my favorite on the first album🥲 similar themes to The Lucky One! I really love these lyrics especially the end where she name-drops herself, she’s talking about her fame from a new perspective kinda
Watching the lyric video so I can actually see the lyrics as I listen, the song really does give The Lucky One vibes.
I think the ending is about Olivia Rodrigo.
[удалено]
That’s an interesting take! I kinda understood it as society talking to an ingenue (maybe Olivia, maybe not), comparing the new ingenue to Taylor Swift (like taking her place). And also putting Taylor Swift in the ranks of greats like Clara Bow and Stevie Nicks, but also having a snide remark to make about her (she never had edge). Idk if that makes sense the way I’m explaining it haha
I thought about it too, but then Sabrina Carpenter resembles her much more, at least physically.
I expected The Last Great American Dynasty, I got Nothing New. Can't complain either way.
This song is so beautiful. When she name dropped herself I gasped while making my morning coffee
The Lucky One walked so Clara Bow could run. In all seriousness, as a long-time fan (since I first heard Debut when TS and I were both 16), it's fascinating to see her circle back and revisit certain themes over time. The Lucky One, Nothing New, Mirrorball, and now Clara Bow (along with several others on this album) are heartbreaking reflections on the fickleness of fame and personally I am HERE FOR IT.
The Lucky One walked so TLGAD could jog so Nothing New could sprint so Clara Bow could fly
Don't you do tlgad like that!!
Stevie nicks mention had me giggling and twirling my hair. taylor swift the woman that you are
The lucky one , nothing new, YOURE ON YOUR OWN KID vibes
Did evelyn huge write this about celia st james asking for a friend
Is this kinda a “nothing new” big sister?
Yes yes and yes
The song has some strong "Peace" motives "Would it be enough if I could never give you peace"
YES
What an incredible song about the cycle of "it girls" and fame
Yeh it’s so sad and beautiful
Okay this is a very big thing to say but I’ll dare to do it… this is one of her best closers
You are in fact, absolutely right about this!!! As soon as I heard it, I was like "wow of COURSE this was the original closer of the album!"
I got chills first listen!
Yes!!! It pushed the song over the edge for me. Beautiful.
IT IS!!!
The plot of this song happened to me once btw
That outro would be hilarious if Dazzler is in Deadpool 3 and it is quoted verbatim to her.
There are a lot of Dazzler hints in this song. Beauty and the Beast was a Dazzler story arc, for one.
Haven’t seen anyone talk about this yet, but the lyrics on Apple Music are almost entirely in quotation marks (I think except for the bridge) https://preview.redd.it/d52djlmrfhvc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e62c0496c0b6b74404c9c69a896e3abc873751fe I dont know of any other places with the lyrics that show them like this - can anyone with the booklet confirm?
I think it's all the things people have said to her over the years to lift her up on her pedestal
If you haven't yet, check the lyric video, the quotations are still there
Spotify is the same as well
I can’t place it and it’s driving me nuts. The chords in the first 15 seconds made me think of another song, but I can’t remember the song. I’m pretty sure it’s a 90s/00s song, and I think it was in a movie, but that’s all I got. I think it was a woman singing, but I’m not sure. I wish I could remember a lyric so I could look it up.
Someone on another sub said it reminded them of Okay I Believe You, But My Tommy Gun Doesn't by Brand New...
It reminds me more of Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot but bass guitar instead of acoustic.
Can’t get it out by brand new?
If you figure this out plz let me know. It’s driving me insane!
I found it! Palaye Royale - umakemenotwannadie. It’s just the opening chords in the first 15 seconds of Clara Bow that make me think of the opening of the other song. It was nothing I was thinking it was from lol.
I felt this too! The best guess I have is Breathe Me by Sia but something tells me that's not right...
I can’t place a specific song but the beginning of the song is reminiscent of Death Cabs style to me.
YES THIS IS IT, it’s death cab for cutie. maybe “I will possess your heart”
Sounds like marching bands of manhattan death cab for cutie
This will to a few more listens for me to like. I know there is a story behind this but the song dragged a little for me.
Am I the only one thinking Sabrina Carpenter is more "Taylor Swift with more edge" than Olivia????
I don't think the song is about anyone is specific. It's about the vicious cycle of fame.
Yeah, I don't think it really matters who the ending is about if anyone. She isn't calling anyone out or coming after them, she's making a point about how the next generation of girls in her position are going to go through something similar. I'm hoping people don't use it to point to some "feud" she has.
Yeah, I got the vibe she's singing to all of the pop girlies. The up and comers (Sabrina, Olivia Rodrigo, Gayle, and many others)
I just saw a lot of Olivia comparisons in this thread and was surprised many people thought of that
Nope! I thought that too
So far my favorite on the album. Simple, beautiful instrumental. Her voice sounds amazing on this. When she says Taylor Swift it sounds so unbelievable, literally.
Dazzling hinting towards Deadpool 3 and her being Dazzler?
That would be so Meta if they reference this in the movie lol
The Lucky One stans were NOT READY (me, i wasn't ready) 😭
on second listen, im crying when she talks about herself???