#and maybe it's just me being stressed beyond belief and a LITTLE emotionally unstable the past month but it's literally.

[eternalchant]

i keep goofing about it on twt but i for real feel like sleep token was created in a lab specifically for me

[tslyricx]

2. BLANK SPACE.

(Spoiler Alert: this is going to be a long-ass analysis, so grab your popcorn and join me in this crazy ride)

In an interview with Global News, Swift stated that she wrote this song from the perspective of a character she created based on claims made about her by the media. The character combines the various portrayals of her dating persona – being overly attached, dating just for publicity etc.

In “Blank Space,” this new persona has spotted a bad boy and although she knows he is trouble and that the relationship is doomed, she pursues him. This persona the media created seems to equally enjoy the over-the-top fantasy that comes from the first stages of love and the messy crash when her clingy, jealous, abusive side comes out. The music video for 1989’s second single was released on November 10th, 2014.

Taylor starts with a solid, direct flirt: “Nice to meet you, where you’ve been?” No hesitation here. “Where you been?“ may be her paraphrasing of the classic Prince Charming role-play — "Where have you been all my life?” — but she is not really the type to sit around lofts, or castles, waiting for guys to appear. It may just set up a rhyme with the next line. 

An antithesis is created between the next two lines: “Magic, madness, heaven, sin” Taylor predicts that the relationship is bound to be an exciting one, and due to the chemistry between them the sparks will feel like magic. However, she knows the boy is trouble and as a result it is completely reckless and mad of her to pursue him. But, she will regardless. This boy also seems as though he is a blessing sent from heaven. Coming out of a series of serious, rough and emotionally draining relationships Taylor needs something casual, carefree and fun. This is exactly what a fling with this boy has to offer. The pair of antithesis – “magic” and “madness” along with “heaven” and “sin” – emphasizes the temperamental nature of this character. She is saying a relationship with her promises to be crazy -fluctuating between wonderful and horrible.

Taylor saw how good this guy looked and couldn’t keep her eyes off his face. However, she explains in the next lyric that this little crush may only be temporary: “Saw you there, and thought Oh my God, look at that face” This could also be a reference to how famous some of her boyfriends have been in the past few years. All of them are very attractive with faces that have been publicized around the world.

The next line mocks the public’s perception that Taylor knowingly enters unstable relationships, or ruins a relationship simply to get a song out of it: “You look like my next mistake” 

Then, she decides to compare love to a game: “Love’s a game, wanna play?” There could be cheaters, losers, and winners, but none of it is very serious or important. When she asks him if he “[wants to] play,” she is offering him a chance to be on her long list of ex-lovers.

In the second verse, she focuses on materialistic things in these lines emphasizing how there is nothing true, deep or genuine about the relationship. It is purely for show and based on appearances. The man is clearly dapper, rich and successful. She can tell just by his attire exactly what type of person he is: “New money, suit and tie I can read you like a magazine” The use of the word “magazine” is also deliberate. It seems ridiculous for Swift to judge this individual based on his money and attire – and she is thus calling out the media who judge her when they don’t really know her true substance. Furthermore, Taylor is clearly well-off enough to not need to date a guy for his money. In these lines she ridicules the media that believes she dates guy to gain things from them. She specifically stresses that he is “new money”, meaning he recently came into his fortune (most likely on his own) and therefore does not have all the experience with this lifestyle that someone who is “old money” (wealth going back generations) has. There’s also an undertone that although Taylor can read him “like a magazine,” she isn’t so easy to read at all.

Taylor is one of the most “famous stars” in music, and with this popularity comes press coverage: “Ain’t funny? Rumors fly And I know you heard about me” She is often the face of ridiculous rumors. With this much media attention, there’s a pretty good chance that the boy she’s interested in has heard some rumors.

Taylor’s revealing her main theme here — dating can be great, it can be terrible, it can be anything. Not getting in too deep too quickly may be a good default move: “So hey let’s be friends” Actually, she makes it clear that she doesn’t expect this relationship to go anywhere good, but she’s interested in pursuing it anyway just to find out: “I’m dying how this one ends” In a tongue-in-cheek way, she suggests that she views her own relationships the way other people consume celebrity relationships, hoping each week to read about a terrible breakup or downfall. She isn’t going to be at all surprised when the relationship ends up being a total disaster; she might even be disappointed if it weren’t. Taylor is also playing up the reports that she dates just to break up and write hit songs about it. While mostly satirical, this line does reference a real shift in Taylor’s idea of love in this album. In an interview with Rolling Stone she is quoted to have said: “I think the way I used to approach relationships was very idealistic. I used to go into this thinking, ‘Maybe this is the one—we’ll get married and have a family, this could be forever.’ Whereas now I go in thinking, ‘How long do we have on the clock—before something comes along and puts a wrench in it, or your publicist calls and says this isn’t a good idea?’”

What’s more, Taylor wants to go on an adventure with her boy for the weekend. The fact that they can so quickly be whisked away indicates the whimsical, fast-paced nature of the relationship and also the lack of its solidity: “Grab your passport and my hand I can make the bad guys good for a weekend” This could also allude to the shortness in metaphorical time of her past boyfriends.  She once again, alludes to the idea that she cannot resist bad boys but will make them behave when they’re with her.

Then, Taylor presents only two options: the couple can end up getting married and spend forever together, or, more likely, they can have a heated fling followed by a volatile break-up: “So it’s gonna be forever Or it’s gonna go down in flames” The caricature Taylor uses in this song has no middle ground, and she gets into this relationship with the expectation that it’s destined to be short-lived. It’ll be passionate and heated for a short while, but eventually it’ll combust from its own energy.

It is said that Taylor compares a high from using drugs to the pleasant part of a relationship: it’s nice while it lasts, but it will eventually fade: “You can tell me when it’s over If the high was worth the pain”

MONDEGREEN alert! Many people mishear “list of ex-lovers” as “Starbucks lovers.” Adding to the confusion, Swift said she wrote Blank Space while in a Starbucks: “Got a long list of ex-lovers” In the Blank Space music video, Taylor said that the heartbreak-crazed Taylor is a character she played that was meant to be the media’s portrayal of her. Mentioning her list of exes is something that “character” would do. 

Swift has had a rather extensive list of ex-boyfriends but she has space for one more mistake. This is a brilliantly sarcastic line, mocking the media that constantly reports on Swift’s ex-boyfriends and obsessively investigates who all her songs are written about: “They’ll tell you I’m insane But I’ve got a blank space, baby And I’ll write your name” Obviously, it could also refer to her ex-boyfriends, or times when relationships don’t end amicably. Taylor’s boyfriend would start to comment, misjudge, and make disparaging remarks about her, which could lead to potential lovers avoiding Taylor because of what they’ve heard. This line is also alluding to her media portrayal. She’s a “blank space” because they think she has nothing in her brain. And she’s being sarcastic by saying that she’ll write him into her “blank space”. The blank space may also be on her heart and she’s ready to carve his name on it. Even though she’s had a lot of lovers, she still has room for more. Also, note that in the middle of this line, a clicking noise can be heard. This sound is meant to imitate that of a pen clicking. It gives the listener an image of Taylor actually writing out her new interest’s name.

The third verse highlights the fun, carefree nature of the relationship: “Cherry lips, crystal skies I can show you incredible things Stolen kisses, pretty lies You’re the King, baby I’m your Queen” Taylor in her signature red lips and a beautiful clear sky makes for a perfect day for an adventure. The idea of a King and Queen is brought into play, to indicate the fairytale, storybook nature of the wonderful first stages of the relationship. Underlying message: Taylor mocks the media’s view of her as a silly, vapid girl who is nothing but her pretty face. Words like “cherry lips” and “pretty lies” indicate how she is seen to be a manipulative person who has no substance beyond looks. A “king & queen” ideology is simplistic and childlike, harkening to the media’s portrayal of Taylor as childish.  Also, “pretty lies” might refer to the next line “you’re the king, baby, I’m your queen”. Taylor is obviously the queen. He’s the king…or is that just a pretty lie?

Rumors have gone around that Taylor will change who she is in order to impress a guy. The media essentially says she will do anything for a guy: “Find out what you want Be that girl for a month” This subtle innuendo calls them out while mocking the public’s belief that her relationships are short-lived. This lyric can also be taken feministically. Even though for a period of time, Swift may lead the boy on thinking he is dominant in the relationship, she will come back and claim her place as the queen.

The last line of this verse, and the first lines of the fouth allude to the rumors which claim that Swift is a crazy and psycho girlfriend: “Wait, the worst is yet to come Oh no Screaming, cryibg, perfect storms I can make all the tables turn Rose garden filled with thorns” She states that although she may seem pretty on the outside, like a rose garden, she is actually very dangerous and you will get hurt if you mess with her. She illustrates that the relationship will be a messy one, and her lover should be prepared for that. She may come off as naive, but internally she is a dominant female. Swift very clearly states that she is capable of many things. So, in many cases, this would be the perfect storm of “crying” (rain) and “screaming” (thunder). She illustrates the imagery into your head: she is a psychotic girlfriend.

Taylor Swift is often illustrated by the media as a clingy and jealous person. She is portrayed to be very paranoid about her boyfriends cheating: “Keep you second guessing like “Oh my God, who is she? I get drunk on jealousy” In these lines she’s taking a sly jab at the media and these rumors by deliberately stating that she will do exactly what they’re saying she’ll do. The “Oh my God, who is she” can be read as the guy doubting who Taylor really is in this new stage of the relationship. “But you’ll come back each time that you leave ‘Cause darling I’m a nightmare dressed like a daydream” As with the rest of the verse, these lines are meant to be viewed ironically. She is illustrating herself in the way the media often does. In this case, she is portrayed to be someone who lures men in with her good looks but once they enter into a relationship with her she becomes crazy and obsessive – and it is like a nightmare rather than what her current significant other might have perceived her to be. Also, of course, nightmare is recurring and terrible whereas a daydream is usually short and pleasant. Their love might seem short and pleasant, but realistically? It’s going to come back and haunt you. 

And, since they’re still young and imperfect, they will take their love to extreme lengths: “’Cause we’re young and reckless We’ll take this way too far It’ll leave you breathless Or with a nasty scar” They are also reckless with love, and often aren’t careful enough in relationships. They will allow themselves to fall for each other, further than what they should knowing the danger. This will potentially will leave them exhausted or scarred during that time. It also can be hinted that when looking back, it was always reckless decisions that lead to break ups.

Finally, the bridge shows that boys are often intrigued by mystery and drama; they don’t want “boring” good girls: “Boys only want love if it’s torture Don’t say I didn’t, say I didn’t warn ya  Boys only want love if it’s torture Don’t say I didnt, say I didn’t warn ya” She is thus warning her potential lover that he mustn’t expect her to be sweet and the relationship to be easy. If he enters into something with her, he must be prepared for a crazy ride. Swift uses the word “boy” purposefully to allude to a lack of maturity by her former partners.

What has Taylor said about the song?

Taylor explained:

“Some of the things I write about on a song like “Blank Space” are satire. You take your creative license and create things that are larger than life. You can write things like I get drunk on jealousy but you’ll come back each time you leave, ‘cause darling I’m a nightmare dressed like a daydream. That is not my approach to relationships. But is it cool to write the narrative of a girl who’s crazy but seductive but glamorous but nuts but manipulative? That was the character I felt the media had written for me, and for a long time I felt hurt by it. I took it personally. But as time went by, I realized it was kind of hilarious.”

She went on to explain:

“Every few years the media finds something they unanimously agree is annoying about me. 2012-2013 they thought I was dating too much, because I dated two people in a year and a half: ‘Oh, a serial dater. She only writes songs to get emotional revenge on guys. She’s a man-hater, don’t let her near your boyfriend.’ It was kind of excessive and at first it was hurtful, but then I found a little bit of comedy in it. This character is so interesting though. If you read these gossip sites, they describe how I am so opposite my actual life: I’m clingy and I’m awful and I throw fits and there’s drama. An emotionally fragile, unpredictable mess. I painted a whole picture of this character: she lives in a mansion with marble floors, she wears Dolce & Gabbana around the house, and she wears animal print unironically. So I created this whole character and I had fun doing it. Half the people got the joke, half the people thought I was really owning the fact that I’m a psychopath. Either one’s fine. It was #1 for eight or nine weeks, so I have no complaints.”

She also explained the meaning of the line “boys only want love if it’s torture”:

“I was thinking about this. Boys only want love if it’s torture and a constant chase. Men want love if it’s real, right, healthy and consistent.”

Where did this song chart on the Billboards? “Blank Space” went from #13 to #1 in one week dethroning her own song “Shake It Off” from the #1 spot. This was the first time a female dethroned herself in Billboard Hot 100’s 56 year history. For more information you can read about it here.

Favorite lyrics: The whole song, but especially: “Darling, I'm a nightmare dressed like a daydream”

Album: 1989 released on October 27, 2014.

Witten by: Taylor Swift, Shellback & Max Martin.

Picture: Polaroid picture from the Deluxe Edition artwork for Taylor Swift’s 1989 album.

Source: https://genius.com/Taylor-swift-blank-space-lyrics