(No, nothing good starts in a getaway car)

It was the best of times, the worst of crimes
I struck a match and blew your mind
But I didn't mean it and you didn't see it
The ties were black, the lies were white
In shades of grey in candlelight
I wanted to leave him, I needed a reason

"X" marks the spot where we fell apart
He poisoned the well, I was lyin' to myself
I knew it from the first Old Fashioned, we were cursed
We never had a shotgun shot in the dark (oh)

You were drivin' the getaway car
We were flyin', but we'd never get far
Don't pretend it's such a mystery
Think about the place where you first met me
Ridin' in a getaway car
There were sirens in the beat of your heart
Shoulda known I'd be the first to leave
Think about the place where you first met me

In a getaway car (oh-oh-oh)
No, they never get far (oh-oh-ah)
No, nothing good starts in a getaway car

It was the great escape, the prison break
The light of freedom on my face
But you weren't thinkin' and I was just drinkin'
While he was runnin' after us, I was screamin', "Go, go, go"
But with three of us, honey, it's a sideshow
And a circus ain't a love story and now we're both sorry (we're both sorry)

"X" marks the spot where we fell apart
He poisoned the well, every man for himself
I knew it from the first Old Fashioned, we were cursed
It hit you like a shotgun shot to the heart (oh)

You were drivin' the getaway car
We were flyin', but we'd never get far
Don't pretend it's such a mystery
Think about the place where you first met me
Ridin' in a getaway car
There were sirens in the beat of your heart
Shoulda known I'd be the first to leave
Think about the place where you first met me

In a getaway car (oh-oh-oh)
No, they never get far (oh-oh-ah)
No, nothing good starts in a getaway car

We were jet-set, Bonnie and Clyde (oh-oh)
Until I switched to the other side, to the other side
It's no surprise I turned you in (oh-oh)
'Cause us traitors never win

I'm in a getaway car
I left you in a motel bar
Put the money in a bag and I stole the keys
That was the last time you ever saw me (oh)

Drivin' the getaway car
We were flyin', but we'd never get far (don't pretend)
Don't pretend it's such a mystery
Think about the place where you first met me
Ridin' in a getaway car
There were sirens in the beat of your heart (shoulda known)
Shoulda known I'd be the first to leave
Think about the place where you first met me

In a getaway car (oh-oh-oh)
No, they never get far (oh-oh-ah)
No, nothing good starts in a getaway car

I was ridin' in a getaway car
I was cryin' in a getaway car
I was dyin' in a getaway car
Said goodbye in a getaway car
Ridin' in a getaway car
I was cryin' in a getaway car
I was dyin' in a getaway car
Said goodbye in a getaway car

Overall Meaning

"Getaway Car" by Taylor Swift is a song about a toxic relationship that began as an affair. The singer is a woman who falls in love with a man while she is still dating someone else. She cheated on her boyfriend and started a new relationship with the man. They both fall in love but soon things start to fall apart, and they decide to escape. The lyrics "X marks the spot where we fell apart" indicate the incident that led to the end of their relationship.

The relationship was not built on honesty, and the couple is hiding their feelings from each other. The chorus of the song focuses on the car as a metaphor for their relationship. The car represents both their escape and their doomed love, and the singer asks the man to think about the place where they first met.

Swift writes about the inevitability of betrayal and how it can lead to heartbreak. In the end, the singer acknowledges that the relationship was doomed from the beginning. She drove the getaway car and left the man, and now she is alone to deal with the aftermath of her actions.

Overall, "Getaway Car" is a poignant and heartfelt song that explores themes of love, betrayal, and heartbreak. It's a warning against starting relationships based on lies and cheating, and how they will ultimately lead to heartbreak and regret.

Line by Line Meaning

He was the best of times, the worst of crimes
He was the best relationship I ever had, but getting involved with him was a huge mistake and crime

I struck a match
I ignited the relationship and started something exciting

And blew your mind, but I didn't mean it
I made you think that I was in love with you, but it wasn't real

And you didn't see it
You were too blinded by your feelings to see that I was just using you

The ties were black, the lies were white
The relationship was full of lies and deception that was destroying our connection

And shades of grey in candlelight
There were moments of doubt and fear, but we still kept going

I wanted to leave him
I realized that I needed to get out of the relationship

I needed a reason
I was not strong enough to end our relationship without a valid excuse to give him

X marks the spot
There is a place that marks where things started to fall apart

Where we fell apart
It's the point where our relationship started to crumble

He poisoned the well, I was lyin' to myself
He made it difficult for us to communicate honestly, so I convinced myself that a lie was the only way out

I knew it from the first Old Fashioned, we were cursed
I was aware from the very beginning that the relationship was doomed because we were incompatible

We never had a shotgun shot in the dark
We never really had a chance to make it work

You were drivin'
You took control of the relationship towards its end

The getaway car
The relationship was a way to escape reality and obligations

We were flyin'
We indulged in the thrill of being together and free from anything that could harm us

But we'd never get far
We knew deep down it wouldn't last forever

Don't pretend it's such a mystery
Don't act like you didn't see it coming

Think about the place where you first met me
Think about how I came into your life and wonder what it could have been without the bad timing

There were sirens in the beat of your heart
You felt the danger of the relationship in every moment, despite being addicted to this kind of relationship

Should've known I'd be the first to leave
You should've realized that I would be the one to leave the relationship, no matter how much you loved me

In a getaway car
We used the relationship to escape from what we didn't want to face

No, they never get far
What we tried to build on didn't have a future

It was the great escape, The prison break
The relationship was a way to escape our past and our everyday struggles

The light of freedom on my face
And we truly believed that we had found a way to be truly free for once

But you weren't thinkin'
You didn't really realize what you were doing because you were too immersed in the moment

And I was just drinkin'
And I was just using the relationship to numb my pain and forget about reality

While he was runnin' after us
While someone else, possibly related to the past we were running from, was trying to catch us and prevent us from being free

I was screamin', "Go, go, go!"
And I just wanted us to move on from our situation despite the potential danger

But with three of us, honey, it's a side show
But with so many factors at play, our relationship was never the main focus and always overshadowed by something else

And a circus ain't a love story
This was not a real relationship and never evolved into one

And now we're both sorry
In the end, we both recognized it was time to let go and move on

(We're both sorry)
And even though we are both acknowledging this, it does not make it less heart-wrenching

It hit you like a shotgun shot to the heart
The reality of our relationship ending was a big blow to you

We were jet-set, Bonnie and Clyde
We were like a legendary couple on the run, fearless and unstoppable

Until I switched to the other side
Until I found a way out that did not involve you anymore

To the other si-i-i-i-ide
To a life where you were not part of it anymore

It's no surprise I turned you in (ohh)
It's not your fault for being used in this relationship

'Cause us traitors never win
Because using someone else to escape reality never ends well for either party

I'm in a getaway car
I'm using this relationship to escape from reality and all of my problems

I left you in a motel bar
I betrayed your trust and left you without an explanation in this cheap and meaningless place

Put the money in a bag and I stole the keys
I took everything that was valuable and essential to our relationship and ran away with it

That was the last time you ever saw me (go!)
And I vanished from your life without ever looking back

I was cryin'
I was overwhelmed by what I had done and the situation I found myself in

I was dyin'
I knew that my decisions have ultimately led me to my downfall

Said goodbye in
This relationship could only end with a final, cold goodbye

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Taylor Swift, Jack Antonoff

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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