In the liner notes of the album, Swift wrote that one of the song storylines on evermore was about “what happens when [Dorothea] comes back [from Hollywood] for the holidays and rediscovers an old flame.” This likely refers to “‘tis the damn season” given the lyrical mentions of both Los Angeles and the winter holidays. Notably, "evermore" was released two weeks prior to Christmas 2020, making the title timely yet ironic.
Swift also teased the title in an Instagram story two days before she announced the album.
Producer and co-writer Aaron Dessner told Rolling Stone:
"That song, to me, has always felt nostalgic or like some sort of longing. And the song that Taylor wrote is so instantly relatable, you know, ‘There’s an ache in you put there by the ache in me.’ I remember when she sang that to me in my kitchen — she had written it overnight during The Long Pond Studio Sessions, actually."
This song debuted #39 on Billboard’s Hot 100, being the fourth-highest charting song off the album.
‘tis the damn season
Taylor Swift Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Who you were hanging with
While I was gone, I would've asked you
It's the kind of cold
Fogs up windshield glass
But I felt it when I passed you
There's an ache in you
Put there by the ache in me
It's the same to me
So we could call it even
You could call me "Babe" for the weekend
'Tis the damn season
Write this down
I'm staying at my parents' house
And the road not taken looks real good now
And it always leads to you and my hometown
I parked my car
Right between the Methodist and the school that used to be ours
The holidays linger like bad perfume
You can run but only so far
I escaped it too
Remember how you watched me leave
But if it's okay with you
It's okay with me
We could call it even
You could call me "Babe" for the weekend
'Tis the damn season
Write this down
I'm staying at my parents' house
And the road not taken looks real good now
Time flies
Messy as the mud on your truck tires
Now I'm missing your smile, hear me out
We could just ride around
And the road not taken looks real good now
And it always leads to you and my hometown
Sleep in half the day
Just for old times' sake
I won't ask you to wait
If you don't ask me to stay
So I'll go back to LA
And the so-called friends who'll write books about me if I ever make it
And wonder about the only soul who can tell which smiles I'm faking
And the heart I know I'm breaking is my own
To leave the warmest bed I've ever known
We could call it even
Even though I'm leaving
And I'll be yours for the weekend
'Tis the damn season
We could call it even
You could call me "Babe" for the weekend
'Tis the damn season
Write this down
I'm staying at my parents' house
And the road not taken looks real good now
Time flies
Messy as the mud on your truck tires
Now I'm missing your smile, hear me out
We could just ride around
And the road not taken looks real good now
And it always leads to you and my hometown
It always leads to you and my hometown
In Taylor Swift's song ‘tis the damn season, the singer reflects on returning to her hometown for the holidays and rekindling a relationship with an old flame. The song explores the desire for connection and nostalgia during the holiday season, but also acknowledges the fleeting nature of a weekend romance.
The lyrics suggest that the singer still has unresolved feelings for the person they left behind and is questioning whether their old love is worth pursuing once again. The line "There's an ache in you, put there by the ache in me" highlights the mutual hurt and pain that has been caused by their past relationship. Despite this, they suggest that they could "call it even" and revisit their relationship for the weekend.
The phrase "write this down" is repeated throughout the song and can be interpreted as a reflection of the singer's desire to hold onto the moment and the possibility of rekindling their romance. The repetition of the line "And the road not taken looks real good now" hints at the possibility of a future together but also acknowledges the uncertainty that comes with that choice.
Overall, the song captures the bittersweet emotions of returning home for the holidays and the possibility of rediscovering lost love.
Line by Line Meaning
If I wanted to know
Who you were hanging with
While I was gone, I would've asked you
I don't really care who you're hanging out with, you're not that important to me anymore
It's the kind of cold
Fogs up windshield glass
But I felt it when I passed you
There's something between us that we can't ignore, even though we should
There's an ache in you
Put there by the ache in me
But if it's all the same to you
It's the same to me
We're both hurting from what we had, but we're willing to ignore it and move on
So we could call it even
You could call me "Babe" for the weekend
'Tis the damn season
Let's pretend that everything is okay for a little while, just for the holidays
Write this down
I'm staying at my parents' house
And the road not taken looks real good now
I'm spending the holidays with my family and feeling nostalgic for the past
And it always leads to you and my hometown
No matter where I go, I always end up thinking about you and our hometown
I parked my car
Right between the Methodist and the school that used to be ours
The holidays linger like bad perfume
You can run but only so far
Even though I tried to leave our hometown, the memories of us and the holidays are inescapable
I escaped it too
Remember how you watched me leave
But if it's okay with you
It's okay with me
We both tried to move on, but we keep coming back to each other
Time flies
Messy as the mud on your truck tires
Now I'm missing your smile, hear me out
Time passes quickly, but I still think about you and long for your company
We could just ride around
And the road not taken looks real good now
Let's take a drive and explore the roads we never took when we were together
Sleep in half the day
Just for old times' sake
I won't ask you to wait
If you don't ask me to stay
Let's have lazy mornings like we used to, but without any expectations of commitment from each other
So I'll go back to LA
And the so-called friends who'll write books about me if I ever make it
And wonder about the only soul who can tell which smiles I'm faking
And the heart I know I'm breaking is my own
To leave the warmest bed I've ever known
I have to go back to my life in LA and deal with the pressures of fame, while wondering if anyone truly knows the real me. Leaving you and our hometown is breaking my heart and I'll miss it more than anything
Even though I'm leaving
And I'll be yours for the weekend
'Tis the damn season
Even though I have to leave soon, let's enjoy our time together during the holidays
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Aaron Brooking Dessner, Taylor A. Swift
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@chicken
Its March 2024, let's see how many legends are listening to this incredible song💖
@Kloey-tf3ph
Listening to it rn ❤
@ly._.zc12
hehe
@cuzkyr5066
Wait so I'm a legend
@Kloey-tf3ph
@@cuzkyr5066 yes
@MilyBakes
hi
@augha
Everyone is like "leave the warmest bed I've ever known" but then forgets about "wonder about the only soul who knows what smiles I'm faking and the heart I know I'm breaking is my own" true songwriting prowess right there
@RachelOnAWhim
She sung the latter lyrics RIGHT WHEN I READ YOUR COMMENT, what an experience.
@mikunico7144
@@RachelOnAWhim Same here! I was literally reading their comment when Taylor was singing those lyrics. Wow
@goldendusty1951
And the heart I know I’m breaking is my own