After the song was announced, many fans were quick to point out lyric parallels between the bridge of this track and her 2008 hit “Love Story,” on which Taylor daydreams about running away with her boyfriend.
In 2019, Taylor reflected on songs like “Call It What You Want” from her album ‘reputation’ as the ones that told the true love story of her relationship.
In her September 2019 interview with Rolling Stone, she tells us that it’s about her “newly quiet, cozy world that was happening on [her] own terms for the first time.”
Call It What You Want
Taylor Swift Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I brought a knife to a gunfight
They took the crown, but it's alright
All the liars are calling me one
Nobody's heard from me for months
I'm doing better than I ever was
'Cause my baby's fit like a daydream
So call it what you want, yeah, call it what you want to
My baby's fly like a jet stream
High above the whole scene, loves me like I'm brand new
So call it what you want, yeah, call it what you want to
All my flowers grew back as thorns
Windows boarded up after the storm
He built a fire just to keep me warm
All the drama queens taking swings
All the jokers dressin' up as kings
They fade to nothin' when I look at him
And I know I make the same mistakes every time
Bridges burn, I never learn, at least I did one thing right
I did one thing right
I'm laughin' with my lover, makin' forts under covers
Trust him like a brother, yeah, you know I did one thing right
Starry eyes sparkin' up my darkest night
My baby's fit like a daydream
Walkin' with his head down, I'm the one he's walkin' to
So call it what you want, yeah, call it what you want to
My baby's fly like a jet stream
High above the whole scene, loves me like I'm brand new
(Call it what you want, call it what you want, call it)
So call it what you want, yeah, call it what you want to
I want to wear his initial
On a chain 'round my neck, chain 'round my neck
Not because he owns me
But 'cause he really knows me
Which is more than they can say, I
I recall late November
Holdin' my breath, slowly I said
"You don't need to save me
But would you run away with me?"
Yes (would you run away?)
My baby's fit like a daydream
Walkin' with his head down, I'm the one he's walkin' to
(Call it what you want, call it what you want, call it)
So call it what you want, yeah, call it what you want to
My baby's fly like a jet stream
High above the whole scene, loves me like I'm brand new
(Call it what you want, call it what you want, call it)
So call it what you want, yeah, call it what you want to
(Call it what you want, call it)
(Call it what you want, call it what you want, call it)
(Call it what you want, call it what you want, call it)
(Call it what you want, call it what you want, call it)
(Call it what you want, call it what you want, call it)
(Call it what you want, call it what you want, call it)
(Call it what you want, call it what you want, call it)
Call it what you want, yeah, call it what you want
To
In "Call It What You Want," Taylor Swift sings about how she found true love after going through a tumultuous period. The opening lines describe how Taylor's world came crashing down yet she survived it. She acknowledges how the people who may have caused her downfall are now calling her a liar. The second verse highlights how Taylor's flowers turned into thorns, implying that everything that was once beautiful in her life had become the opposite. The moment she met her lover, everything else faded away. Taylor admits to making mistakes in her past relationships, but with her current lover, she did one thing right. She feels safe with her lover, and she trusts him like a brother. She cherishes him and intends to wear his initial on a chain around her neck.
The chorus is an expression of how Taylor feels about her lover. She describes him as a "daydream" and "jet stream," implying that he is otherworldly and one-of-a-kind. She feels secure with him and is utterly in love with him. The melody of the chorus is orchestrated with uplifting and calming tones, emphasizing the euphoric feeling Taylor experiences with her partner. In the bridge, Taylor recalls a moment when she was holding her breath and asked her partner if he would run away with her, to which he replied yes. The song ends with Taylor reassuring herself with the repeated mantra, "call it what you want,” symbolizing that she doesn't care about others’ opinions of her relationship; all that matters is their love.
Line by Line Meaning
My castle crumbled overnight
I suffered a major loss suddenly and unexpectedly
I brought a knife to a gunfight
I was unprepared for a serious challenge
They took the crown, but it's alright
I lost to my opponent, but I am okay with it
All the liars are calling me one
People who are dishonest themselves are accusing me of lying
Nobody's heard from me for months
I have been keeping a low profile for some time now
I'm doing better than I ever was, 'cause
Despite the hardships I faced, I am still doing well emotionally
My baby's fit like a daydream
My significant other is perfect and feels like a dream come true
Walking with his head down
He is shy and modest
I'm the one he's walking to
He comes to me for support and comfort
So call it what you want, yeah, call it what you want to
We define our relationship in our own terms; others can judge it as they please
My baby's fly like a jet stream
My significant other is soaring high with confidence and ambition
High above the whole scene
He is above the drama and negativity that surrounds us
Loves me like I'm brand new
He loves me as if we just met and his affection for me is fresh and pure
All my flowers grew back as thorns
Everything I thought was beautiful in my life turned out to be painful and hurtful
Windows boarded up after the storm
My life is slowly getting back to normal, but the aftermath is visible
He built a fire just to keep me warm
He went out of his way to make me feel comfortable and appreciated
All the drama queens taking swings
People who thrive on creating drama are trying to hurt me
All the jokers dressin' up as kings
People who do not deserve power are pretending to be in charge
They fade to nothing when I look at him
When I am with my significant other, their negativity does not bother me anymore
And I know I make the same mistakes every time
I am aware of my flaws and have trouble overcoming them
Bridges burn, I never learn, at least I did one thing right
I have lost relationships in the past due to my mistakes, but at least I chose the right person this time
I'm laughing with my lover, making forts under covers
We are enjoying each other's company and having fun together
Trust him like a brother, yeah, you know I did one thing right
I trust him completely and have no doubts about our relationship
Starry eyes sparkin' up my darkest night
My significant other's love illuminates even my darkest moments and brings me happiness
I want to wear his initial
I want to show my love for him by wearing his initial close to my heart
On a chain round my neck, chain round my neck
I want to wear the chain as a symbol of our love
Not because he owns me
I am not wearing the chain as a sign of ownership
But 'cause he really knows me
He understands me completely and accepts me for who I am
Which is more than they can say, I
Many people cannot say they have a deep understanding of me like he does
I recall late November, holdin' my breath
I remember a life-changing moment in late November when I was very anxious
Slowly I said, "You don't need to save me
I reassured my significant other that I did not need saving from my troubles
But would you run away with me?"
I wanted to escape with him and start a new life together
Yes (would you run away?)
He agreed to run away with me and start a new life together
Call it what you want, yeah
We are not concerned with what others think of our relationship
Call it what you want
We define our relationship on our terms, not society's
To
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Taylor Alison Swift, Jack Michael Antonoff
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@felipemejia3501
My castle crumbled overnight
I brought a knife to a gunfight
They took the crown, but it's alright
All the liars are calling me one
Nobody's heard from me for months
I'm doing better than I ever was, 'cause
[Chorus]
My baby's fit like a daydream
Walking with his head down
I'm the one he's walking to
So call it what you want, yeah, call it what you want to
My baby's fly like a jet stream
High above the whole scene
Loves me like I'm brand new
So call it what you want, yeah, call it what you want to
[Verse 2]
All my flowers grew back as thorns
Windows boarded up after the storm
He built a fire just to keep me warm
All the drama queens taking swings
All the jokers dressin' up as kings
They fade to nothing when I look at him
And I know I make the same mistakes every time
Bridges burn, I never learn, at least I did one thing right
I did one thing right
I'm laughing with my lover, making forts under covers
Trust him like a brother, yeah, you know I did one thing right
Starry eyes sparkin' up my darkest night
[Chorus]
My baby's fit like a daydream
Walking with his head down
I'm the one he's walking to
So call it what you want, yeah, call it what you want to
My baby's fly like a jet stream
High above the whole scene
Loves me like I'm brand new
(Call it what you want, call it what you want, call it)
So call it what you want, yeah, call it what you want to
[Bridge]
I want to wear his initial
On a chain round my neck, chain round my neck
Not because he owns me
But 'cause he really knows me
Which is more than they can say, I
I recall late November, holdin' my breath
Slowly I said, "You don't need to save me
But would you run away with me?"
Yes (would you run away?)
[Chorus]
My baby's fit like a daydream
Walking with his head down
I'm the one he's walking to
(Call it what you want, call it what you want, call it)
So call it what you want, yeah, call it what you want to
My baby's fly like a jet stream
High above the whole scene
Loves me like I'm brand new
(Call it what you want, call it what you want, call it)
So call it what you want, yeah, call it what you want to
@rodiontoska7062
“All the liars are calling me one, nobody’s heard from me for months, I’m doing better than I ever was”
@nataliewalpole
I PRESSED THE LIKE BUTTON AND IT WENT FROM 99 TO 101 LIKE?!?!?!?!?!
@nataliewalpole
@The Wind Spirit I was over-reacting.
@Tiffany-ov2jf
@The Wind Spirit Wow thank you for explaining this sorcery you might be the first person to figure something so complex I didn't know.
@Gregory_12
there is 666 in URL
@preranataylorsversion6883
It's a deep line
@bigyikes8698
Everyone is constantly on Taylor’s back about how she writes so pettily about her exes, but nobody really appreciates how beautifully she writes about people she loves.
@donnaeasty1816
But the facts are that none of her songs except for two say anything negatively about her partners. People love to label her music as petty but they are really missing out on some incredible tracks.
@awkwardlyshypotato6848
@@donnaeasty1816 exactly. They only base her songs on what other people say
@destinyrodriguez8955
GET OUT OF MY KITCHEN lwymmd and bad blood aren’t about ex’s tho and blank space is about how the media portrays her