Born in West Reading, Pennsylvania, Swift relocated to Nashville, Tennessee in 2004 to pursue a career in country music. She broke into the country music scene with her eponymous self-titled debut studio album, Taylor Swift in 2006, which included the singles "Teardrops on My Guitar" and "Our Song". Swift also released the holiday album, Sounds of the Season: The Taylor Swift Holiday Collection, later titled as The Taylor Swift Holiday Collection in October 2007.
Swift rose to mainstream prominence with her sophomore studio album, Fearless (2008), a country pop record with crossover appeal. Aided by the top-five singles "Love Story" and "You Belong with Me", Fearless was certified Diamond by the Recording Industry Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Swift's third studio album, Speak Now (2010), blended country pop with elements of rock and featured the top-ten singles "Mine" and "Back to December".
Drawing inspiration from various pop, rock, and electronic genres, Swift's fourth studio album Red (2012) saw her transcending her country roots. She completely moved to pop with her synth-pop fifth studio album, 1989 (2014), and expanded the electropop sound on her next two studio albums, reputation (2017) and Lover (2019), which respectively embraced urban and retro styles. The four albums spawned a string of international top-five singles, including "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together", "I Knew You Were Trouble", "Shake It Off", "Blank Space", "Bad Blood", "Look What You Made Me Do", "ME! (feat. Brendon Urie of Panic! at the Disco)", "You Need to Calm Down", and "Lover".
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Swift experimented with folk and alternative rock on her eighth and ninth studio albums, folklore and evermore (both 2020), whose lead singles "cardigan" and "willow" topped charts around the world. She also released the critically acclaimed documentaries Miss Americana and Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions that year. Swift's tenth studio album, Midnights (2022), marked her triumphant return to pop after two folk albums. The album set the record for biggest first day and first week ever on Spotify, spawned the hits Anti-Hero and Lavender Haze, and sold over 1.5 million copies in its first week becoming not only the biggest debut of the decade but also Swift's biggest debut ever. She would make history by becoming the first artist to occupy the entire top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 with tracks from Midnights.
Additionally, Swift began re-recording her back catalog in November 2020 as a result of a publicized dispute with talent manager Scooter Braun and her former label Big Machine, regarding the acquisition of the masters of her back catalog. In April 2021, Swift released a re-recorded issue of her 2008 album Fearless, titled Fearless (Taylor's Version). It debuted at number one in the US. Swift continued releasing re-recorded versions of her back catalog in November, 2021 with the release of Red (Taylor's Version), a 30 track re-issue of her 2012 critical smash. The album debuted at #1 in the US, spawned the #1 hit All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor's Version) (From the Vault), and broke the record at the time for biggest first day for a female album on Spotify. Red (Taylor's Version) was a critical and commercial hit, and proved that Swift's ambitious plan to re-record her first 6 albums was well worth it.
Along with the release of Red (Taylor's Version) came All Too Well: The Short Film (2021), Swift's filmmaking debut. The 15 minute romantic drama was based on the lyrical content from Swift's 2012 fan favorite "All Too Well" starring Sadie Sink and Dylan O'Brien. It had a limited theatrical release in major cities, and Swift held special screenings of the film throughout 2022 at various film festivals. In December, 2022 Taylor announced that she would be making her feature directorial debut with Oscar-winning studio Searchlight Pictures.
Following the release of Midnights, Swift would embark on her first tour in five years, The Eras Tour.
Swift has released several songs for film soundtracks. She co-wrote two songs for the Hannah Montana: The Movie soundtrack— "You'll Always Find Your Way Back Home" and "Crazier", and contributed two songs to the Valentine's Day soundtrack, including the single "Today Was a Fairytale", which was her first number one on the Canadian Hot 100, and peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100. She also contributed two original songs to The Hunger Games soundtrack album: "Safe & Sound - from The Hunger Games Soundtrack", co-written and recorded with The Civil Wars and T-Bone Burnett, and "Eyes Open". "Safe & Sound" won the Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media and was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song. In 2013, Swift recorded "Sweeter than Fiction", a song she wrote and produced with Jack Antonoff for the One Chance film soundtrack, which received a Best Original Song nomination at the 71st Golden Globe Awards. Swift and English singer Zayn Malik, mononymously known as Zayn, released a single together, "I Don't Wanna Live Forever", for the soundtrack of the film Fifty Shades Darker (2017). She also recorded an original song called "Beautiful Ghosts", which she wrote with Andrew Lloyd Webber for the Cats's soundtrack (2019). In 2020, Swift's documentary Miss Americana featured the song "Only the Young" which was written after the 2018 United States elections. In 2022, she released an original song titled "Carolina" for Where The Crawdads Sing (2022) inspired by the novel written by Delia Owens.
With sales of over 200 million records worldwide, Swift is a best-selling music artist. Her accolades include 12 Grammy Awards (including three Album of the Year wins), two Brit Awards (including a Global Icon award), an Emmy Award, 28 [https://guinnessworldrecords.com/]Guinness World Records, 32 American Music Awards (the most wins by an artist), and 23 Billboard Music Awards (the most wins by a woman). She ranked eighth on Billboard's Greatest of All Time Artists Chart (2019) and was listed on Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time (2015). Swift has been included in various power rankings, such as Time's annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world (2010, 2015 and 2019) and Forbes Celebrity 100 (placing first in 2016 and 2019). She was named Woman of the Decade (2010s) by Billboard and Artist of the Decade (2010s) by the American Music Awards.
End Game feat. Ed Sheeran & Future
Taylor Swift Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wanna be your first string
I wanna be your A-Team
I wanna be your end game, end game
Big reputation, big reputation
Ooh you and me we got big reputations, ah
And you heard about me, ooh
Big reputation, big reputation
Ooh you and me would be a big conversation, ah
And I heard about you, ooh
You like the bad ones too
You so dope, don't overdose
I'm so stoked, I need a toast
We do the most
I'm in the Ghost like I'm whippin' a boat
I got a reputation girl, that don't precede me
I'm one call away, whenever you need me
I'm in a G5
Come to the A side
I got a bad boy persona that's what they like
You love it
I love it too 'cause you my type
You hold me down and I protect you with my life
I don't wanna touch you (I don't wanna be)
Just anther ex-love (You don't wanna see)
I don't wanna miss you (I don't wanna miss you)
Like the other girls do
I don't wanna hurt you (I just wanna be)
Drinkin' on a beach with (You all over me)
I know what they all say (I know what they all say)
But I ain't tryna play
I wanna be your end game
I wanna be your first string
I wanna be your A Team
I wanna be your end game, end game
Knew it when I was young
We connected when we were little bit older
Both sprung, I got issues and chips on both of my shoulders
Reputation precedes me, in rumors I'm knee deep
The truth is it's easier to ignore it, believe me
Even when we'd argue, we don't do it for long
And you understand the good and bad, end up in the song
For all your beautiful traits, and the way you do it with ease
For all my flaws, paranoia, and insecurities
I've made mistakes, and made some choices that's hard to deny
After the storm, something was born on the fourth of July
I passed days with a thumb, this end game isn't won
With four words on the tip of my tongue, I'll never say
I don't wanna touch you (I don't wanna be)
Just anther ex-love (You don't wanna see)
I don't wanna miss you (I don't wanna miss you)
Like the other girls do
I don't wanna hurt you (I just wanna be)
Drinkin' on a beach with (You all over me)
I know what they all say
But I ain't tryna play
I wanna be your end game
I wanna be your first string
I wanna be your A Team
I wanna be your end game, end game
Big reputation, big reputation
Ooh you and me we got big reputations, ahh
And you heard about me, ooh
I got some big enemies
Big reputation, big reputation
Ooh you and me would be a big conversation, ahh
And I heard about you, ooh
You like the bad ones too
I hit you like bang
We tried to forget it, but we just couldn't
And I bury hatchets but I came back to where I put 'em
Reputation precedes me, they told you I'm crazy
I swear I don't love the drama, it loves me
And I can't let you go, your hand print's on my soul
It's like your eyes are liquor, it's like your body is gold
You've been calling my bluff on all my usual tricks
So here's the truth, I read lips
I wanna be your end game
I wanna be your first string
I wanna be your A Team
I wanna be your end game, end game
I wanna be your end game
I wanna be your first string
I wanna be your A Team
I wanna be your end game, end game
In "End Game," Taylor Swift sings about wanting to be the ultimate person for her lover. She wants to be his "end game," which means his ultimate goal or long-term partner. She wants to be his "first string" or top priority, his "A-Team" or go-to person. She states that they both have a "big reputation," with her having "big enemies" and him liking "the bad ones too." Even though they both have a reputation to maintain, they want to be together and make it work. Taylor mentions that she loves him and will protect him with her life.
The chorus repeats the desire to be his "end game," "first string," and "A-Team." The second verse describes how they met when they were young and connected later on in life. They both have issues but understand each other's good and bad traits. Taylor references making mistakes, but something special emerged from it, which was born on the Fourth of July. She ends the verse by saying there are four words she'll never say. The bridge talks about how they tried to forget their problems but ultimately couldn't. Even though Taylor has a reputation for being crazy, she doesn't love drama. She claims she can't let her lover go because his handprint is on her soul.
Line by Line Meaning
I wanna be your end game
I want to be your final destination, the person you end up with
I wanna be your first string
I want to be your priority, your first choice
I wanna be your A-Team
I want to be part of your inner circle, the team you rely on
Big reputation, big reputation
Both of us have big reputations
Ooh you and me we got big reputations, ah
We both have reputations that precede us and are well-known
And you heard about me, ooh
People have talked about me and you have heard things
I got some big enemies
I have people who dislike me or have issues with me
And you heard about you, ooh
I have heard things about you
You like the bad ones too
You are attracted to people who may have a negative reputation
You so dope, don't overdose
You are amazing, so don't overdo it or ruin it
I'm so stoked, I need a toast
I am extremely excited and need to celebrate
We do the most
We go above and beyond, we do everything to the fullest
I'm in the Ghost like I'm whippin' a boat
I am in a fancy car (Rolls Royce Ghost) and it feels like I'm driving a boat because it is so luxurious
I got a reputation girl, that don't precede me
My true self doesn't match the rumors or reputation people have of me
I'm one call away, whenever you need me
I am always available to help and support you
I'm in a G5
I am in a private jet (Gulfstream G5)
Come to the A side
Come and join me in Atlanta (referred to as 'the A')
I got a bad boy persona that's what they like
People are attracted to my 'bad boy' image or reputation
You love it
You enjoy my bad boy persona or reputation
I love it too 'cause you my type
I also like it because you are the type of person who is attracted to it
You hold me down and I protect you with my life
You emotionally support me and I will always do anything to protect you
I don't wanna touch you (I don't wanna be)
I don't want to be another person who just touches you and leaves
Just another ex-love (You don't wanna see)
I don't want to be someone you just look back on as another ex
I don't wanna miss you (I don't wanna miss you)
I don't want to miss out on you or not be with you
Like the other girls do
I don't want to just be like everyone else who misses you
I don't wanna hurt you (I just wanna be)
I don't want to cause you pain, I just want to be with you
Drinkin' on a beach with (You all over me)
I want to be on a beach with you, and have you all over me (physically and emotionally)
I know what they all say (I know what they all say)
I am aware of what people say or think about us
But I ain't tryna play
But I'm not playing games, I'm serious about us
Knew it when I was young
I knew we were meant to be together from a young age
We connected when we were little bit older
We became closer when we were a little older
Both sprung, I got issues and chips on both of my shoulders
We both fell for each other, but I have emotional baggage and unresolved issues
Reputation precedes me, in rumors I'm knee deep
I have a reputation that people already know about, and there are many rumors about me
The truth is it's easier to ignore it, believe me
It's easier to ignore the rumors and reputation, just believe me and our connection
Even when we'd argue, we don't do it for long
Even when we have disagreements, we quickly move on from them
And you understand the good and bad, end up in the song
You understand both the good and bad parts of our relationship, which will end up in the music we create
For all your beautiful traits, and the way you do it with ease
I admire all your wonderful qualities and how you make it all look so easy
For all my flaws, paranoia, and insecurities
I acknowledge my own flaws, paranoia, and insecurities
I've made mistakes, and made some choices that's hard to deny
I have made mistakes in my life that are hard to ignore or deny
After the storm, something was born on the fourth of July
After a difficult time or situation, something new and good was created
I passed days with a thumb, this end game isn't won
I wasted time waiting, but this is not over yet
With four words on the tip of my tongue, I'll never say
I have something to say, but I will never say it out loud
I hit you like bang
I hit you in a powerful way, like an explosion
We tried to forget it, but we just couldn't
We tried to move on from something, but we could not forget it
And I bury hatchets but I came back to where I put 'em
I tried to make peace with someone, but I found myself back in the same situation
Reputation precedes me, they told you I'm crazy
People have talked about my reputation and called me crazy
I swear I don't love the drama, it loves me
I don't seek out drama, but it seems to be attracted to me
And I can't let you go, your hand print's on my soul
I can't let you go, you have made an impact on me that is too strong
It's like your eyes are liquor, it's like your body is gold
You intoxicate me with your eyes, and your body is precious to me
You've been calling my bluff on all my usual tricks
You have been exposing my facade and challenging me on my usual behavior
So here's the truth, I read lips
The truth is, I pay attention to your words and actions closely
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ED SHEERAN, JOHAN SHELLBACK, MAX MARTIN, NAYVADIUS WILBURN, TAYLOR SWIFT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
great 10toes ZaynXKDB
Nothing can top her reputation era
It literally cemented her position in the pop word, broke records with her tour
Joe
it literally ruined her on pop radio until delicate
Joscelyn Miers
@Joe you do know delicate is off reputation right
Joe
@Joscelyn Miers yeah and one song can’t cement her position in the pop world when the rest of the rep singles tanked
Suzie ALVES
THIS
Ellise
@Joe Someones a bit mad... Rep as a whole was so amazing, not just delicate bae
NOMAN'S SOULS
This song may be 5 years old but for us it never gets old. Because she's a masterpiece!
Milo Wilson
Literally it's AMAZING ❤❤
Abby McGarr
Yas
NY Man
@Abby McGarr Hey, swifty fans. Sheeran fan here