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.
Eyes Open
Taylor Swift Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Everybody's watching
Even when you're sleeping
Keep your ey-eyes open
The tricky thing
Is yesterday we were just children
Playing soldiers just pretending
In backyards, winning battles with our wooden swords
But now we've stepped into a cruel world
Where everybody stands and keeps score
Keep your eyes open
Everybody's waiting for you to breakdown
Everybody's watching to see the fallout
Even when you're sleeping, sleeping
Keep your ey-eyes open
Keep your ey-eyes open
Keep your ey-eyes open
So here you are, two steps ahead and staying on guard
Every lesson forms a new scar
They never thought you'd make it this far
But turn around (turn around), oh they've surrounded you
It's a showdown (showdown) and nobody comes to save you now
But you've got something they don't
Yeah you've got something they don't
You've just gotta keep your eyes open
Everybody's waiting for you to breakdown
Everybody's watching to see the fallout
Even when you're sleeping, sleeping
Keep your ey-eyes open
Keep your ey-eyes open
Keep your ey-eyes
Keep your feet ready
Heartbeat steady
Keep your eyes open
Keep your aim locked
The night goes dark
Keep your eyes open (keep your eyes open)
(Keep your ey-eyes open)
(Keep your ey-eyes open)
(Keep your ey-eyes open)
Everybody's waiting for you to breakdown
Everybody's watching to see the fallout
Even when you're sleeping, sleeping
Keep your ey-eyes open
Keep your ey-eyes open
Keep your ey-eyes open
Keep your ey-eyes open
Keep your ey-eyes open
In “Eyes Open,” Taylor Swift uses the metaphor of a war metaphor for life in the public eye. She sings about how people are waiting for her to fall, for her to break down, for her to slip up. Swift sings that the world is a cruel place where everyone is watching and keeping score. The second verse focuses on how when she was younger, she and her friends used to play pretend battles in the backyard with wooden swords and dream of happy endings. Swift now finds herself in a real-life battle where the stakes are so much higher. Yet, she encourages her listeners to keep fighting and to never let their guard down.
The message in “Eyes Open” is one of resilience and determination in the face of adversity. Swift urges her fans to stay vigilant and to not let their guard down. She uses the metaphor of war and playing pretend to illustrate how life can be cruel, but ultimately, we have the ability to persevere and overcome. The chorus of the song repeats the phrase “keep your eyes open,” reminding the listener to stay alert and vigilant at all times.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody's waiting
Everyone is eagerly anticipating
Everybody's watching
Everyone is observing attentively
Even when you're sleeping
Even when you are not conscious
Keep your ey-eyes open
Stay alert and watchful
The tricky thing
The difficult situation
Is yesterday we were just children
We were young with no worries or responsibilities
Playing soldiers just pretending
Engaged in imaginative play
Dreaming dreams with happy endings
Imagining successful outcomes
In backyards, winning battles with our wooden swords
Playing with toy weapons and pretending to be victorious
But now we've stepped into a cruel world
But now we are experiencing the harsh reality of life
Where everybody stands and keeps score
Where everyone is judging and comparing
So here you are, two steps ahead and staying on guard
You are ahead of the game and remain vigilant
Every lesson forms a new scar
Every experience leaves a mark
They never thought you'd make it this far
They did not believe you would come so far
But turn around (turn around), oh they've surrounded you
But now you are surrounded
It's a showdown (showdown) and nobody comes to save you now
It is a confrontation, and no one will rescue you
But you've got something they don't
But you possess qualities they lack
Yeah, you've got something they don't
Yes, you have something superior to them
You've just gotta keep your eyes open
You need to remain attentive and vigilant
Keep your feet ready
Be prepared to move quickly
Heartbeat steady
Remain calm and composed
Keep your aim locked
Stay focused on your goal
The night goes dark
The situation becomes uncertain and perilous
Keep your eyes open (keep your eyes open)
Stay alert and attentive
(Keep your ey-eyes open)
Remain watchful
(Keep your ey-eyes open)
Stay vigilant
(Keep your ey-eyes open)
Stay alert
Everybody's waiting for you to breakdown
Everyone is eager for you to fail and fall apart
Everybody's watching to see the fallout
Everyone is observing to witness the consequences
Even when you're sleeping, sleeping
Even when you are inattentive
Keep your ey-eyes open
Stay alert and watchful
Keep your ey-eyes open
Stay vigilant and attentive
Keep your ey-eyes open
Remain watchful and prepared
Keep your ey-eyes open
Remain alert and responsive
Keep your ey-eyes open
Stay attentive and focused
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Taylor Swift
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
cherries and wine
Lyrics
Everybody's waiting
Everybody's watching
Even when you're sleeping
Keep your ey-eyes open
The tricky thing
Is yesterday we were just children
Playing soldiers just pretending
Dreaming dreams with happy endings
In backyards, winning battles with our wooden swords
But now we've stepped into a cruel world
Where everybody stands and keeps score
Keep your eyes open
Everybody's waiting for you to breakdown
Everybody's watching to see the fallout
Even when you're sleeping, sleeping
Keep your ey-eyes open
Keep your ey-eyes open
Keep your ey-eyes open
So here you are, two steps ahead and staying on guard
Every lesson forms a new scar
They never thought you'd make it this far
But turn around (turn around), oh they've surrounded you
It's a showdown (showdown) and nobody comes to save you now
But you've got something they don't
Yeah you've got something they don't
You've just gotta keep your eyes open
Everybody's waiting for you to breakdown
Everybody's watching to see the fallout
Even when you're sleeping, sleeping
Keep your ey-eyes open
Keep your ey-eyes open
Keep your ey-eyes
Keep your feet ready
Heartbeat steady
Keep your eyes open
Keep your aim locked
The night goes dark
Keep your eyes open (keep your eyes open)
Everybody's waiting for you to breakdown
Everybody's watching to see the fallout
Even when you're sleeping, sleeping
Keep your ey-eyes open
Keep your ey-eyes open
Keep your ey-eyes open
Keep your ey-eyes open
Keep your ey-eyes open
Shamayita Sarkar
"Eyes Open"
Everybody's waiting
Everybody's watching
Even when you're sleeping
Keep your ey-eyes open
The tricky thing
Is yesterday we were just children
Playing soldiers
Just pretending
Dreaming dreams with happy endings
In backyards, winning battles with our wooden swords
But now we've stepped into a cruel world
Where everybody stands and keeps score
Keep your eyes open
Everybody's waiting for you to break down
Everybody's watching to see the fallout
Even when you're sleeping, sleeping
Keep your ey-eyes open
Keep your ey-eyes open
Keep your ey-eyes open
So here you are, two steps ahead and staying on guard
Every lesson forms a new scar
They never thought you'd make it this far
But turn around (turn around), oh they've surrounded you
It's a showdown (showdown) and nobody comes to save you now
But you've got something they don't
Yeah you've got something they don't
You've just gotta keep your eyes open
Everybody's waiting for you to break down
Everybody's watching to see the fallout
Even when you're sleeping, sleeping
Keep your ey-eyes open
Keep your ey-eyes open
Keep your ey-eyes
Keep your feet ready
Heartbeat steady
Keep your eyes open
Keep your aim locked
The night goes dark
Keep your eyes open
(Keep your eyes open [4x])
Everybody's waiting for you to break down
Everybody's watching to see the fallout
Even when you're sleeping, sleeping
Keep your ey-eyes open
Keep your ey-eyes open
Keep your ey-eyes open
Keep your ey-eyes open
Keep your ey-eyes open
Shafiq
the problem i have when i listen to taylor swift's songs is every song feels like the best song ever i can't pick a favorite!
love, marie
Se problem sis. I really can't decide what's my fave. Usually, I really love the song that is currently on repeat in my playlist.
Amruta Patil
I feel you on a spiritual level.
Arunava Bal
🤝🏻💙👍🏻
The Elementalist
So true hahahaha
Jay Pandya
Same Problem here... Because We Stan Our Queen 🍻❤️
Rockee Alger
This song is one of my anthems as a swiftie. My eight years homeless walking the streets, this song gives me courage just as I give Taylor love!
deepak jena
Rockee Alger sorry for the painful experience. I listen this song when I feel down and outcasted
Joster Fun
I listen to this and think it’s an anthem for Natasha Romanoff 😂
Nil Everdeen
Sorry for the pain you're going through. So sorry . And m suffering maladies . This song gives me courage too