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 āLove Storyā and āYou Belong with Meā, 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 āMineā and āBack to Decemberā.
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 āWe Are Never Ever Getting Back Togetherā, āI Knew You Were Troubleā, āShake It Offā, āBlank Spaceā, āBad Bloodā, āLook What You Made Me Doā, āME! (feat. Brendon Urie of Panic! at the Disco)ā, āYou Need to Calm Downā, and āLoverā.
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 ācardiganā and āwillowā 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, yet ongoing 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 āAll Too Wellā 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 Tourāa retrospective tour covering the entirety of her discography. During her ongoing tour, Swift would release her next two re-recorded albums, Speak Now (Taylor's Version) in July and 1989 (Taylor's Version) in October of 2023. The former of which would land Swift as the woman with the most number-one albums (12) in Billboard 200 history, surpassing Barbra Streisand. The latter was her sixth album to sell one million copies in a single week in the US, her largest album sales in a week span. āIs It Over Now? (Taylor's Version)ā, the lead single for 1989 (Taylor's Version), would peak at number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
At the 66th annual GRAMMY Awards, Taylor Swift surprised viewers by announcing her eleventh studio album, THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT. On April 19, 2024, the album was released globally, breaking records: it became the first ever to amass 1 billion Spotify streams in a week and sold 2.6 million units in its first week in the US. Swift dominated the charts, monopolizing the top 14 spots on the Billboard Hot 100 and securing the top 10 positions on Australiaās ARIA Singles Chart. The lead single, Fortnight, featuring Post Malone, quickly soared to the number-one position on the Hot 100. Additionally, just two hours after the albumās release, Swift surprised fans with a reissue titled THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT: THE ANTHOLOGY, which included 15 extra songs.
Swift has released several songs for film soundtracks. She co-wrote two songs for the Hannah Montana: The Movie soundtrackā āYou'll Always Find Your Way Back Homeā and āCrazierā, and contributed two songs to the Valentine's Day soundtrack, including the single āToday Was a Fairytaleā, 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: āSafe & Sound - from The Hunger Games Soundtrackā, co-written and recorded with The Civil Wars and T-Bone Burnett, and āEyes Openā. āSafe & Soundā 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 āSweeter than Fictionā, 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, āI Don't Wanna Live Foreverā, for the soundtrack of the film Fifty Shades Darker (2017). She also recorded an original song called āBeautiful Ghostsā, which she wrote with Andrew Lloyd Webber for the Cats's soundtrack (2019). In 2020, Swift's documentary Miss Americana featured the song āOnly the Youngā which was written after the 2018 United States elections. In 2022, she released an original song titled āCarolinaā 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 14 Grammy Awards, including four Album of the Year wins, which makes Swift the artist with the most awards for that category in history, two Brit Awards (including a Global Icon award), an Emmy Award, 28 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, Artist of the Decade (2010s) by the American Music Awards, and Person of the Year (2023) by Time Magazine.
How Did It End
Taylor Swift Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Uh-oh-oh-oh)
We hereby conduct this post-mortem
He was a hot house flower to my outdoorsmen
Our maladies were such we could not cure them
And so a touch that was my birthright became foreign
Come one, come all
It's happenin' again
The empathetic hunger descends
We'll tell no one
Except all of our friends
We must know
How did it end?
(Uh-oh)
(Uh-oh-oh-oh)
We were blind to unforeseen circumstances
We learn the right steps to different dances (ohh)
And fell victim to interlopers' glances
Lost the game of chance, what are the chances?
Soon they'll go home to their husbands
Smug 'cause they know they can trust him
Then feverishly calling their cousins (ohh)
Guess who we ran into at the shops?
Walking in circles like she was lost
Didn't you hear?
They called it all off
One gasp and then
How did it end?
Say it once again with feelingHow the death rattle breathing
Silenced as the soul was leaving
The deflation of our dreaming
Leaving me bereft and reeling
My beloved ghost and me
Sitting in a tree
D-Y-I-N-G
It's happenin' again
How did it end?
I can't pretend like I understand
How did it end?
Come one, come all
It's happening again
The empathetic hunger descends
We'll tell no one
Except all of our friends
But I still don't know
How did it end?
The lyrics to Taylor Swift's song "How Did It End?" depict a reflective and introspective exploration of a failed relationship or connection. The opening lines, "We hereby conduct this post-mortem, He was a hot house flower to my outdoorsmen, Our maladies were such we could not cure them, And so a touch that was my birthright became foreign," suggest an examination of what went wrong in the relationship. The imagery of contrasting personalities and unresolvable issues highlight the challenges faced by the two individuals involved.
The chorus, "Come one, come all, It's happenin' again, The empathetic hunger descends, We'll tell no one, Except all of our friends, We must know, How did it end?" conveys a sense of shared emotional turmoil and confusion among the singer and their social circle. The repeated questioning of how the relationship came to its end shows a yearning for closure and understanding amidst the pain and disappointment.
The second verse delves into the betrayal and deception that may have contributed to the demise of the relationship, with lines such as "Lost the game of chance, what are the chances?" and references to interlopers affecting the dynamics between the couple. The mention of encounters with acquaintances who have inside knowledge of the situation adds a layer of gossip and intrigue to the narrative.
The bridge of the song intensifies the emotional turmoil, with vivid imagery of loss and despair portrayed through lines like "The deflation of our dreaming, Leaving me bereft and reeling, My beloved ghost and me, Sitting in a tree, D-Y-I-N-G." The closing repetition of the chorus and the continued questioning of "How did it end?" reflect the lingering uncertainty and emotional weight carried by the singer as they struggle to come to terms with the breakup and its aftermath. The song captures the complexity of human relationships, the pain of endings, and the search for closure in the face of heartache.
Line by Line Meaning
(Uh-oh)
An indication of unease or impending trouble.
(Uh-oh-oh-oh)
A repetition emphasizing the anxiety of the situation.
We hereby conduct this post-mortem
We are analyzing the end of this relationship as if it were a case study after a death.
He was a hot house flower to my outdoorsmen
He was delicate and sheltered, while I was rugged and adventurous, highlighting our contrasting natures.
Our maladies were such we could not cure them
We had deep-seated problems that we couldn't fix together, leading to our downfall.
And so a touch that was my birthright became foreign
What once felt familiar and natural to me became strange and uncomfortable in this relationship.
Come one, come all
An invitation for everyone to witness this unfolding drama.
It's happenin' again
This cycle of heartbreak and confusion is repeating itself.
The empathetic hunger descends
A deep desire for understanding and connection begins to overwhelm us.
We'll tell no one
We choose to keep this experience a secret.
Except all of our friends
In reality, we end up confiding in our close friends, despite our intentions.
We must know
We need to find out the truth behind the end of this relationship.
How did it end?
A plaintive question expressing confusion about the dissolution of our bond.
(Uh-oh)
Echoing feelings of concern that something is wrong.
(Uh-oh-oh-oh)
Reinforcing the sense of dread about our situation.
We were blind to unforeseen circumstances
We failed to see the warning signs or issues that would ultimately affect us.
We learn the right steps to different dances (ohh)
We discover how to navigate our differences, but it isn't enough to save us.
And fell victim to interlopers' glances
External influences or temptations disrupted our relationship.
Lost the game of chance, what are the chances?
We took risks in our relationship but ended up losing, questioning our luck.
Soon they'll go home to their husbands
Those who intruded upon our relationship will return to their own stable lives.
Smug 'cause they know they can trust him
They feel secure in their own relationships while we struggle.
Then feverishly calling their cousins (ohh)
They rush to share news about us, perhaps relishing our misfortune.
Guess who we ran into at the shops?
A chance encounter that amplifies the awkwardness of our situation.
Walking in circles like she was lost
This person is disoriented, possibly reflecting our own feelings of confusion.
Didn't you hear?
An abrupt transition to sharing troubling news.
They called it all off
The relationship has officially ended, leaving everyone in shock.
One gasp and then
A moment of stunned silence following the revelation of the breakup.
How did it end?
The lingering question that remains unanswered in the aftermath.
Say it once again with feeling
Reiterate the painful reality of our situation with emotion.
How the death rattle breathing
A metaphor for the last gasps of our relationship, symbolizing its imminent demise.
Silenced as the soul was leaving
As we let go, the essence of what we had disappears.
The deflation of our dreaming
Our hopes and aspirations for this relationship are tragically diminished.
Leaving me bereft and reeling
I am left in a state of loss and confusion, struggling to cope with the aftermath.
My beloved ghost and me
I am haunted by the memory of this lost love, as if they linger like a ghost.
Sitting in a tree
A metaphor for our isolated and disillusioned state as we reflect on our love.
D-Y-I-N-G
A stark expression of the emotional pain we are enduring following this loss.
It's happenin' again
Once more, I find myself in the cycle of heartbreak over the same unresolved feelings.
How did it end?
The question that haunts me, searching for clarity and understanding.
I can't pretend like I understand
I am unable to mask my confusion and disbelief over the situation.
How did it end?
The pervasive question remains, echoing my unresolved emotions.
Come one, come all
An invitation for onlookers to witness this ongoing saga of heartbreak.
It's happening again
The cycle of emotional turmoil is repeating, reflecting my instability.
The empathetic hunger descends
An overwhelming need for shared understanding arises amidst the chaos.
We'll tell no one
We initially intend to keep our pain private.
Except all of our friends
Inevitably, the story leaks out as we confide in those we trust.
But I still don't know
Despite everything, the ultimate resolution or reason remains elusive.
How did it end?
The unresolved query echoes, emphasizing my longing for closure.
Lyrics Ā© Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Taylor Swift, Aaron Dessner
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jeremyandrews3567
Taylor, I'm a 40 year old divorced dad of three daughters. I must say....thank you for this album. It touched my soul. You're a very talented woman. And I send your songs to my daughters. Telling them they are strong young women.
@spark.that.remains
ā¤
@MimSou
<3
@hannah64321
š«¶š»
@kizzlekakes
ā¤ May the universe bring you peace, happiness, and abundance. ā¤
@victoriassecreto
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@anniechao6834
āWe learned the right steps to different dancesā wowā¦. This gets me.
@EmilyJane-gk9hw
Yeah wow
@2legit2quit4u
Me too.
@Reylandson
āBut we were dancing with our hands tiedā / āI was dancing when the music stoppedā