This song is rumored to be directed at blogger Bob Lefsetz, although nothing was officially confirmed. In addition, it also verses about the harsh criticism Taylor has received since her performance at the 52nd Annual Grammy awards, with Stevie Nicks, considered by many subpar.
Taylor Swift also explains the story behind "Mean" on her official website:
"The song "Mean" is about, well, when you do what I do, which is you put yourself out there for a lot of people to say whatever they want about it, there are a million different opinions from a million different people.
I get it that not everyone is going to like everything that you do, and I get that no matter what, you're going to be criticized for something. But I also get that there are different kinds of ways to criticize someone. There is constructive criticism. There's professional criticism. And then, there's just being mean. There's a line that you cross when you just start to attack everything about a person, and there's one guy who just crossed the line over and over again. Just being mean, and saying things that would ruin my day.
This happens…no matter what you do, no matter how old you are, no matter what your job is, no matter what your place is in life. There's always going to be someone who's just mean to you. Dealing with that is all you can control about that situation, how you handle it. "Mean" is about how I handle it, and sort of my mind set about this whole situation."
Mean
Taylor Swift Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And swords and weapons that you use against me
You have knocked me off my feet again
Got me feeling like a nothing
You, with your voice like nails on a chalkboard
Callin' me out when I'm wounded
You, pickin' on the weaker man
With just one single blow
But you don't know what you don't know
Someday, I'll be livin' in a big old city
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
Someday, I'll be big enough so you can't hit me
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
Why you gotta be so mean?
You, with your switching sides
And your wildfire lies and your humiliation
You have pointed out my flaws again
As if I don't already see them
I walk with my head down
Tryna block you out 'cause I'll never impress you
I just wanna feel okay again
I'll bet you got pushed around
Somebody made you cold
But the cycle ends right now
'Cause you can't lead me down that road
And you don't know what you don't know
Someday, I'll be livin' in a big old city
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
Someday, I'll be big enough so you can't hit me
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
Why you gotta be so mean?
And I can see you years from now in a bar talkin' over a football game
With that same big loud opinion, but nobody's listening
Washed up and ranting about the same old bitter things
Drunk and grumbling on about how I can't sing
But all you are is mean
All you are is mean
And a liar, and pathetic
And alone in life and mean
And mean, and mean, and mean
But someday, I'll be livin' in a big old city
And all you're ever gonna be is mean, yeah
Someday, I'll be big enough so you can't hit me
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
(Why you gotta be so mean?)
Someday, I'll be livin' in a big old city (why you gotta be so mean?)
And all you're ever gonna be is mean (why you gotta be so mean?)
Someday, I'll be big enough so you can't hit me (why you gotta be so mean?)
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
Why you gotta be so mean?
The lyrics to Taylor Swift's "Mean" convey her feelings of being bullied and belittled by someone who enjoys tearing her down with their words. In the first verse, she describes the person's words as "knives" and "weapons" that knock her down and make her feel like "nothing." The second verse adds "humiliation" to the mix, illustrating how this person takes pleasure in pointing out her flaws.
Despite the hurtful words, Swift also has a sense of resilience in the chorus. She sings about how someday she'll be living in a big city, and the person who is mean to her will still be mean, while she'll have moved on to bigger and better things. The line "someday, I'll be big enough so you can't hit me" is especially powerful, because it's both a literal and metaphorical statement.
The final verse imagines the future, with Swift seeing this person in a bar, still holding onto their bitterness and anger, while she's moved forward with her life. The repeated use of the word "mean" emphasizes how this person's meanness defines them and how Swift refuses to let it define her.
Line by Line Meaning
You, with your words like knives
You hurt me with your words so sharp
And swords and weapons that you use against me
You use your words against me like weapons
You have knocked me off my feet again
You have hurt me deeply once again
Got me feeling like a nothing
You make me feel worthless
You, with your voice like nails on a chalkboard
Your voice irritates me
Callin' me out when I'm wounded
You target me when I'm already hurting
You, pickin' on the weaker man
You bully and victimize someone who is weaker than you
Well, you can take me down
You have the power to bring me down
With just one single blow
You can hurt me with just one action
But you don't know what you don't know
You don't understand the ramifications of your actions
Someday, I'll be livin' in a big old city
One day, I'll be living my dream of living in a big city
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
Your behavior will never change, you will always be mean
Someday, I'll be big enough so you can't hit me
I will become strong enough so that your hurtful actions will no longer affect me
Why you gotta be so mean?
Why do you have to be so hurtful?
You, with your switching sides
You change your opinion and allegiance frequently
And your wildfire lies and your humiliation
You spread lies and publicly humiliate me
You have pointed out my flaws again
You have brought my flaws to my attention once more
As if I don't already see them
As if I'm not already aware of my shortcomings
I walk with my head down
I'm walking with my head down in shame
Tryna block you out 'cause I'll never impress you
I'm trying to ignore you because I know I can never impress you
I just wanna feel okay again
I just want to feel good about myself again
I'll bet you got pushed around
I think someone must have mistreated you in the past
Somebody made you cold
Someone made you unfeeling and cruel
But the cycle ends right now
But I'm refusing to let the cycle of hurt continue
'Cause you can't lead me down that road
Because I won't follow you down that path of hurt anymore
And you don't know what you don't know
You don't understand the impact of your past traumas on your present behavior
And I can see you years from now in a bar talkin' over a football game
I can picture you as an older adult still harboring the same anger and bitterness
With that same big loud opinion, but nobody's listening
You still preach your opinions but nobody cares to listen anymore
Washed up and ranting about the same old bitter things
You'll be aged and still holding on to old grudges
Drunk and grumbling on about how I can't sing
You'll be intoxicated and still trying to insult me by saying I can't sing
But all you are is mean
Your cruelty defines you as a person
And a liar, and pathetic
You are also a dishonest and sad person
And alone in life and mean
You'll end up living a lonely life because of your mean and hurtful behavior
And mean, and mean, and mean
Your behavior will always be consistently mean
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Taylor Alison Swift
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@regithaapricia
You, with your words like knives
And swords and weapons that you use against me
You, have knocked me off my feet again,
Got me feeling like a nothing
You, with your voice like nails
On a chalk board, calling me out when I'm wounded
You, picking on the weaker man
You can take me down
With just one single blow
But you don't know what you don't know
Someday I'll be living in a big old city
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
Someday I'll be big enough so you can't hit me
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
Why you gotta be so mean?
You, with your switching sides
And your wildfire lies and your humiliation
You have pointed out my flaws again
As if I don't already see them
I walk with my head down,
Try to block you out 'cause I never impress you
I just want to feel okay again
I bet you got pushed around
Somebody made you cold but the cycle ends right now
'Cause you can't lead me down that road
And you don't know what you don't know
Someday I'll be living in a big old city
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
Someday I'll be big enough so you can't hit me
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
Why you gotta be so mean?
And I can see you years from now in a bar
Talking over a football game
With that same big loud opinion
But nobody's listening, washed up and ranting
About the same old bitter things
Drunk and grumbling on about how I can't sing
But all you are is mean
All you are is mean and a liar and pathetic
And alone in life and mean, and mean, and mean, and mean
But someday I'll be living in a big old city
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
Yeah someday I'll be big enough
So you can't hit me
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
Why you gotta be so (mean)
Someday I'll be living in a big old city
(Why you gotta be so mean)
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
(Why you gotta be so mean)
Someday I'll be big enough so you can't hit me
(Why you gotta be so mean)
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
Why you gotta be so mean?
@Rand0m_user.
Mine!
Debut: Our song
Fearless:fearless
Speak now: Mean
Red: 22
1989(tv): is it over now(Taylor’s version) (from the vault)
Reputation: Getaway car
Lover: Miss Americana
Folklore:August
Evermore:champagne problems
Midnights: bejeweled
@ronandrewtaylorsversion7410
2011: Someday I'll be big enough so you can't hit me
2019: *Becomes the ARTIST OF THE DECADE
@movideo3703
💯
@lauringrace1389
Yes, and she deserves every ounce of her game!
@lauringrace1389
*fame!
@sabrina.medeiros
And still being judged
@tepteplacho6836
Lauren G
Taylor swift a
@bronoovian6070
"Pointing out my flaws again as if I don't already see them"
Felt that
@beareny4810
Agree
@manjulaphanee
You ok bro
@beareny4810
@@manjulaphanee nope