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, 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 “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—a 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. “Is It Over Now? (Taylor's Version)”, 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 Australia’s 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 album’s 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 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 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.
Robin
Taylor Swift Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You're an animal, you are bloodthirsty
Out windowpanes, talking utter nonsense
You have no idea
Strings tied to levers
Slowed-down clocks tethered
All this showmanshipTo keep it for you in sweetness
Way to go, tiger
Higher and higher
Wilder and lighter
For you
Long may you roar
At your dinosaurs
You're a just ruler
Covered in mud, you look ridiculous
And you have no idea
Buried down deep and out of your reach
The secret we all vowed
To keep it from you in sweetness
Way to go, tiger
Higher and higher
Wilder and lighter
For you
You got the dragonflies above your bed
You have a favorite spot on the swing set
You have no room in your dreams for regrets
(You have no idea)The time will arrive for the cruel and the mean
You'll learn to bounce back just like your trampoline
But now we'll curtail your curiosity
In sweetness
Way to go, tiger (way to go, tiger)
Higher and higher (higher and higher)
Wilder and lighter
For you
The lyrics to Taylor Swift's song "Robin" paint a vivid and metaphorical picture of a character exuding power and authority, yet remaining oblivious to the secrets and complexities surrounding them. The repeated refrain of "Long may you reign" sets the tone of admiration for this figure, likening them to a fierce and bloodthirsty animal. The imagery of "strings tied to levers" and "slowed-down clocks tethered" suggest a manipulative and controlled environment created to deceive and protect this ruler, all concealed in a facade of sweetness.
The song continues with descriptions of this ruler's persona, portrayed as a mighty tiger, roaring at dinosaurs and covered in mud. Despite their majestic appearance, they are depicted as comical and clueless, unaware of the hidden truths and intentions of those around them. The repetition of "Way to go, tiger" reinforces the sense of awe and celebration towards this figure, who is encouraged to continue ascending to greater heights in their rule.
The mention of dragonflies, swing sets, and trampolines in the lyrics adds a childlike innocence and vulnerability to the character of the ruler, suggesting that despite their power, they still possess a capacity for wonder and joy. However, the ominous warnings of the impending arrival of "the cruel and the mean" and the need to "curtail your curiosity" hint at the harsh realities and challenges that lie ahead for this figure.
Ultimately, "Robin" delves into themes of deception, power dynamics, and the fragility of rulership, exploring the delicate balance between strength and vulnerability in the face of hidden truths and impending hardships. The overall tone of the song conveys a sense of both admiration and caution towards this enigmatic figure, highlighting their complexity and the challenges they may face in navigating their role.
Line by Line Meaning
Long may you reign
May your influence and authority last for a long time.
You're an animal, you are bloodthirsty
You possess a fierce and insatiable nature, driven by primal instincts.
Out window panes talking utter nonsense
Outside, people are speaking meaningless chatter, seemingly unaware of the reality.
You have no idea
You remain oblivious to the true situation around you.
Strings tied to levers
Manipulators are orchestrating your actions like a puppet on a string.
Slowed-down clocks tethered
Time feels constrained, as if it is being deliberately held back to manipulate outcomes.
All this showmanship
The spectacle you see is merely performative, crafted for a specific effect.
To keep it for you in sweetness
This façade is designed to present a pleasing and comforting version of reality just for you.
Way to go, tiger
Well done, brave and fierce individual.
Higher and higher
You are continually elevating your aspirations and achievements.
Wilder and lighter
You are embracing a more spirited and carefree existence.
For you
All of this is done with your best interests at heart.
Long may you roar
May your presence and voice resonate powerfully and confidently.
At your dinosaurs
You confront your past fears or challenges head-on, like facing extinct giants.
You're a just ruler
You govern fairly and impartially, embodying justice.
Covered in mud, you look ridiculous
Your imperfections or struggles may make you appear foolish in the eyes of others.
And you have no idea
You remain unaware of how others perceive you.
Buried down deep and out of your reach
Important truths are hidden and beyond your current understanding.
The secret we all vowed
There is a collective promise to keep certain truths concealed from you.
To keep it from you in sweetness
This concealment is done with the intention of preserving a gentle, pleasing environment.
Way to go, tiger
Congratulations on your progress, fierce spirit.
Higher and higher
You are continuously reaching for greater heights.
Wilder and lighter
You are living with an increasing sense of freedom and joy.
For you
This encouragement is meant solely for your benefit.
You got the dragonflies above your bed
You possess a sense of wonder and beauty that surrounds you, almost like a dream.
You have a favorite spot on the swing set
You cherish simple joys and have a space of comfort in your life.
You have no room in your dreams for regrets
Your aspirations are unburdened by past mistakes or sorrows.
(You have no idea)
You remain unaware of the deeper implications of your situation.
The time will arrive for the cruel and the mean
There will come a moment when the harsh realities of life catch up with those who have been unkind.
You'll learn to bounce back just like your trampoline
You will develop resilience and the ability to recover from setbacks.
But now we'll curtail your curiosity
For the time being, we will limit your exploration of certain truths.
In sweetness
This restriction is intended to maintain a pleasant and gentle atmosphere.
Way to go, tiger (way to go, tiger)
Kudos for your bravery and strength.
Higher and higher (higher and higher)
Continue to strive for greater achievements.
Wilder and lighter
Embrace a more liberated and joyful approach to life.
For you
All these remarks are made in your honor.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Taylor Swift, Aaron Dessner
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@AwesomenessAcquired
this sounds like if "i used to scream ferociously until i learned civility" was turned into the concept for a whole song <3
@blinkbomb
I love Seven di much I’m glad she made Robin ❤
@harnoorsandhu_ixa6211
💯🤌🫶...Seven and never grow up interwoven ❤
@ThePoetRobin
bruh where are you guys, the poet needs help ➡
@carlapsalms2334
@@harnoorsandhu_ixa6211Like braids in a pattern ❤
@jasmine-probably
@Folklore_listener best song on folklore?
@wingsofdelay1
As a fairly new parent, this song’s meaning to me is about your child’s innocence and what you do to protect them from all the darkness in the world. I’m not much of a Taylor fan, but this song brought me to tears…
@truemfer282
Yeah wait until they love dinosaurs.
@marybrand1977
She can capture anyone with her music. I’m 74 and she got me!
@amandahuff6111
It's like a more mature version of Never Grow Up, which Taylor also wrote.