On this lighthearted, anthemic, and almost comical track Taylor Swift throw… Read Full Bio ↴On this lighthearted, anthemic, and almost comical track Taylor Swift throws some major shade at all the haters.

During the Secret Sessions held before the release of "Reputation", Taylor told fans that this song drew on her experiences with fame and the media. She stated that she’d throw extravagant parties and invite her friends on stage with her during the 1989 tour as a nice gesture, to share her success with those around her. However, the media eventually turned that against her, questioning and criticizing her need for a “squad” which led her to essentially move out of the public eye completely and go on a sabbatical for the next year.

Many have also speculated that this song specifically references her ongoing feud with rapper, Kanye West.

"'It’s about when people take nice things for granted. Like friendship, or trusting people, or being open or whatever. Letting people in on your life, trusting people, respect – those are all really nice things.'"

- Taylor, via iHeart Radio

This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things
Taylor Swift Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

It was so nice throwing big parties
Jumping to the pool from the balcony
Everyone swimming in a champagne sea
And there are no rules when you show up here
Bass beat rattling the chandelier
Feeling so Gatsby for that whole year

So why'd you have to rain on my parade?

I'm shaking my head
I'm locking the gates

This is why we can't have nice things, darling
Because you break them
I had to take them away
This is why we can't have nice things, honey
Did you think I wouldn't hear all the things you said about me?
This is why we can't have nice things

It was so nice being friends again
There I was giving you a second chance
But you stabbed my back while shaking my hand
And therein lies the issue
Friends don't try to trick you
Get you on the phone and mind-twist you
And so I took an axe to a mended fence

But I'm not the only friend you've lost lately, hm hm
If only you weren't
So shady

This is why we can't have nice things, darling
Because you break them
I had to take them away
This is why we can't have nice (nice things)
Things (baby) honey
Did you think I wouldn't hear all the things you said about me?
This is why we can't have

Here's a toast to my real friends
They don't care about that he said, she said
And here's to my baby
He ain't reading what they call me lately
And here's to my momma
Had to listen to all this drama
And here's to you
'Cause forgiveness is a nice thing to do
I can't even say it with a straight face

This is why we can't have nice things, darling (darling)
Because you break them
I had to take them away
This is why we can't have nice things, honey
Did you think I wouldn't hear all the things you said about me?
This is why we can't have nice things, darling
(And here's to my real friends)
Because you break them, I want to take them
And here's to my baby

Nice things, honey (they don't care about that he said, she said)

Did you think I wouldn't hear all the things you said about me?
This is why we can't have nice things

Overall Meaning

In "This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things," Taylor Swift expresses her frustration over a friend's betrayal. The beginning of the song alludes to the excessive lifestyle that comes with celebrity status, as Swift sings about throwing big parties and feeling like Gatsby. However, there is an underlying theme of emptiness and isolation, as Swift notes that there are "no rules" and the only thing left is a "champagne sea."

But then, the joyous tone of the song quickly shifts as Swift sings about her friend's betrayal. The lyrics express her shock and disappointment, using the metaphor of a fence that had been mended, only for Swift to take an axe to it once more. The chorus emphasizes the pain of the situation and the loss of nice things due to the other person's negative actions.

Towards the end of the song, Swift raises a glass to her true, loyal friends while also sarcastically acknowledging the idea of forgiveness as a nice thing to do. The final repetition of the chorus drives home the theme of the song, highlighting the importance of trust, loyalty, and honesty in any relationship.

Line by Line Meaning

It was so nice throwing big parties
I used to throw big parties where everyone would have fun.

Jumping to the pool from the balcony
We were all having such a good time that we even jumped from the balcony into the pool.

Everyone swimming in a champagne sea
Everyone was enjoying themselves so much that it felt like we were all swimming in a sea of champagne.

And there are no rules when you show up here
When you're at my party, anything goes and there are no rules.

Bass beat rattling the chandelier
The music was so loud and intense that it was shaking the chandelier.

Feeling so Gatsby for that whole year
We felt like we were in the Great Gatsby, with all the extravagance and excess of the Roaring Twenties.

So why'd you have to rain on my parade?
Why did you have to ruin everything for me?

I'm shaking my head
I can't believe what you've done.

I'm locking the gates
I'm shutting you out of my life.

This is why we can't have nice things, darling
Your actions have ruined everything for us and this is why we can't have nice things.

Because you break them
You always destroy what we have.

I had to take them away
I had to remove you from my life and take away everything we had.

Did you think I wouldn't hear all the things you said about me?
Did you really think you could say things behind my back and I wouldn't find out?

It was so nice being friends again
We had a good thing going when we were friends again.

There I was giving you a second chance
I gave you a chance to make things right.

But you stabbed my back while shaking my hand
You betrayed me even though we appeared to be on good terms.

And therein lies the issue
That's the problem.

Friends don't try to trick you
Real friends don't deceive you.

Get you on the phone and mind-twist you
They don't manipulate you on the phone like you did to me.

And so I took an axe to a mended fence
I destroyed what we tried to fix.

But I'm not the only friend you've lost lately, hm hm
You've lost other friends for the same reason lately.

If only you weren't
If only you weren't so fake and manipulative.

So shady
You're acting suspicious and deceitful.

Here's a toast to my real friends
I want to show appreciation to my true friends.

They don't care about that he said, she said
They don't get caught up in gossip and rumors.

And here's to my baby
And here's to my partner.

He ain't reading what they call me lately
He doesn't care what people are saying about me.

And here's to my momma
And here's to my mom, who has had to deal with all this drama too.

Had to listen to all this drama
She's had to put up with all the negativity and chaos.

And here's to you
And here's to you, with the hope that you can learn to forgive.

Cause forgiveness is a nice thing to do
I hope that you can forgive and move on from all this hurt and anger.

I can't even say it with a straight face
But I find it hard to say this sincerely, because of everything you've done.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Jack Michael Antonoff, Taylor Alison Swift

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS