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. Following Midnights, Taylor Swift announced her upcoming eleventh studio album, “The Tortured Poets Department” (2024) which is set to be released on April 19, 2024. She announced this record at 66th Annual Grammy Award Show accepting the award for Best Pop Vocal Album for her previous album, Midnights (2022) in honour of receiving her 13th Grammy.
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 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 [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, Artist of the Decade (2010s) by the American Music Awards, and Person of the Year (2023) by Time Magazine.
Timeless
Taylor Swift Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And something in my head said, "Stop," so I walked in
On the counter was a cardboard box
And the sign said, "Photos: twenty-five cents each"
Black and white, saw a '30s bride
And two lovers laughin' on the porch of their first house
The kinda love that you only find once in a lifetime
The kind you don't put down
But in those photos, I saw us instead
And, somehow, I know that you and I would've found each other
In another life, you still would've turned my head even if we'd met
On a crowded street in 1944
And you were headed off to fight in the war
You still would've been mine
We would have been timeless
I would've read your love letters every single night
And prayed to God you'd be comin' home all right
And you would've been fine
We would have been timeless
'Cause I believe that we were supposed to find this
So, even in a different life, you still would've been mine
We would've been timeless
I had to smile when it caught my eye
There was one of a teenage couple in the driveway
Holdin' hands on the way to a dance
And the date on the back said 1958
Which brought me back to the first time I saw you
Time stood still like somethin' in this old shop
I thought about it as I started lookin' 'round
At these precious things that time forgot
That's when I came upon a book covered in cobwebs
Story of a romance torn apart by fate
Hundreds of years ago, they fell in love, like we did
And I'd die for you in the same way if I first saw your face
In the 1500s off in a foreign land
And I was forced to marry another man
You still would've been mine
We would have been timeless
I would've read your love letters every single night
And run away and left it all behind
You still would've been mine
We would've been timeless
'Cause I believe that we were supposed to find this
So, even in a different life, you still would've been mine
We would've been timeless
Time breaks down your mind and body
Don't you let it touch your soul
It was like an age-old classic
The first time that you saw me
The story started when you said, "Hello"
In a crowded room a few short years ago
And sometimes there's no proof, you just know
You're always gonna be mine
We're gonna be
I'm gonna love you when our hair is turnin' gray
We'll have a cardboard box of photos of the life we've made
And you'll say, "Oh my, we really were timeless"
We're gonna be timeless, timeless
You still would've been mine
We would've been
Even if we'd met on a crowded street in 1944
You still would've been mine
We would've been
Down the block, there's an antique shop
And somethin' in my head said, "Stop," so I walked in
The lyrics to Taylor Swift's song "Timeless" tell a story of love that transcends time and different lifetimes. The singer visits an antique shop and comes across a box of old photos, each capturing moments of love and happiness. As she looks at these photos, she sees herself and her partner in them, as if their love has existed throughout different eras. The song expresses the belief that no matter the circumstances or time period, their love would have always found a way to exist and thrive.
The first verse sets the scene in the antique shop, where the singer is drawn to a box of old photos. The black and white images depict couples from different eras, and the singer envisions herself and her partner in those moments. It suggests that their love is timeless and powerful, the kind that only comes once in a lifetime. The singer calls her partner, struggling to explain the emotions and connection she feels through these photos. It implies a strong belief that if they had met in different circumstances or eras, their love would have still blossomed.
The second verse further explores the idea of the couple's love overcoming time. It transports the listener to 1944, during the time of war, where the singer imagines her partner heading off to fight. Despite the challenges and uncertainties, the lyrics express a firm belief that their love would have remained strong. The idea of reading love letters every night and praying for a safe return showcases the depth and devotion of their connection. It suggests that their love is unbreakable and would have withstood the test of time.
Overall, "Timeless" is a heartfelt song that explores the concept of soulmate connections that transcend time and space. It speaks to the belief that true love is eternal and can overcome any obstacle or setting.
Line by Line Meaning
Down the block, there's an antique shop
In close proximity, there exists a store selling old, valuable items
And something in my head said, 'Stop,' so I walked in
An inner feeling or intuition compelled me to enter the shop
On the counter was a cardboard box
Visible on the surface was a box made of thin, stiff material
And the sign said, 'Photos: twenty-five cents each'
A notice indicated that photographs were available for purchase at a specific price
Black and white, saw a '30s bride
Monochrome images revealed a bride from the 1930s
And school lovers laughin' on the porch of their first house
Photographs portrayed young couples sharing lighthearted moments on the front of their initial abode
The kinda love that you only find once in a lifetime
A unique and profound affection that can only be encountered once
The kind you don't put down
An attachment so strong that one does not abandon it
And that's when I called you and it's so hard to explain
At that moment, I contacted you, though conveying the experience is challenging
But in those photos, I saw us instead
Observing those pictures, I envisioned our own presence
And, somehow, I know that you and I would've found each other
Oddly, I possess the certainty that we would have eventually encountered one another
In another life, you still would've turned my head even if we'd met
In an alternate existence, you would have still captured my attention, even upon our initial meeting
On a crowded street in 1944
Amidst a bustling road during the year of 1944
And you were headed off to fight in the war
Moreover, you were departing to engage in conflict
You still would've been mine
Nevertheless, you would have remained my beloved
We would have been timeless
Together, we would have transcended time itself
I would've read your love letters every single night
I would have diligently perused your affectionate written correspondences every evening
And prayed to God you'd be comin' home all right
Furthermore, I would have fervently implored for your safe return
And you would've been fine
Consequently, you would have remained unharmed
We would have been timeless
Together, we would have defied the constraints of time
'Cause I believe that we were supposed to find this
Due to my conviction, I firmly believe that destiny led us to this realization
So, even in a different life, you still would've been mine
Hence, even in an alternate existence, you would have remained my beloved
We would've been timeless
Together, we would have surpassed the limitations of time
I had to smile when it caught my eye
An involuntary, gleeful expression emerged as my attention was captured
There was one of a teenage couple in the driveway
An image depicted a youthful pair situated on the driveway
Holdin' hands on the way to a dance
They engaged in holding each other's hands while en route to a dance
And the date on the back said 1958
The date inscribed on the reverse side indicated the year as 1958
Which brought me back to the first time I saw you
Consequently, this occurrence reminded me of the initial moment I laid eyes upon you
Time stood still like somethin' in this old shop
At that instant, time ceased its forward motion, much like an object in this aged store
I thought about it as I started lookin' 'round
Pondering this occurrence, my contemplation expanded as I began surveying the surroundings
At these precious things that time forgot
Examining these invaluable items disregarded by time itself
That's when I came upon a book covered in cobwebs
Subsequently, I stumbled upon a book obscured by spider silk
Story of a romance torn apart by fate
Contained within was an account of a love affair separated by unfortunate circumstances
Hundreds of years ago, they fell in love, like we did
Centuries in the past, they experienced the same love we shared
And I'd die for you in the same way if I first saw your face
Under similar circumstances, I would willingly sacrifice my life for you upon our initial encounter
In the 1500s off in a foreign land
During the 16th century, situated in an unfamiliar territory
And I was forced to marry another man
Compelled by circumstances, I entered matrimony with a different individual
You still would've been mine
Nonetheless, you would have remained my beloved
We would have been timeless
Together, we would have transcended the confines of time
I would've read your love letters every single night
I would have diligently perused your affectionate written correspondences every evening
And run away and left it all behind
Additionally, I would have fled and abandoned everything for our love
You still would've been mine
Even so, you would have remained my beloved
We would've been timeless
Together, we would have defied the constraints of time
'Cause I believe that we were supposed to find this
In light of my conviction, I firmly hold that it was predestined for us to discover this truth
So, even in a different life, you still would've been mine
Consequently, even in an alternate existence, you would have remained my beloved
We would've been timeless
Together, we would have surpassed the limitations of time
Time breaks down your mind and body
The passing of time deteriorates one's mental and physical state
Don't you let it touch your soul
Therefore, one must safeguard their inner essence from the influence of time
It was like an age-old classic
It resembled a well-established masterpiece
The first time that you saw me
When you initially laid eyes upon me
The story started when you said, 'Hello'
The narrative began at the precise moment you uttered the word 'Hello'
In a crowded room a few short years ago
Within a space filled with numerous individuals, a couple of brief years ago
And sometimes there's no proof, you just know
Occasionally, evidence is lacking, yet you possess an intuitive understanding
You're always gonna be mine
You shall forever remain my beloved
We're gonna be
We will endure as a couple
I'm gonna love you when our hair is turnin' gray
I shall continue to adore you even as our hair loses its color
We'll have a cardboard box of photos of the life we've made
Together, we will possess a container made of thick paper, filled with snapshots depicting the life we have constructed
And you'll say, 'Oh my, we really were timeless'
At that moment, you will exclaim, 'Oh my, we genuinely existed beyond the constraints of time'
We're gonna be timeless, timeless
We shall endure as a couple, transcending the limitations of time
You still would've been mine
Still, you would have remained my beloved
We would've been
Together, we would have existed
Even if we'd met on a crowded street in 1944
Even if we had encountered each other on a busy road in the year 1944
You still would've been mine
Nevertheless, you would have remained my beloved
We would've been
Together, we would have existed
Down the block, there's an antique shop
Located nearby, there exists a store selling old, valuable items
And something in my head said, 'Stop,' so I walked in
A mental sensation compelled me to halt and subsequently enter the shop
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Taylor Swift
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Noremac95
I think it's safe to say that this is her best album closing song. The storytelling and lyricism is top notch.
@anyier-
I feel like this is her best album, I’ve always hated speak now but now she REALLY went up with the vocals, lyrics, and for the vault songs she took a new turn with different styles but it still hit.
@evelyn_sea
But Daylight.. I’m obsessed with timeless tho!
I also LOVEE the lakes, might be a unpopular opinion, And ATW ofc. Daylight is my favorite TS song of all time tho ☺️
@BeatrizLee
It is especially because the album starts with Mine, telling us the beginning of their story building a life together. She ends it with Timeless showing us the life they had together. It’s perfection. 🥺
@N08R76H
Eh New Year’s Day and daylight are better, not saying this is a bad song it’s just not one of her best songs as a closing song
@totallynotmarcie
10000%!
@veni10
I love how the Speak Now (Taylor's Version) album started with a song consisting of lyrics like "You are the best thing that's ever been mine" and ended with a song consisting of lyrics like "You still would've been mine, we would've been timeless".
@meegy2
❤❤❤ love that
@ralphcorneliuscastro
LOVE THAT!!!!!!
@jeremiahlyleseditor437
You have a great point. She might be telling us something or it's coincidence.
Maybe it's a reference to that Guy in high school she loved but he never cared.