Upon release of Evermore, "Marjorie" was met with widespread critical acclaim, with praise for its emotion, lyricism, and production. Many critics selected the song as a highlight on Evermore and dubbed it one of Swift's most poignant songs. Commercially, "Marjorie" reached number 16 on the Billboard Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart, and entered various other charts globally.
marjorie
Taylor Swift Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Never be so clever, you forget to be kind
And if I didn't know better
I'd think you were talking to me now
If I didn't know better
I'd think you were still around
What died didn't stay dead
You're alive, you're alive in my head
What died didn't stay dead
What died didn't stay dead
You're alive, so alive
Never be so polite, you forget your power
Never wield such power, you forget to be polite
And if I didn't know better
I'd think you were listening to me now
If I didn't know better
I'd think you were still around
What died didn't stay dead
What died didn't stay dead
You're alive, you're alive in my head
What died didn't stay dead
What died didn't stay dead
You're alive, so alive
The autumn chill that wakes me up
You loved the amber skies so much
Long limbs and frozen swims
You'd always go past where our feet could touch
And I complained the whole way there
The car ride back and up the stairs
I should've asked you questions
I should've asked you how to be
Asked you to write it down for me
Should've kept every grocery store receipt
'Cause every scrap of you would be taken from me
Watched as you signed your name Marjorie
All your closets of backlogged dreams
And how you left them all to me
What died didn't stay dead
What died didn't stay dead
You're alive, you're alive in my head
What died didn't stay dead
What died didn't stay dead
You're alive, so alive
And if I didn't know better
I'd think you were singing to me now
If I didn't know better
I'd think you were still around
I know better
But I still feel you all around
I know better
But you're still around
The song "marjorie" by Taylor Swift is a tribute to her late grandmother, Marjorie Finlay, who was an opera singer. The lyrics offer a reflection on the relationship between Swift and her grandmother and the impact Marjorie had on her life. The opening lines advise never to be so kind that one forgets to be clever or so clever that one forgets to be kind. This could be interpreted as a message from Marjorie to Swift to always be true to herself and to balance intelligence with compassion. The chorus repeats the phrase "What died didn't stay dead" as a statement of the continued presence of Marjorie in Swift's life, despite her physical absence. The verse "The autumn chill that wakes me up / You loved the amber skies so much / Long limbs and frozen swims / You'd always go past where our feet could touch" is a nostalgic memory of Marjorie and the experiences they shared. The final line of the song, "But you're still around," emphasizes the lasting impact that loved ones who have passed away can have on one's life.
Overall, the song is a beautiful tribute that honors the memory of a loved one and reminds listeners of the importance of cherishing relationships and memories.
Line by Line Meaning
Never be so kind, you forget to be clever
Don't sacrifice your intelligence for the sake of being kind.
Never be so clever, you forget to be kind
Don't let your cleverness make you forget to be empathetic and kind towards others.
And if I didn't know better
I'd think you were talking to me now
The singer feels like the person the song is about is still communicating with her, even though they have passed away.
If I didn't know better
I'd think you were still around
Despite knowing that the person is dead, the singer still feels their presence around her.
What died didn't stay dead
You're alive, you're alive in my head
Memories of the person the song is about are still alive and vivid in the singer's mind.
Never be so polite, you forget your power
Never wield such power, you forget to be polite
Be aware of the power you hold, and don't let it make you forget to be polite and respectful towards others.
The autumn chill that wakes me up
You loved the amber skies so much
Long limbs and frozen swims
You'd always go past where our feet could touch
And I complained the whole way there
The car ride back and up the stairs
The singer is reminiscing about past memories with the person the song is about, particularly a time when they went swimming in cold water and the singer was complaining about it.
I should've asked you questions
I should've asked you how to be
Asked you to write it down for me
The singer wishes she could have asked the person for advice and guidance before they passed away.
Should've kept every grocery store receipt
'Cause every scrap of you would be taken from me
The singer wishes she had kept more mementos and reminders of the person, so as to hold onto their memory more firmly.
Watched as you signed your name Marjorie
All your closets of backlogged dreams
And how you left them all to me
The singer recalls moments where the person the song is about entrusted her with their possessions and dreams.
I know better
But I still feel you all around
Despite knowing that the person is gone, the singer cannot shake the feeling that they are still present in some way.
And if I didn't know better
I'd think you were singing to me now
The singer feels as though the song itself is a message from the person the song is about, despite knowing logically that it is not.
I'd think you were still around
I know better
But you're still around
Despite knowing that the person is gone, the singer still feels their presence lingering in her life.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Aaron Brooking Dessner, Taylor A. Swift
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@donnaeasty1816
Taylor's songs for her family
''The best days''
''Soon you will get better''
''Epiphany''
''Marjorie''
''Never grow up'''
''I'm only me when I'm with you''
@hannahfaye9525
Taylor Swift's bloodline never experienced being ugly.
@929er13
they're all gorgeous 😭
@MG-gf6yj
Yeah right? Grandma swift was such a classy woman
@preciousemplamado9937
True af😭😭
@umigoslin6457
Well...there's no such thing as "ugly"
@winter1801
A Swiftie and a Once? OMG PERIODT
@averybaldauf7566
No one talks about the lyric “all your closets of backlogged dreams and how you left them all to me” Her grandma wanted to be a famous singer but never made it then Taylor did 😭😭
@ava13
To my knowledge, her grandmother was a famous opera singer, if you hear closely at 3:18 you can hear her and she credits Marjorie finlay as a backing singer at the end of the video
@dc9067
She was pretty famous tho
@bonjouritsali
I'm crying