Nothing New
Taylor Swift feat. Phoebe Bridgers Lyrics

They tell you while you're young
From a young age, girls are told to go and have fun.

"Girls, go out and have your fun"
Girls are encouraged to enjoy themselves and live their lives.

Then they hunt and slay the ones
But those who actually take that advice and live freely are criticized and attacked.

Who actually do it
Those who live their lives to the fullest are punished for it.

Criticize the way you fly
People will judge you no matter what you do.

When you're soarin' through the sky
Even when you're doing your best and succeeding, people will still try to bring you down.

Shoot you down and then they sigh
People will attack you, then act like they feel bad for you.

And say, "She looks like she's been through it"
After they tear you down, they'll pity you and act like they didn't contribute to your pain.

Lord, what will become of me
The singer wonders what her future holds.

Once I lost my novelty?
She worries that once she's no longer new and exciting, people will lose interest in her.

I've had too much to drink tonight
The singer is drunk and thinking deeply about her life.

And I know it's sad, but this is what I think about
She acknowledges that her thoughts may not be happy, but they're what's on her mind.

And I wake up in the middle of the night
The singer is plagued with thoughts that keep her up at night.

It's like I can feel time moving
She's acutely aware of the passage of time and its effect on her life.

How can a person know everything at eighteen
The singer wonders how it's possible to feel so sure of everything when you're young.

But nothin' at twenty-two?
But as you get older, you realize that you don't know as much as you thought you did when you were young.

And will you still want me when I'm nothin' new?
The singer worries that people will only be interested in her when she's new and exciting, and won't care about her when she's no longer fresh and shiny.

How long will it be cute
The singer wonders how long people will find her sadness and struggles charming.

All this cryin' in my room?
She questions how long it will be acceptable for her to cry alone in her room.

When you can't blame it on my youth
She fears that people will stop excusing her behavior because of her age.

And roll your eyes with affection
Even as people grow tired of her struggles, they'll still act like they care.

And my cheeks are growin' tired
The singer is tired of pretending that everything is okay, and it's starting to show on her face.

From turnin' red and fakin' smiles
She's tired of pretending to be happy when she's not.

Are we only biding time
The singer questions if her relationships are only temporary and if everyone is just waiting for her to lose their attention.

'Til I lose your attention?
She fears that people will stop caring about her once she's no longer new and exciting.

And someone else lights up the room
She worries that someone else will come along and steal the spotlight from her.

People love an ingénue
Everyone loves a young, innocent woman.

I know someday I'm gonna meet her, it's a fever dream
The singer dreams of meeting her younger, more naive self.

The kind of radiance you only have at seventeen
She remembers the confidence and beauty she had at a younger age.

She'll know the way and then she'll say she got the map from me
She hopes that she can impart some wisdom to her younger self.

I'll say I'm happy for her, then I'll cry myself to sleep
But she knows that she'll be sad when she realizes she can't go back to that time in her life.

But I wonder if they'll miss me once they drive me out
The singer wonders if people will care about her once she's no longer new and exciting.

Will you still want me?
She questions if people will still care about her once she's no longer fresh and new.

Will you still want me?
She repeats the question, emphasizing her fear of being left behind.

Will you still want me when I'm nothin' new?
The singer worries that she'll be forgotten once she's no longer exciting or fresh.