coney island
Taylor Swift feat. The National Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Break my soul in two
Looking for you but you're right here
If I can't relate to you anymore
Then who am I related to?
And if this is the long haul
How'd we get here so soon?
Did I close my fist around something delicate?
Did I shatter you?

And I'm sitting on a bench in Coney Island wondering where did my baby go?
The fast times, the bright lights, the merry go
Sorry for not making you my centerfold

Over and over
Lost again with no surprises
Disappointments, close your eyes
And it gets colder and colder
When the sun goes down

The question pounds my head
"What's a lifetime of achievement?"
If I pushed you to the edge
But you were too polite to leave me
And do you miss the rogue
Who coaxed you into paradise and left you there?
Will you forgive my soul
When you're too wise to trust me and too old to care?
'Cause we were like the mall before the Internet
It was the one place to be
The mischief, the gift wrapped suburban dreams
Sorry for not winning you an arcade ring

Over and over
Lost again with no surprises
Disappointments, close your eyes
And it gets colder and colder
When the sun goes down

Were you waiting at our old spot
In the tree line by the gold clock
Did I leave you hanging every single day?
Were you standing in the hallway
With a big cake, happy birthday
Did I paint your bluest skies the darkest gray?
A universe away
And when I got into the accident
The sight that flashed before me was your face
But when I walked up to the podium
I think that I forgot to say your name

I'm on a bench in Coney Island wondering where did my baby go?
The fast times, the bright lights, the merry go
Sorry for not making you my centerfold
Over and over

Lost again with no surprises
Disappointments, close your eyes
And it gets colder and colder
When the sun goes down
When the sun goes down

The sight that flashed before me was your face
When the sun goes down
But I think that I forgot to say your name
Over and over
Sorry for not making you my




Making you my
Making you my centerfold

Overall Meaning

In "Coney Island," Taylor Swift, a young woman who is unsure of her current relationship, muses on how she can maintain a relationship with someone who may no longer understand her. She asks herself who she is connected to in this world if she can no longer communicate with her partner. Swift reflects on the past, comparing it to the mall before the internet, which was once the central hub for social interaction before the rise of online communication. She reminisces about lost love and missed opportunities, wondering if she was too self-involved to see what was right in front of her. Swift seems to have come to terms with the fact that her relationship is no longer working, and she is asking for forgiveness from her former partner.


The lovely ballad exhibits gorgeous harmonies from The National's Matt Berninger as he smoothly blends in with Swift's soft vocals. It feels as if Berninger is singing from a different point of view about the same situation in a soothing tone. The lyrics are also littered with several other references.


Line by Line Meaning

Break my soul in two
The singer is emotionally torn and vulnerable


Looking for you but you're right here
Despite being physically present, the singer feels a disconnect from the person they are searching for


If I can't relate to you anymore
The singer is struggling to connect with the person they are addressing


Then who am I related to?
The artist questions their identity and sense of belonging if they cannot connect with this person


And if this is the long haul
The artist questions the lasting nature of their relationship


How'd we get here so soon?
The singer is reflecting on the speed at which their relationship has progressed and changed


Did I close my fist around something delicate?
The singer wonders if they have been too forceful or destructive with something precious


Did I shatter you?
The artist considers if they have caused harm or damage to the person they are addressing


And I'm sitting on a bench in Coney Island wondering where did my baby go?
The artist is reflecting on the past and contemplating the absence of this person


The fast times, the bright lights, the merry go
The artist is reminiscing about the times they shared with this person at Coney Island, a classic entertainment destination


Sorry for not making you my centerfold
The singer expresses remorse for not prioritizing their relationship and making the person feel special or valued


Over and over
The artist feels stuck in a cycle of disappointment and repetition


Lost again with no surprises
The singer is disheartened by the lack of new or positive developments in their situation


Disappointments, close your eyes
The singer implores the listener to ignore or let go of their disappointments


And it gets colder and colder
The singer feels increasingly isolated and alone


When the sun goes down
The artist associates the descent of the sun with negative emotions


The question pounds my head
The artist is preoccupied with an unresolved question


"What's a lifetime of achievement?"
The singer questions the value and meaning of success in a greater context


If I pushed you to the edge
The singer considers if they have tested the limits of this person's patience or trust


But you were too polite to leave me
The artist acknowledges the loyalty or kindness of this person, even if unspoken


And do you miss the rogue
The artist wonders if this person misses a different version of themselves


Who coaxed you into paradise and left you there?
The artist alludes to a time when they may have led this person to a happier place, but not remained there with them


Will you forgive my soul
The singer seeks forgiveness for something they have done or failed to do


When you're too wise to trust me and too old to care?
The artist ponders if it's too late to be trusted or understood by this person


'Cause we were like the mall before the Internet
The singer recalls a time when their relationship was simpler and more traditional


It was the one place to be
The singer fondly remembers this place as important and significant


The mischief, the gift wrapped suburban dreams
The singer reminisces about shared experiences and ideals


Sorry for not winning you an arcade ring
The artist apologizes for not being able to provide the person with material tokens of affection or satisfaction


Were you waiting at our old spot
The artist wonders if this person still remembers or cares about the places they shared together


In the tree line by the gold clock
The singer recalls a specific location and moment shared with this person


Did I leave you hanging every single day?
The singer considers if they have neglected or disappointed this person consistently


Were you standing in the hallway
The artist imagines this person waiting or anticipating something


With a big cake, happy birthday
The artist remembers a significant event or occasion shared with this person


Did I paint your bluest skies the darkest gray?
The artist wonders if they have caused this person pain or distress


A universe away
The singer feels distant or separate from this person


And when I got into the accident
The artist recalls a traumatic event they experienced


The sight that flashed before me was your face
Despite the chaos of the situation, the singer's thoughts were focused on this person


But when I walked up to the podium
The singer highlights a moment of public recognition or achievement


I think that I forgot to say your name
The singer realizes they may have overlooked or undervalued this person in moments of personal success


When the sun goes down
The artist associates the descent of the sun with negative emotions


Over and over
The artist feels stuck in a cycle of disappointment and repetition


Lost again with no surprises
The singer is disheartened by the lack of new or positive developments in their situation


Disappointments, close your eyes
The singer implores the listener to ignore or let go of their disappointments


And it gets colder and colder
The artist feels increasingly isolated and alone


When the sun goes down
The artist associates the descent of the sun with negative emotions


The sight that flashed before me was your face
Despite the chaos of the situation, the artist's thoughts were focused on this person


But I think that I forgot to say your name
The singer realizes they may have overlooked or undervalued this person in moments of personal success


Sorry for not making you my
The artist apologizes for not prioritizing the person


Making you my
The singer regrets not valuing this person more highly


Making you my centerfold
The singer wishes they had put more effort into making this person feel special, important, and central to their life




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Aaron Brooking Dessner, Bryce David Dessner, Taylor A. Swift, William Bowery

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@leadylim5954

Break my soul in two
Looking for you but you're right here
If I can't relate to you anymore
Then who am I related to?
And if this is the long haul
How'd we get here so soon?
Did I close my fist around something delicate?
Did I shatter you?

And I'm sitting on a bench in Coney Island wondering where did my baby go?
The fast times, the bright lights, the merry go
Sorry for not making you my centerfold

Over and over
Lost again with no surprises
Disappointments, close your eyes
And it gets colder and colder
When the sun goes down

The question pounds my head
"What's a lifetime of achievement?"
If I pushed you to the edge
But you were too polite to leave me
And do you miss the rogue
Who coaxed you into paradise and left you there?
Will you forgive my soul
When you're too wise to trust me and too old to care?
'Cause we were like the mall before the Internet
It was the one place to be
The mischief, the gift wrapped suburban dreams
Sorry for not winning you an arcade ring

Over and over
Lost again with no surprises
Disappointments, close your eyes
And it gets colder and colder
When the sun goes down

Were you waiting at our old spot
In the tree line by the gold clock
Did I leave you hanging every single day?
Were you standing in the hallway
With a big cake, happy birthday
Did I paint your bluest skies the darkest gray?
A universe away
And when I got into the accident
The sight that flashed before me was your face
But when I walked up to the podium
I think that I forgot to say your name

I'm on a bench in Coney Island wondering where did my baby go?
The fast times, the bright lights, the merry go
Sorry for not making you my centerfold
Over and over

Lost again with no surprises
Disappointments, close your eyes
And it gets colder and colder
When the sun goes down
When the sun goes down

The sight that flashed before me was your face
When the sun goes down
But I think that I forgot to say your name
Over and over
Sorry for not making you my
Making you my
Making you my centerfold



@wannabezaclister

If you think about it, in the bridge she has left references to some of her past eras:

💛 [ FEARLESS - Love story MV ]
“Were you waiting at our old spot”
“In the tree line, by the gold clock?”
“Did I leave you hanging every single day?”


[ RED - The moment i knew, Taylor's 21st birthday ]
“Were you standing in the hallway with a big cake?”
“Happy birthday”


💜 [ SPEAK NOW - Dear John, "you paint me a blue sky and go back and turn it to rain" ]
“Did I paint your bluest skies the darkest gray?”
“A universe away”

🩵 [ 1989 - Out of the woods, "remember when you hit the breaks too soon 20 stitches..." (Harry's snowmobile accident) ]
“And when I got into the accident”
“The sight that flashed before me was your face”


🖤 [ REPUTATION - Look what you made me do, squad podium scene ]
“But when I walked up to the podium”

💚 [ her self titled Debut album ? ]
“I think that I forgot to say your name”



@user-zu1rr5vg1b

I am writing this in behalf of all Swifties

To haters: Why do you hate Taylor? Just because everyone surrounding you does and you do not want to be left out?Haters hate Taylor without even listening to her songs. They just hate her because everyone surrounding them does. Taylor is so kind to her fans. Unlike some other celebrities she does not think of fans as people not worth her time. She treats her fans the same way she treats her friends. No one is cuter to their fans more than Taylor Swift. So please don’t just hate her only because everyone surrounding you does. She does not deserve to be treated like that. I am not forcing everyone to be a Swiftie , I am just telling not to call her a snake or treat her badly.After all, she is also a human. No one deserves to be treated like that.

To Taylor: You are an awesome singer and women.Don’t care about what the Haters are telling about you. Keep doing what you want. We are always gonna support you.

To mama Swift: We are really grateful to you for giving birth to someone like Taylor. We all are really grateful to you.

To Mr Joe Alwyn: Thanks for being so supportive to Taylor during her tough times. We all are really thankful to you.

To my fellow Swifties: If you are a true Swiftie, copy this comment and paste it (as a comment) to at least 10 videos from Taylor’s channel and 10 videos about Taylor.

A true Swiftie



All comments from YouTube:

@BrandonButch

One of the best songs on the album 😭

@bigmark4673

Omg Brandon 😍 i love your reviews

@peptobismolveins

Evry song till now has been the best omg!

@AppleProGamer74

Woah so many verified accounts in these comment sections! I watch your videos but I didn’t know you were a Taylor Swift fan!!! That’s awesome!

@iluvfri3nds

Yes!!!

@rianjungco3390

I agree with you on that

30 More Replies...

@elizabethwilcox8259

As a woman married 31 years, I hear this song as a woman whose husband has passed away and she's sitting on a bench at Coney Island and wishing she had told her husband more that she loved and appreciated him. It's about regret and love and marriage. It's one of the most powerful narratives I've heard sung. Amazes me that someone as young as her can write this song.

@yousra9256

she's actually your age ma'am 😅

@lowesky

@Yousra no, elizabeth is saying shes been married for 31, so at least something like, 18+31=49

@ziggysflowers

i hear it as something similar :) i once read a beautiful story about 2 lovers in the 1960s and one of them passed away. they were both men and spent their time together in hiding. just like you said, it’s about regret and all of the words left unsaid, all of the things they didn’t get to do. one of the most memorable moments in the story was their day at the beach, which i kind of connect to coney island

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