“long story short” is the twelfth track on Taylor Swift’s second 2020 album ‘evermore.’ The song talks about finding solace in her lover in a world full of negativity and hate towards the singer.
Taylor Swift announced her 9th studio album ‘evermore‘ in quick succession to her previous studio album ‘folklore‘ which was released in July 2020. Both albums follow a similar theme and Taylor called them ‘sister-records.’ “To try and put it more poetically, it feels like we were standing on the edge of the folklorian woods and had a choice: to turn and go back or to travel further into the forest of this music. We chose to wander deeper in,” said Taylor Swift announcing the album. The ‘evermore’ album releases on December 11, 2020.
Taylor Swift is no stranger to public scrutiny and subject to heavy invasion of privacy. She went through a long-lasting feud with Kanye West, starting at the 2009 MTV VMA ceremony to 2016’s infamous “Famous” song by Kanye West dissing Taylor Swift. She also has had enough complaints about singing about ex-boyfriends in her songs. Taylor’s mother is struggling with cancer. All of these are heavy balls to juggle with at once. So, finding true love can be the only true peace she can find. And Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn met in 2016.
Listen to “long story short” by Taylor Swift
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“long story short” Lyrics Meaning and Song Review
Verse 1
Taylor describes how she came across her saving grace when she was cornered by all of the above, and when she was beaten in battle. And these battles were not even ones he picked. The battles just came on to her. The best example is her feud with Kanye West, which started in 2009 when Kanye West interrupted Taylor’s acceptance speech for ‘Best Female Video.’
“The war of words” might be a hint at the “Famous” song by Kanye West in which he sings “I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex / Why? I made that b**ch famous.” When Taylor Swift called out about these lyrics, Kanye West claimed that he called Taylor prior and took her approval. However, it was later revealed that Kanye only played the first line and omitted the second line on purpose.
Taylor Swift would not bet that anyone understands what she is going through in her daily life. She gladly welcomes anyone to try: “If the shoe fits, walk in it ’til your high heels break.” However, as the lyrics suggest, she knows they will break the heels trying.
Chorus
Taylor Swift was at the top of the world when her relationships started crumbling down one after the other, and getting public scrutiny for that, and getting involved in the Kanye West drama, and her mother’s ill health during the 2014-2016 period. She says she fell from her high pedestal right down the rabbit hole; the lowest she could. And “Long story short, it was a bad time.” Taylor dedicated an entire era of her career, titled ‘Reputation‘ to embrace everything thrown at her.
Post-chorus
Fortunately for Taylor Swift, she came across the British actor Joe Alwyn when everything was seemingly falling apart. Since 2016, Joe Alwyn has been one constant in her life, and deservingly so. Taylor sings that she is all about him now.
Verse 2
‘Looking better in the rearview’ is an idea that when you look back at your past, you feel you were a better version of yourself back then. This is not the worst trait to develop, but it would get exhausting at some point, constantly having to live the best version of yourself.
Taylor Swift also gets very defensive about her relationship in these lyrics. She says that she let down her weapons and stopped fighting everything when she met the right person. But if some random person/media comes knocking at their peaceful existence, she would not stand aside and watch–she would fight. This also infers that Taylor is aware of the fact that her fame and popularity were reasons for some of her relationships to fall apart.
Bridge
Taylor has found a relationship in which she can finally relax. There is no need for keeping count or doing favors for one another. They are perfectly content in their secluded existence.
Verse 3
Taylor Swift is even happier that she found a man who does not let her past mistakes, her boyfriends, feuds, etc, sway him. Taylor believes all the evil out there will consume the evil itself. They just have to wait it out in their humble seclusion.
Let us hear what you think about this song in the comments below. Check out the complete lyrics and further meaning breakdown on Genius.