“’tis the damn season” is the fourth track on Taylor Swift’s second 2020 album ‘evermore.’ The title of the song suggests that the song might be related to the Christmas season, as does it resembles the release date of the album. However, the use of the word ‘damn,’ a curse word, suggests that she is unhappy with the Christmas season. There are very few reasons why one would be unhappy about the season of joy and wonder, and judging by Taylor’s music history, the reasons could be failed romance or loneliness. However, Taylor could also surprise us.
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 revealed some footnotes about the songs and told about the song “dorothea; “the girl who left her small town to chase Hollywood dreams—and what happens when she comes back for the holidays and rediscovers an old flame.” This narrative ties in perfectly with this song.
Listen to “’tis the damn season” by Taylor Swift
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“’tis the damn season” Lyrics Meaning and Song Review
Verse 1
In the first verse of the song, Taylor narrates a very-very cold encounter between her and an old flame of hers’. There seem to be a lot of unresolved issues between the two and neither wants to confront them. But it is apparent that both are hurting inside, underneath those layers of dead-cold feelings. Taylor also suggests that she might be the reason why this relationship fell apart and for the coldness between them. Maybe her leaving the town broke them apart.
Chorus
Taylor’s return to her hometown for the Christmas season has not been pleasant so far. Meeting with her old boyfriend had stirred up some feelings. She is open to a fling for the time she is here, but it will not turn into a relationship. In the song “cardigan” from the ‘folklore’ album, Taylor Swift made a similar gesture; “Giving me your weekends.” Anything happening for a weekend is just ‘temporary’ and pretty meaningless.
However, Taylor Swift calls this option the “road less traveled” because of its temporary nature, and something she might come to regret later. She sang about a similar gesture in the “illicit affairs” track on the ‘folklore’ album. In Taylor’s hometown, and only in her hometown, this road less traveled leads to the house of this guy.
Verse 2
The unresolved issues between the former couple are overtaken by the sexual tension between the two. Taylor is halfway to his house and suggests that if he is okay with it, she is too. There will be a lot more unresolved issues after this fling, but she will escape to the city after the Christmas season. She might carry on the dirty smell of this affair with her like a lingering bad perfume.
However, the chorus that follows says “We could just ride around” in Taylor’s car. So, maybe the intentions are not so foul after all!
Bridge
In the bridge of “’tis the dam season,” we can almost hear Taylor Swift relapsing–after an ice-cold start to the song. She thinks about the only person who knows her the best, the only person who can tell if she is faking a smile, and the only person she can call a ‘friend.’ It is true that her dreams lead her to the big city of Los Angeles, where she has a million ‘colleagues’ and zero ‘friends.’ These feelings have Taylor relapsing quite hard, and right into his arms. She has to go back to following her dreams, but “I’ll be yours for the weekend.”
Let us hear what you think about this song in the comments below. Check out the complete lyrics and further meaning breakdown on Genius.