“Midnight Rain” is the sixth track on Taylor Swift’s 2022 album ‘Midnights.’ One would expect a midnight rain to be calming and soothing, but not in this song. It’s a hurricane when her lover is a sunny beachside.
‘Midnights‘ is the tenth studio album by Taylor Swift following her ‘evermore‘ and ‘folklore‘ album releases in 2020. Announcing the album, Taylor Swift said “This is a collection of music written in the middle of the night, a journey through terrors and sweet dreams.” The album was released on October 21, 2022.
The song could be referring to one or more of many of the relationships Taylor Swift has encountered throughout her life. One hint in the lyrics is her lover’s fame and how they stayed unchanged. But this barely narrows down the list as Taylor Swift has had an A-list of former lovers such as Harry Styles, Jake Gyllenhall, Taylor Lautner, Calvin Harris, Joe Jonas, Tom Hiddleston, and more.
Listen to “Midnight Rain” by Taylor Swift
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Taylor Swift “Midnight Rain” Lyrics Meaning and Song Review
The song starts with an ominous voice chanting the differences between a couple who wanted separate things. The guy was in for the long haul and wanted a wife. The girl had other priorities in life. She left her hometown to pursue a dream, not to be tied down as a wife. He was a star, too. But he was set in his own ways. She was becoming a star and was changing like a piece of paper in the wind.
Throughout the song, Taylor Swift seemingly tries to justify why she did not want to be someone’s wife. For this specific person, this could be a letter of apology–or a letter of explanation.
It all begins in her small hometown where nothing ever happened. West Reading, Pennsylvania, had a population of 4,400 in 2010–1/10th of the crowds Taylor Swift performs to in one night now. That town was way too small for the caliber of Taylor Swift. So, she had to leave.
When she did this change, life turned upside down. In the blink of an eye, Taylor was a global superstar. Everything she had once dreamed of, she is living now. There was a lot to learn, adapt to, and change.
Being rooted and not forgetting where you are from is good. But you have to adapt to your environment. It’s not the strongest who survive adversities, it is the ones who can adapt the best. So, Taylor did adapt and change.
He was already a superstar by the time she met him. He was set in his own ways of adapting to his world of stardom. Maybe, he had different priorities now, having tasted the fancier life far too long. Maybe, this is why he wanted to settle down with Taylor. But, Taylor was just starting out. Her name was just becoming a household brand. At this stage of his life, he wanted sunshine. But, Taylor Swift was a storm taking on the world. He was drenched and swept away.
Taylor Swift wanted so much when she was young and hungry for success. But she never knew what it could really turn out to be. She climbed to the zenith of stardom and the view is much clearer from the highest point in the world. So, looking back, we wonder if there ever was a point that she regrets now.
This guy has now moved on. The only times he remembers her is when he sees her on TV. She has moved on as well. The only times she remembers him are on midnights like these.
Let us hear what you think about this song in the comments below. Check out the complete lyrics on Genius.
No way. It’s about her boyfriend back home who stayed the same as she grew into her fame. He’s a small town boy who wanted a wife. She wanted her pain / fame.