Finally, after literal weeks of teasing, Taylor Swift has dropped the first single off her seventh album, "ME!" The track, which Swift collaborated with Panic! At the Disco's Brendon Urie on, came complete with a music video full of rich imagery and a message all about self-love.
Swift explained the meaning of the song ahead of its release to Robin Roberts. "'ME!' is a song about embracing your individuality and really celebrating it, and owning it," she said. "I think that with a pop song, we have the ability to get a melody stuck in people’s heads, and I want it to be one that makes them feel better about themselves."
But it's the lyrics, penned by Swift herself, that are a clear self-love anthem. They give a revealing look at Swift's own journey to loving herself so fiercely and having confidence of her worth in her relationship (in real life, to her boyfriend of two years, Joe Alwyn). Here, the lyrics, via Genius, with references to Swift's life explained.
Intro: Taylor Swift
I promise that you'll never find another like me
Verse 1: Taylor Swift
I know that I'm a handful, baby, uh
I know I never think before I jump
And you're the kind of guy the ladies want
(And there's a lot of cool chicks out there)
Swift could be referring to her boyfriend Joe Alwyn here. Swift's Reputation song "Gorgeous" was believed to be about Alwyn and his arresting good looks.
I know that I went psycho on the phone
As Genius fans pointed out, this may be a reference to Swift's infamous Reputation "Look What You Made Me Do" line, "I’m sorry, the old Taylor can’t come to the phone right now. Why? Oh, cause she’s dead!"
I never leave well enough alone
And trouble's gonna follow where I go
(And there's a lot of cool chicks out there)
The trouble Swift is talking about here is likely her fame and the scrutiny she gets as being someone in the public eye. Swift has talked before about how this makes it harder to date her. Back in a 2015 Telegraph interview, she mused that she'd be single at 30. "I'll probably still be single," she said then. "Let's be honest. No one's going to sign up for this and everything that goes with it. 'Hi, nice to meet you, want a date? Do you love camera flashes? I hope you do!'" Swift has been dating British actor Joe Alwyn for nearly two years now. She'll turn 30 in December.
Pre-Chorus: Taylor Swift
But one of these things is not like the others
Like a rainbow with all of the colors
Baby doll, when it comes to a lover
I promise that you'll never find another like
Chorus: Taylor Swift
Me-e-e, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
I'm the only one of me
Baby, that's the fun of me
Eeh-eeh-eeh, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
You're the only one of you
Baby, that's the fun of you
And I promise that nobody's gonna love you like me
Swift's chorus here shows her self-growth from Reputation and the belief she now has in her self-worth. In the video, her Reputation era snake literally becomes a butterfly. And lyrically, there's a huge difference between the confidence she has her in her value to her partner "I promise that you'll never find another like me-e-e" versus the doubt she had in herself in Reputation's song "Delicate." Her lyrics there show a lot more hesitancy. She opens the song, singing, "This ain't for the best / My reputation's never been worse, so / You must like me for me… / We can't make / Any promises now, can we, babe? / But you can make me a drink."
Verse 2: Brendon Urie & Taylor Swift
I know I tend to make it about me
I know you never get just what you see
But I will never bore you, baby
(And there's a lot of lame guys out there)
Swift can say this with authority: Before dating Alwyn, she had a reputation for dating various famous men (and later writing songs about them). Those boys included Harry Styles, Joe Jonas, Jake Gyllenhaal, Calvin Harris, Tom Hiddleston, and John Mayer.
And then we had that fight out in the rain
Swift's "Delicate" music video was shot in the rain. The song was believed to be about Alwyn, although whether they literally had a fight in the rain or that rain was metaphorical, only they can say.
You went after me and called my name
I never wanna see you walk away
(And there's a lot of lame guys out there)
Pre-Chorus: Taylor Swift and Brendon Urie
'Cause one of these things is not like the others
Livin' in winter, I am your summer
Baby doll, when it comes to a lover
I promise that you'll never find another like
Chorus: Brendon Urie and Taylor Swift
Me-e-e, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
I'm the only one of me
Let me keep you company
Eeh-eeh-eeh, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
You're the only one of you
Baby, that's the fun of you
And I promise that nobody's gonna love you like me
Bridge: Brendon Urie, Taylor Swift
Hey, kids!
Spelling is fun!
Girl, there ain't no I in "team"
But you know there is a "me"
Strike the band up, 1, 2, 3
I promise that you'll never find another like me
Girl, there ain't no I in "team"
But you know there is a "me"
And you can't spell "awesome" without "me"
I promise that you'll never find another like
Chorus: Taylor Swift and Brendon Urie
Me-e-e (Yeah), ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh (And I want ya, baby)
I'm the only one of me (I'm the only one of me)
Baby, that's the fun of me (Baby, that's the fun of me)
Eeh-eeh-eeh, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh (Oh)
You're the only one of you (Oh)
Baby, that's the fun of you
And I promise that nobody's gonna love you like me
Outro: Brendon Urie, Taylor Swift
Girl, there ain't no I in "team"
But you know there is a "me"
I'm the only one of me (Oh-oh)
Baby, that's the fun of me
Strike the band up, 1, 2, 3
You can't spell "awesome" without "me"
You're the only one of you
Baby, that's the fun of you
I promise that nobody's gonna love you like me
Alyssa Bailey is the senior news and strategy editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage of celebrities and royals (particularly Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton). She previously held positions at InStyle and Cosmopolitan. When she's not working, she loves running around Central Park, making people take #ootd pics of her, and exploring New York City.
