I’ve said it and known it for close to 17 years – Taylor Swift is the songwriter of our generation. From a young age, Taylor Swift could craft lyrics well beyond her years. But even more important than clever, witty lyrics that evoke emotion is her ability to write relatable songs. I’ve said since we were both teenagers that Taylor could say what I barely knew how to feel. And there are countless examples of this in her discography of more than 240 released tracks (and the vast library of unreleased songs I have as well).  It’s why she became my favorite artist years and years ago and she has only gotten better as time has gone by. But what are the best lyrics she’s written? Oh how happy I’d be to tell you. Today I’m going to do a deep dive into the best lyrics from Taylor’s 2019 Lover album.

I debated the order in which to tackle each album. I didn’t want to start with Taylor Swift (her debut album) as we have yet to get Taylor’s Version of that album. Which means there are new tracks coming. And if some of the songs I expect to be included as vault tracks are, then they are contenders for the best on the album. So, why not go in order of the works that she owns? Which leads us to Lover the first album released on Republic Records. The first album she owned in its entirety.

Lover gets overlooked to some degree for numerous reasons. It never got a designated tour thanks to the pandemic. RIP Loverfest. The “era” was cut short due to the same circumstances and the surprise release of Folklore (2020). Until “Cruel Summer” shot up the charts this summer, it didn’t have a massive single the way other albums did. And no it’s not the songwriter album that pandemic projects Folklore and Evermore are. But even still, this pop album showcases Swift’s songwriting. So here are what are in my personal opinion the 13 best lyrics from Taylor Swift’s Lover album. These are in order of the tracklist. I tried to keep it to a minimum of one lyric per song- but I had to break that rule for a couple of tracks.

• Devils Roll the dice angels roll their eyes what doesn't kill me makes me want you more

  The song of the summer of 2023 includes of the best bridges Taylor has ever written, so this pop smash had to be included on this list. There is nothing like screaming the lyrics to “Cruel Summer” at the top of your lungs. And the highlight of that bridge? This line devils roll the dice angels roll their eyes, what doesn’t kill me makes me want you more. I love that reference and the emotion that in conveyed by a relationship that takes everything but someone is still so desirable. The classic bad boy concept.

• All's well that ends well to end up with you, swear to be overdramatic and true to my lover

  The verses of the title track of this album “Lover” mirror wedding vows. This song is about Taylor’s previous 6 year relationship with actor Joe Alwyn. I love the thought behind using the common phrase alls well that ends well, but adding the “to end up with you”. And anyone who not only self-describes as overdramatic but also swears to continue to be that person is someone I respect.

• And they would toast to me oh let the players play I'd be just like Leo in St Tropez

  No this lyric from “The Man” is far from the deepest Taylor has ever written. But it still tells a story and perfectly conjures an image you can see in your mind- good ole Leonardo DiCaprio on a boat in the islands surrounded by girls significantly younger than him. I agree with so much of “The Man” which highlights the double standards Taylor has had to deal with throughout the entirety of her career. So much of that has been about her dating life. And much of that wouldn’t be said if she was a man, Leo perhaps. I was thrilled that this track was included on the Eras Tour setlist because screaming this one- very fun!

• All of my heroes die all alone help me hold on to you

  I will never forget the first time I heard “The Archer” and how obsessed I became in that moment. It was the Taylor song I had been waiting for for years. The Archer is “track 5” which is the most emotional often times sad track on a Taylor album. This lyric echoes a fear I myself have often- dying alone so it resonates deeply with me. Then she pleeds to him, to herself, to God or whomever “help me hold on to you”.

• who could ever leave me darling but who could stay?

  The second of three lyrics from “The Archer” is this self-reflecting line. “Who could ever leave me darling, but who could stay”. Taylor has been vocal about her fears an insecurities that whomever she is with has to deal with the fact that she is one of the most famous people in the world. She can’t live a normal life, meaning that person can’t either. Who could leave Taylor Swift? But who could stay with that life? Joe Alwyn couldn’t. But perhaps she has finally found “The One”.

• Cause all of my enemies started out friends

  And finally “The Archer” gives us this line- “cause all of my enemies started out friends”. Think about how true that statement is, but I bet you’ve never thought about it that way. The people that can hurt you the most, are almost always people that you once cared deeply about it. This line is a perfect example of what I referenced earlier- her ability to say what I barely even know how to feel. I bet you have some people that come to your mind when you hear this lyric as well. That’s the mark of a great songwriter.

• As if the street lights pointed in an arrowhead leading us home

  Would this line from “Cornelia Street” have stood out to me a year ago as much as it does today? I truly can’t answer that. Cornelia Street was written about Joe Alwyn and titled after the house she was renting when the pair fell in love. It was one of the most heartbreaking tracks to listen to after the breakup as it discusses her fear of losing him. But in a world where Taylor is now dating Travis Kelce it takes on a new meaning. Arrowhead is the name of the stadium Kelce’s Kansas City Chiefs play at. This foreshadowing of street lights pointing in an arrowhead leading “us” or her home, sends my mind in a spiral.

• Scared new beginnings that became my religion

  I adore “Cornelia Street” especially this live version. And this line, “sacred new beginnings that became my religion” describes to eloquently the delicate nature of the beginning of a relationship and how it grows over time to become your whole life. It just gives me all the feels. I’m glad she got to experience this again, after the heartbreak.

• You said it was a great love one for ages, but if the story's over why am I still writing pages?

  This line from “Death By A Thousand Cuts” is so unequivocally Taylor. The entirety of this song is so well-written and heartbreaking. But it’s this line about being unable to let a person go, “still writing pages” that stands out to me. Shockingly the song is not autobiographical. It’s said to be written about the film Someone Great which was a Netflix romantic comedy.

• Gave you too much but it wasn't enough but I'll be alright it's just a thousand cuts

  I couldn’t pick just one from DBATC. I just couldn’t. This line from the chorus has to be recognized. One for the imagery it/the title of the songs conveys- the small “cuts” that build up over time destroying a relationship. It’s almost better and easier to handle when it’s one big blow-up fight that ends things. Instead in this case, it’s a build-up of small things that ultimately spell demise. Also the “gave you too much but it wasn’t enough” yeah I felt that one.

• I know delusion when I see it in the mirror

  Taylor said she’d never be able to perform this heartbreaking track about her mom’s years-long battle with cancer. She did perform it once during the pandemic as a part of the “One World: Together At Home” concert put on in 2020 by Global Citizen. If you’ve ever dealt with the health battle of a loved one this track hits home. But the line “I know delusion when I see it in the mirror” can be related to so many aspects of life. I love the self-awareness presented in this. And might possibly feel a little attacked by it.

• They say the road gets hard and you get lost when your led by blind fate

  I captioned an Instagram photo with this line soon after the release of Lover. So it’s safe to say this line from “False God” has always resonated with me. As someone who has admittedly gone off course because of blindly trusting a person, I shouldn’t have, I get the sentiment. It’s so easy to do especially when you’re in your twenties as Taylor was when she penned this track.

• I'll tell you the truth but never good bye

  “Daylight” is the closing track of Lover. It also was in the running to be the title track. There was a parallel universe were we may have had both Daylight and Midnights as album titles and I think about that from time to time. I love the line “I’ll tell you the truth but never goodbye”. To me it insinuates the closeness of Swift and Alwyn and that she could tell him anything, except that she wanted out. Who ultimately ended that relationship? I have my theories but unless Taylor tells us through music, she won’t tell us.

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