When Taylor Swift posted a trio of cryptic Instagrams on Thursday morning, fans knew something was going down—and they were right. The singer teased the release of her next single "Call It What You Want," and at midnight on Friday, she delivered in a big way.
"Call It What You Want" is the signature Swift love song we've all been waiting for, and the lyrics really speak for themselves. In the song, Swift sings about a boy whose eyes spark up her darkest night, and whose initials she wants to wear around her neck. This is the first song from Swift's Reputation-era that's focused around romance specifically, and it's a notably softer tune.
Could it be about her boyfriend Joe Alwyn? Reading the lyrics, we really wouldn't be surprised.
Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
Before it was released, fans couldn't stop buzzing about what it could be about. In the teaser, Swift only gave away a handful of mysterious lyrics.
"Holding my breath, slowly I said, 'You don't need to save me,'" they read.
"'But would you run away with me?' ...'Yes.'"
Naturally, this prompted some Swifties to hail the song as the next "Love Story" (circa 2008) because of the parallels to the lyrics "Romeo save me ... Take me somewhere we can be alone. I'll be waiting; all that's left to do is run. It's a love story. Baby, just say 'yes,'"
Jury's still out on what exactly Swift intended the parallel to be (if there is a deliberate one at all), but regardless, fans can go into Friday with a new song under their belts and on their playlists, and that's something to get excited about.
Watch the lyric video above, or read through the full lyrics below to get a feel for what exactly a Reputation-era love ballad sounds like.
[Verse 1]
My castle crumbled overnight
I brought a knife to a gunfight
They took the crown but it's alright
All the liars are calling me one
Nobody's heard from me in months
I'm doing better than I ever was
[Chorus]
Cause my baby's fit like a daydream
Walking with his head down
I'm the one he's walking to
So call it what you want yeah, call it what you want to
My baby's fly like a jet stream
High above the whole scene
Loves me like I'm brand new
So call it what you want yeah, call it what you want to
[Verse 2]
All my flowers grew back as thorns
Windows boarded back up after the storm
He built a fire just to keep me warm
All the drama queens taking swings
All the jokers dressing up as kings
They fade to nothing when I look at him
And I know I make the same mistakes every time
Bridges burn, I never learn
At least I did one thing right, I did one thing right
I'm laughing with my lover
Making forts under covers
Trust him like a brother
Yeah you know I did one thing right
Starry eyes sparking up my darkest night
[Chorus]
Cause my baby's fit like a daydream
Walking with his head down
I'm the one he's walking to
So call it what you want yeah, call it what you want to
My baby's fly like a jet stream
High above the whole scene
Loves me like I'm brand new
So call it what you want yeah, call it what you want to
[Bridge]
I want to wear his initial on a chain around my neck
Chain round my neck
Not because he owns me
But 'cause he really knows me
I recall late November
Holding my breath, slowly I said "you don't need to save me
But would you run away with me?"
Yes
[Chorus]
My baby's fit like a daydream
Walking with his head down
I'm the one he's walking to
So call it what you want yeah, call it what you want to
My baby's fly like a jet stream
High above the whole scene
Loves me like I'm brand new
So call it what you want yeah, call it what you want to
[Ending]
Call it what you want, call it what you want
Call it what you want, call it what you want
Call it what you want, call it what you want
Call it what you want, call it what you want
Call it what you want yeah, call it what you want to
