Taylor Performing “You Belong With Me” At The Eras Tour, Glendale

when do you assume two ghosts was written and when they fell apart? i just have a hard time believing it was harry the ultimate factor to them breaking up and i think maybe yes, he wasn’t sure he could do a committed long term serious relationship because he knew their careers and their situations didn’t allow them that. so he couldn’t make promises he might not be able to live up to and didn’t fight “harder” to make it work instead of accepting their circumstances

well i have settled on a full story of haylor’s end. like not a “here’s a couple ideas but we’ll never know the full story.” question gave me the whole story

in january after the party, she asked him to try again. for real. because she was in a better place and she wanted to try, she didn’t want to live her life the way she had resigned herself to only having casual hookups.. she wanted to try something real again. And he basically said that he couldn’t. that he was willing to be her “good time guy” (stealing phrasing from private practice). And she was like “I want more than that” and he was like “I can’t,” which is where we get Perfect. He might never be the guy who is there for something real, but he can be the guy who can deal with the camera flashes and the songs for some troubled fun confined to the liminal spaces of hotels. And then she was like “okay well no” and then he didn’t think she would move on………… but she did. and fast, even. and that’s why calvin was so devastating for him. Because he genuinely thought he was calling her bluff. and then there’s this song where she’s like “you know what you little twerp. you healed something in me for half a second and I saw colors I’d never seen before and not seen since. I thought we had something. but when it was too much for me, you let me walk out, and then you never fought even when I wanted to try again so where do you get off getting upset that there was no bluff to call? I hope it feels nice to settle, because you chose this.”

i just have to disagree with anon about ayhtdws and wonderland being the saddest songs out of 1989. ootw at the grammy museum personally crushed me. that’s when you realize the song stripped bare from its heavy production, is actually a very sad song about somehow sensing that this love you held was doomed from the start. trying to protect something you hold so dear and that could break at any moment due to its fragility and then it finally breaking because outside forces ultimately won and you had to give up what you were fighting for because it was too hard. it makes me so sad :(

Sorry about the haylor in your asks but if it is atleast partly inspired by him that means that there must've been more to it than we knew. Like I still can't believe AYHTDWS was the saddest song she could come up with in 1989. I think that she locked her sad songs in vault because she wanted a fun pop album. Especially after people dragging her for red aka heartbreak album in that era. Even wonderland (arguably the saddest one in 1989) is bonus that didn't get much attention. Man I can't wait for 1989 tv

from what we've heard of his side, there was definitely strong emotion, and the fact that she addressed that situation on midnights (and potentially folkmore) at all lends itself to the idea that there could be more beneath the surface there. we know they went back and forth for quite a while. as you mentioned, something i feel is important to recognize about 1989 era is that she was projecting a polished, perfected image on purpose. she had exposed real devastating heartbreak before and been dragged through the mud for it, as far as the media goes, and the response to red back then was quite different than it is now, and we also know about her then making that conscious decision to pivot - into pop, into a "cohesive" sound, into sort of glossing depth on the album in order to seem more...assured and effervescent. she suppressed her romanticism and she attempted to hide how she was struggling. i know i've mentioned that era was really hard for me and i stepped back for a few reasons, but it's more clear now how she was grappling with a lot of difficult things. this is totally subjective, but i've always thought the most emotionally vulnerable song on the record was this love (or at least it's tied with clean), and it's telling it was originally a poem written earlier. she tried to shed that signature heart on her sleeve (even in interviews, 1989 taylor was often at her most cynical), and the sadness and struggles and pressure she locked up tight. it's still good writing, it's fundamentally a perfect pop album, but it's at a bit more of a remove, layered with the slick production, and more weighted with anxiety than sadness. and you're right, some of that was to keep it fun - if you strip AYHTDWS or IWYW or OOTW or I Know Places or Wonderland down to bare acoustics, they'd sound a LOT more sad. i am very curious if the 1989 vault has any of the more vulnerable writing, or if she didn't really lean into that aspect of her pen at the time because of what she was focused on creating. we don't know anything about the songs that could be there, i don't think? it'll be so cool to hear what she held back from that time, and interesting if it illuminates/redefines any of the album the way Red TV did!

Do you know where Taylor said she was giving up on relationships for a while? I feel like I remember that but can't find it

it was in her rolling stone cover story! (a lot of the press she did at that time is tinged with things that are saddening to revisit, but also clear on what her perspective was. the vogue 73 questions is another one):

"In fact, she suggests, she hasn’t dated at all since breaking up with One Direction singer Harry Styles more than a year and a half ago. “Like, have not gone on a date,” she says. “People are going to feel sorry for me when you write that. But it’s true.” Swift says dating is hard for her. For one thing, there’s the logistics. “Seventy percent of the time, when a guy asks me out, it’ll just be a random e-mail,” she says. Some movie star will get her address from his publicist and e-mail her cold. Usually she politely rebuffs them – but even if someone did penetrate that line of defense, building a relationship is hard. “I feel like watching my dating life has become a bit of a national pastime,” Swift says. “And I’m just not comfortable providing that kind of entertainment anymore. I don’t like seeing slide shows of guys I’ve apparently dated. I don’t like giving comedians the opportunity to make jokes about me at awards shows. I don’t like it when headlines read ‘Careful, Bro, She’ll Write a Song About You,’ because it trivializes my work. And most of all, I don’t like how all these factors add up to build the pressure so high in a new relationship that it gets snuffed out before it even has a chance to start. And so,” she says, “I just don’t date.” (That goes for hooking up as well. “I just think it’s pointless if you’re not in love,” Swift says. “And I don’t have the energy to be in love right now. So, no.”) Truth be told, Swift sounds a tiny bit jaded – which, for a “self-professed hopeless romantic,” maybe isn’t the worst thing to be. “It’s not like I’ve sworn off love,” she says. “My life is just not conducive to bringing other people into it right now. I’m very childlike and romantic about lots of things, but I’m realistic about this.” [....] it’s not bad that I’m not hopelessly in love with someone. It’s not a tragedy, and it’s not me giving up and being a spinster. Although I did get another cat.” She laughs. “I asked around: I was like, ‘Does two cats count as cats?’ But then I thought, what imaginary guy’s perspective am I thinking about this from? Someone is going to think I’m undateable for a lot of reasons before they think I’m undateable because I have two cats.”"

eta: the above still applies, but i was actually remembering her glamour magazine interview with this -

"Yeah, I do feel jaded about relationships, to be honest. I think the media has sent me a really unfair message over the past couple of years, which is that I’m not allowed to date for excitement, or fun, or new experiences or learning lessons. I’m only allowed to date if it’s for a lasting, multiple-year relationship. Otherwise I’m a, quote, ‘serial dater’. Or, quote, ‘boy crazy’. The narrative has been so wrong, every time it was the same. It’s 'Taylor spotted talking to this guy, she’s chasing him.’ They create a beginning to the story that didn’t happen most of the time, so then they have to create an ending. So they always go to the same fabricated ending that every other tabloid has used in my story, which is, 'She got too clingy’, or 'Taylor has too many emotions, she scared him away’. Which has honestly never been the reason for any of my break-ups. You know what has been the reason? The media. You take something very fragile, like trying to get to know someone, and it feels like walking out into the middle of a gladiator arena with someone you’ve just met. And all of a sudden the public and the media are allowed to say thumbs up or thumbs down. So I just don’t try it anymore."

After Taylor's whirlwind trip to Kansas City the one detail that was said that lifted my spirit was Taylor packed a candle to take with her. I remember Harry saying one time that he takes a candle with him on tour. So Haylors, it's been a long road, but our Twin Flames are still burning. I feel re-energized.

Yes they are always gonna be linked. They are both going through a healing process. They need to finish healing from the past before they can be in union.

Rebecca Fergusonas Chrissy Eriksson in Episode 09 of ‘Ocean Ave’ (2002)

So it goes

So it goes tells the story of the 2014 Victoria Secret After Party: ''All eyes were on Harry and Taylor when they turned up. [...] The drinks were flowing until 3am, when they snuck out of a rear exit five minutes apart to avoid being pictured together." In context of the 2015 timeline 1989 (I know places established they wanted their relationship to go private) and 1D’s Four (with Stockholm Syndrome) had just been released. They were photographed the after party:

This was a pivotal night:

this outfit from that VS Show is also at 3 mins in I don’t wanna live forever (and cardigan refers to this sequin smile) and

In Only Angel Harry says he doesn't have eyes for the VS angels “She's an angel, My-my-my only angel”

So it goes has only been played live 8 times and not yet on the Eras tour. The last time it was played was in the last Rep show in Tokyo, (9:38) with 2 other rare songs for the Rep Tour: I Know Places and Wildest Dreams. Harry Styles was in Japan that month and wrote Little Freak before he left Tokyo.

It was most likely recorded in September 2016 with Shellback in Sweden along with other reputation tracks. Shellback had the melody and Taylor addd lyrics:

Fun fact: Taylor's only lyrics "so it goes" are in Haylor songs, the very first night, So it goes, Style and You are in Love.

Lyrics

[Verse 1] See you in the dark All eyes on you, my magician All eyes on us You make everyone disappear, and Cut me into pieces Gold cage, hostage to my feelings Back against the wall Trippin', trip-trippin' when you're gone

The first verse sets the scene, similar to the articles Harry and Taylor are the focus of many, drawn to each other and wanting to keep their connection secret.

In Hoax, Taylor has a similar lyric to magician "Your sleight of hand"

'Gold cage, hostage to my feelings' refers to being trapped by love. Similar to Stockholm Syndrome, which was released only 2 weeks before the VS party, Taylor is trapped in a gold/gilded cage (a luxurious prison) by love.

[Pre-Chorus] 'Cause we break down a little But when you get me alone, it's so simple 'Cause, baby, I know what you know We can feel it [Chorus] And all the pieces fall right into place Getting caught up in a moment Lipstick on your face So it goes I'm yours to keep And I'm yours to lose You know I'm not a bad girl, but I Do bad things with you So it goes

So it goes is a lyric in Style. In the chorus Taylor lets us know that when they are away from others they have great chemistry. She also refers to lipstick, referred to in many 1989 songs. Taylor is described as a 'bad/good girl often, she talks about it in Miss Americana and also in:

Style: And I got that good girl faith and a tight little skirt

Question...?; Good girl, sad boy

Only Angel: That she's gonna be an angel, just you wait and see, When it turns out she's a devil in between the sheets

[Verse 2] Met you in a bar All eyes on me, your illusionist All eyes on us I make all your gray days clear And wear you like a necklace I'm so chill, but you make me jealous But I got your heart Skippin', skip-skippin' when I'm gone

The afterparty was in Basement bar. The illusionist/magician references are enjoying knowing that she and her muse will leave together without others knowing. 'Make all grey days clear' tells us the muse is British.

[Bridge] You did a number on me But, honestly, baby, who's counting? I did a number on you But, honestly, baby, who's counting? You did a number on me But, honestly, baby, who's counting? Who's counting? (One, two, three)

The bridge tells us more about her relationship with her muse, they have a history, have hurt each other before and are wanting to move on. Though she says she is letting it go she is also keeping score. At this point the events of Red, 1989 and most of the one direction songs about TS had transpired between them.

"say don't go" and "all you had to do was stay" and "how you get the girl" and the theme of taylor just telling him how easy it is to fix things on 1989 and they consistently fuck it up when she's writing the most obvious blueprint for him and she's so clearly communicating what she needs I LOSE MY MIND

Their whole timeline this year is confusing. TR came into the picture end of June and TK end of July/beginning of Aug (around the time TS/HS seemed to be having issues?). It's also suspected HS/TS could've met up or had something sometime in the Summer. Before that the MH thing was crazy too.

Oh it's all very organic.

This is Jackknife Lee talking about making songs with Harry & Taylor. He worked with Taylor on Red & Harry on “Something Great”. Do you think we will get these songs on 1989 Taylor’s version? 🤞

regarding h/t parallels. Last day when t talked about us accepting red and how that was her being experimental and curious it instantly reminded me of fine line. How he was experimenting a lot of sound which made it all over the place same as red. They both showed their messy self in that albums. It became an instant fan favourite but received moderately by critics. How they both got their first no1 with that albums. But those no 1 songs never defined those albums for fans. A song ignored by critics(ATW and FL) became fan favourites. How those albums led to the 'cohesiveness' of 1989 and HSH. The height those albums got them. But red/fl still being fan favourites and them sharing that love for those albums with us. How after giving time these albums flourished (red moreso because of time and rerecordings). I would never get tired of talking about them(platonic artistic)

happy, free, confused, and lonely at the same time are really the themes of red/fine line. taylor saying last night that she really wanted to experiment on that record and, "Over time I've learned that trusting you to be open-minded has always been the best thing I could ever do, is trusting that you would accept me trying to do new things," and the other night when she talked about how us embracing red was also us embracing the scattered, fragile, changing person that she was, i think there are a lot of elements of fine line that speak to that as well. (remembering harry saying: "the album is yours. i am yours" and why he delivered it to the audience that way.) something i think is quite striking is this idea of "cohesiveness" - the sonic cohesiveness, the slick precision of 1989 and harry's house, got them a lot of critical acclaim and then awards attention, but the beautiful messiness and the narrative journeys of red and fine line, the exposed hearts of them, made them meaningful to fans. it's interesting how that ends up being SUCH a different perspective - critics are looking for elements that are so different than what we're holding onto at times. their respective awareness of how valued and beloved those records are to the fans, and the connection those albums have between us and them, i really believe will always be there.