If you’ve ever experienced heartbreak, bitter arguments, or overall agony in your love life, Taylor Swift has had your back with cliché, yet strikingly relatable lyrics. Let’s face it—“Teardrops on My Guitar” is an epitome of unrequited love that every high schooler at one point lived through only to realize that the crush wasn’t worth the tears. But as you leave your high school self behind and blossom into a confident and bold collegiate, you leave behind the romantic fantasies. Suddenly T. Swift’s old songs no longer seem so accurate.
It looks like Tay also decided to leave the past behind, releasing 1989—an album out of her usual genre and one that encompasses more than just odes to heartbreak. Listening to 1989, you realize that Swift’s songs describe a variety of scenarios—from flying solo to regrets to mad love. In a way, she’s once again proved her talent of writing relatable songs, but this time for an even wider audience.
Whether you’re in love, single, or somewhere in between, you will no doubt find yourself somewhere in these seven scenarios. As always, T. Swift has your back.
ONE: When you casually date somebody, knowing it most likely won’t work, but being so in love with the idea of how you are together.
Track 3: “Style”
This catchy song immediately puts an exciting picture of meeting the guy you used to dream of when you were a teenager; except that by this point you’ve realized that the good looks and bad boy attitude that you once found dreamy don’t always bode well.
TWO: When your soul mate fights to win you over (especially if you’re reluctant and stubborn because of your history).
Track 10: “How You Get the Girl”
Given the positive ring to this song, you’re bound to be optimistic about how it’s going to end up. If you find that you’re reliving past memories (and getting signals that your ex is too), then this track will give you hope that it will all work out.
THREE: When you secretly feel like you’ve won because your ex wants to get back together but you’ve picked up the pieces and moved on.
Track 5: “All You Had to Do Was Stay”
Not to make love sound like war, but feeling confident and happy in front of your ex can make you feel like you’ve won the battle. It shows that you feel strong enough not to fall back into your previous relationship when you’re certain that you’re better off alone (or with someone else).
FOUR: When something clicks in your head and you suddenly realize that it’s more than just casual dating.
Track 15: “You Are In Love”
The name speaks for itself. The mellow and airy melody of this song is a perfect match to the feeling of effortless love that it’s trying to convey. Taylor Swift said it best herself: “she’s spent her whole life trying to put it [the feeling] into words”.
FIVE: When you think your ex has moved on but both of you still miss each other and want to resurrect the relationship.
Track 7: “I Wish You Would”
Not all hope is lost if you and your S.O. have tried to go your separate ways but still think about each other at 2 am. The main lesson here is that even if you may have done something that you regret in the relationship, if your ex truly misses you he/she will mostly likely be willing to overlook it.
SIX: When you find the strength to walk away and move on for your own sake
Track 13: ”Clean”
Everyone experiences break-ups differently; you’re bound to go through waves of different emotions. “Clean” is all about how you make amends and accept the fact that you’re done.
SEVEN: When you’re so in love with life, big cities, and your dreams that the love life can wait.
Track 1: “Welcome to New York”
Perhaps this is one of the few songs by Taylor Swift that are not directly related to her personal love life. Although college is a great time to meet people and date, it’s also perfectly acceptable to be single and simply in love with life. With new experiences and friendships, traveling, and taking up a favorite hobby, you might just be your next best relationship.
Beyond her sincere lyrics and catchy melodies, 25-year-old Taylor Swift has become an accomplished artist whose musical transformations only add to her success. She avoided a messy transition from teen country sensation to one of today’s best-selling female vocalists, with little reason to doubt she’ll do even better in the years to come (as long as she does not go back to acting).
If you haven’t heard it yet, 1989 was released in October 2014 and deserves your attention (no matter your relationships status).
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