If there’s a leading man in Taylor Swift’snew album Midnights, it’s definitely Joe Alwyn. The album includes 13 songs that tell the stories of thirteen sleepless nights scattered throughout the singers life - and Joe is very much a part of a few of them. Taylor is famous for calling out her past lovers in songs - it's an art form, truly. But with Alwyn, it's nothing but positivity. The couple have dated for six years now, and in the past year engagement rumours have swirled in the headlines. They have always kept their relationship private but Taylor gives us a glimpse into their dynamic. In the album, Swift acknowledges the speculation lyrically (in true T-Swift fashion.) Although, the popstar refuses to outright answer if or when she and Alwyn are getting married (or if they’re secretly married already) there are many references to their relationship.
So, we know that taking in a highly anticipated new album can often be an overwhelming experience. It certainly takes us a while to digest all the new songs and lyrics. Especially since Taylor is such a genius at storytelling through song - it can often take a few listens to catch everything. To speed up the process, we have de-bunked all of T-Swift's masterful lyrics - picking out all the Alwyn gems. Thank us later!
Side note: Anyone else find it interesting that Taylor's album release day is on the day of Kim Kardashian's 42nd birthday? Hmmm... no, us neither...
Lavender Haze
Lavender Haze details the couple’s decision to keep their relationship away from the spotlight, addressing how neither wanted the public’s perception of their romance to impact or taint their bond. The song makes it clear that, even six years into their relationship, the couple aren’t interested in feeding into the public’s curiosity.
However, T-Swift does address her frustration directly: “All they keep asking me (all they keep asking me) / Is if I’m gonna be your bride / The only kind of girl they see (The only kind of girl they see) / Is a one night or a wife.” These lyrics directly reference the amounting pressure the public put on their relationship and is the very reason they remain to themselves.
'I happened upon the phrase 'Lavender Haze' when I was watching Mad Men, and I looked it up because I thought it sounded cool,' Taylor said in an Instagram video about the tune. 'And it turns out that it's a common phrase used in the '50s, where they would just describe being in love,' she said. 'If you were in the lavender haze, then that meant that you were in that all-encompassing love glow, and I thought that was really beautiful.'
She added that the tune focuses on 'doing whatever it takes to stay' in that blissful honeymoon phase of love. Adding, 'I think a lot of people have to deal with this now, not just like public figures, because we live in the era of social media. And if the world finds out that you're in love with somebody, they're gonna weigh in on it.' She continued, 'Like my relationship for six years, we've had to dodge weird rumours, tabloid stuff and we just ignore it. So this song is sort of about the act of ignoring that stuff to protect the real stuff.'
Sweet Nothing
_Sweet Nothing i_s the 12th track on the album and contrasts Swift’s home life with the media frenzy surrounding her, and how Alwyn has been a safe space to her: “Everyone's up to something / I found myself running home to your sweet nothings / I’ll take their pushin’, shovin’ / You’re in the kitchen humming / All that you ever wanted from me was sweet nothing.”
Fun fact: Joe has played a role in the songwriting process behind some of Taylor's songs, and he has co-writing credits on both Folklore and Evermore under the pseudonym William Bowery. He actually co-wrote this song too.
Mastermind
Finally, Mastermind appears to reference the night she met Alwyn at the 2016 Met Gala, explaining that she actually wanted to date him from the day they met (despite her short-lived relationship with Tom Hiddlestonthat year). She addresses Alwyn’s reaction to her flirting, singing, "So I told you none of it was accidental / And the first night that you saw me, nothing was gonna stop me / I laid the groundwork and then, saw a wild smirk / On your face, you knew the entire time.”
She also touches on the public's view of her love life and how Alwyn doesn’t seem worried about what others think: “I find it dizzying (yeah oh yeah) / They’re bringing up my history (yeah oh yeah) / But you aren’t even listening (yeah oh yeah).” She later references cultural pressure to become a wife: “I’m damned if I do give a damn what people say / No deal / The 1950s shit they want for me.”
So, according to these lyrics, Taylor has found her prince charming in Joe. Through her lyrics she gives the public a glimpse into their relationship ... but it's on her terms and we love that!
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