Taylor Swift - Begin Again
This song is about the feeling of being treated right after a toxic relationship. Swift explores the old toxic traits she dealt with and how a new relationship has avoided these behaviors.
Took a deep breath in the mirror
He didn't like it when I wore high heels
But I do
Turn the lock and put my headphones on
He always said he didn't get this song
But I do, I do
Walked in expecting you'd be late
But you got here early and you stand and wave
I walk to you
You pull my chair out and help me in
And you don't know how nice that is
But I do
(Chorus) And you throw your head back laughing
Like a little kid
I think it's strange that you think I'm funny, 'cause
He never did
I've been spending the last eight months
Thinking all love ever does
Is break and burn, and end
But on a Wednesday in a cafe
I watched it begin again
You said you never met one girl who had
As many James Taylor records as you
But I do
We tell stories and you don't know why
I'm coming off a little shy
But I do
(Chorus)
And we walked down the block, to my car
And I almost brought him up
But you start to talk about the movies
That your family watches every single Christmas
And I want to talk about that
And for the first time
What's past is past
(Chorus)
But on a Wednesday in a cafe
I watched it begin again
Lyrics
This song is about how being treated well after a toxic relationship can feel very different and even scary.
After getting used to an unhealthy relationship, it can be difficult to be in a healthy one. “Begin Again” describes toxic behaviors Swift experienced in old relationships (highlighted in blue) and the new behaviors that are more respectful and healthier. For example, she sings, “Walked in expecting you'd be late / But you got here early, and you stand and wave.” While punctuality would typically be considered basic manners, Swift expected her date to be late, showing that some people do not even know what they are missing by staying with a person who does not treat them right. Swift also reveals that her former partner never made her feel validated, as shown in the line, “I think it’s strange that you think I’m funny, ‘cause he never did.” Trying to converse with someone who never laughs at your jokes and fails to be impressed by you is exhausting and affects a person’s self-esteem. When Swift says, “He didn't like it when I wore high heels,” she reveals another example of toxic behavior—this time about her former partner controlling her behavior and what she wears.
While some of the healthy behaviors Swift describes in “Begin Again”—like her date arriving early and pulling her chair out for her—may seem like small actions, they add up over time and can significantly contribute to a person’s mental health while in a relationship. This song shows that although toxic relationships are difficult, it is possible to leave and find better. I think this positive message instills hope in those who may think it does not get better after a toxic relationship.