HomeTaylor SwiftSong Meaning of "Red" by Taylor Swift

Song Meaning of “Red” by Taylor Swift

Song Details

  • Album Release Date: 2012
  • Genre: pop

Song Meaning of “Red” by Taylor Swift

Red by Taylor Swift is a song that reflects a relationship that has been full of pain, frustration, and regret. The color red is used as a metaphor throughout the song, symbolizing the anger and intensity of the emotions. The song is filled with reflections of the memories the narrator has of her failed relationship and her sadness and frustration over it.

The chorus lyrics of the song help to further illustrate the narrator’s inner struggles:

“Loving him is like driving a new Maserati down a dead-end street
Faster than the wind, passionate as sin ending so suddenly”

The narrator here is reflecting on a relationship that was thrilling and passionate, yet ultimately too short and ending unexpectedly. She is likening it to driving an expensive luxury car, which makes her feel powerful and invincible, but ultimately a dead-end street only leads to one destination – nowhere.

The bridge of the song is especially reflective of the pain and regret the narrator has over her failed relationship. The lyrics

“It’s the laughter, we will never share
It’s the dreams, we were never brave enough”

resonate especially with this sentiment. Here, she is thinking about all the things the two of them shared, but never said out loud and which will never come true.

Overall, Red by Taylor Swift is a song that displays the intense emotions of a complex relationship that ultimately ended in disappointment.

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