Castles Crumbling
Written By Taylor Swift
Produced Taylor Swift & By Jack Antonoff
Featuring Hayley Williams
About
From Genius, the ultimate source of music knowledge
Track 20 on "Speak Now".
Swift wrote “Castles Crumbling” around 2010 for her third studio album, Speak Now. Since then, fans gained knowledge on the song, but no part of it was actually ever heard until it was released as a From The Vault track on Speak Now (Taylor's Version) on July 7th, 2023, featuring Taylor's long-time friend, Hayley Williams.
In June 2023, a fan gifted Hayley with a bracelet themed after Speak Now, fact to which she said that was “coming at a very interesting time.” Her reaction brought fans to speculate about her appearence on the album, which was later confirmed when Swift posted its tracklist. While announcing it, Taylor mentioned that Hayley's band, Paramore, was a huge influence to her around the time that she wrote Speak Now.
Although “Castles Crumbling” marks their first collaboration, Hayley had already been a guest star during Swift's 2011 Speak Now Tour, and had also made an appearence in the music video for her 2015 single, “Bad Blood.” Hayley is also heavily rumoured to have been the inspiration behind the song “Speak Now.”
Lastly, two days before the song came out, Swift revealed on Twitter that Paramore would be an opening act for several of Taylor's The Eras Tour dates in 2024.
Lyrics
[Intro: Taylor Swift]
(Once, I had an empire)
(Once, I had an empire)
(Once, I had an empire)
[Verse 1: Taylor Swift]
Once, I had an empire in a golden age
I was held up so high, I used to be great
They used to cheer when they saw my face
Now, I fear I have fallen from grace
[Chorus: Taylor Swift & Hayley Williams]
And I feel like my castle's crumbling down
And I watch all my bridges burn to the ground
And you don't want to know me, I will just let you down
You don't wanna know me now
[Verse 2: Taylor Swift & Hayley Williams]
Once, I was the great hope for a dynasty
Crowds would hang on my words and they trusted me
Their faith was strong, but I pushed it too far
I held that grudge 'til it tore me apart
[Pre-Chorus: Taylor Swift & Hayley Williams]
Power went to my head and I couldn't stop
Ones I loved tried to help, so I ran them off
And here I sit alone behind walls of regret
Falling down like promises that I never kept
[Chorus: Hayley Williams, Taylor Swift]
And I feel like my castle's crumbling down
And I watch all my bridges burn to the ground
And you don't want to know me, I will just let you down
You don't wanna know me now
[Bridge: Taylor Swift]
My foes and friends watch my reign end
I don't know how it could've ended this way
Smoke billows from my ships in the harbor
People look at me like I'm a monster
Now they're screamin' at the palace's front gates
Used to chant my name
Now they're screaming that they hate me
Never wanted you to hate me
[Chorus: Taylor Swift & Hayley Williams]
My castle's crumbling down
And I watch all my bridges burn to the ground
And you don't want to know me, I will just let you down (Just let you down)
My castle's crumbling down
You don't wanna know me now, now
[Outro: Taylor Swift]
(Once, I had an empire)
(Once, I had an empire)
(Once, I had an empire)