cardigan
Written By Taylor Swift & Aaron Dessner
Produced By Aaron Dessner
About
From Genius, the ultimate source of music knowledge
Track 2 on "folklore".
Accompanied by the release of her project written and recorded during the lockdown due to COVID-19, "cardigan" is the lead single from Taylor Swift's eighth studio album, folklore.
Its music video — which was written and directed by Taylor and shot during the COVID-19 pandemic — finds Taylor shifting through different places by the magic of playing the piano. She revealed in a Tweet that everyone who was on-set took extra precautions to prevent the spread of the virus:
The entire shoot was overseen by a medical inspector, everyone wore masks, stayed away from each other, and I even did my own hair, makeup, and styling.
"cardigan" is believed to be the first part of folklore's "Teenage Love Triangle," told from the point of view of Betty. The storyline is followed by "august" and "betty." Swift explained in a livechat the night of folklore's release:
There's a collection of three songs I refer to as The Teenage Love Triangle. These three songs explore a love triangle from all three people's perspectives at different times in their lives.
Lyrics
[Verse 1]
Vintage tee, brand new phone
High heels on cobblestones
When you are young, they assume you know nothing
Sequin smile, black lipstick
Sensual politics
When you are young, they assume you know nothing
[Chorus]
But I knew you
Dancin' in your Levi's
Drunk under a streetlight, I
I knew you
Hand under my sweatshirt
Baby, kiss it better, I
[Refrain]
And when I felt like I was an old cardigan
Under someone's bed
You put me on and said I was your favorite
[Verse 2]
A friend to all is a friend to none
Chase two girls, lose the one
When you are young, they assume you know nothing
[Chorus]
But I knew you
Playing hide-and-seek and
Giving me your weekends, I
I knew you
Your heartbeat on the High Line
Once in twenty lifetimes, I
[Refrain]
And when I felt like I was an old cardigan
Under someone's bed
You put me on and said I was your favorite
[Bridge]
To kiss in cars and downtown bars
Was all we needed
You drew stars around my scars
But now I'm bleedin'
[Chorus]
'Cause I knew you
Steppin' on the last train
Marked me like a bloodstain, I
I knew you
Tried to change the ending
Peter losing Wendy, I
I knew you
Leavin' like a father
Running like water, I
And when you are young, they assume you know nothing
[Verse 3]
But I knew you'd linger like a tattoo kiss
I knew you'd haunt all of my what-ifs
The smell of smoke would hang around this long
'Cause I knew everything when I was young
I knew I'd curse you for the longest time
Chasin' shadows in the grocery line
I knew you'd miss me once the thrill expired
And you'd be standin' in my front porch light
And I knew you'd come back to me
You'd come back to me
And you'd come back to me
And you'd come back
[Refrain]
And when I felt like I was an old cardigan
Under someone's bed
You put me on and said I was your favorite