The Archer
Written By Taylor Swift & Jack Antonoff
Produced By Taylor Swift & Jack Antonoff
About
From Genius, the ultimate source of music knowledge
Track 5 on "Lover".
"The Archer" is a mid-tempo track about Swift's insecurities in a relationship. It's the third song released from 2019's Lover, preceded by "ME!" and "You Need To Calm Down."
Swift first teased "The Archer" in the music video for "ME!," which features a scene with a band of Cupid-esque angels—Cupid is often depicted as an archer, who shoots arrows at people to make them fall in love. Swift later teased it more directly in the music video for "You Need To Calm Down," when Hayley Kiyoko shot an arrow into a target with a 5 on it.
"The Archer" follows what Swift's fans deem the "Track #the-archer5 Theory," which surmises that some of Swift's most vulnerable, emotional tracks are the fifth track on their respective albums.
There's also a potential connection with the song's title and Swift's zodiac sign. Born on December 13, 1989, Swift is a Sagittarius; otherwise known as the archer sign.
Lyrics
[Verse 1]
Combat, I'm ready for combat
I say I don't want that, but what if I do?
'Cause cruelty wins in the movies
I've got a hundred thrown-out speeches I almost said to you
[Pre-Chorus]
Easy they come, easy they go
I jump from the train, I ride off alone
I never grew up, it's getting so old
Help me hold on to you
[Chorus]
I've been the archer, I've been the prey
Who could ever leave me, darling
But who could stay?
[Verse 2]
Dark side, I search for your dark side
But what if I'm alright, right, right, right here?
And I cut off my nose just to spite my face
Then I hate my reflection for years and years
[Pre-Chorus]
I wake in the night, I pace like a ghost
The room is on fire, invisible smoke
And all of my heroes die all alone
Help me hold on to you
[Chorus]
I've been the archer, I've been the prey
Screaming, who could ever leave me, darling
But who could stay?
(I see right through me, I see right through me)
[Bridge]
'Cause they see right through me
They see right through me
They see right through
Can you see right through me?
They see right through
They see right through me
I see right through me
I see right through me
[Pre-Chorus]
All the king's horses, all the king's men
Couldn't put me together again
'Cause all of my enemies started out friends
Help me hold on to you
[Chorus]
I've been the archer, I've been the prey
Who could ever leave me, darling
But who could stay?
(I see right through me, I see right through me)
Who could stay?
Who could stay?
Who could stay?
You could stay
You could stay
[Outro]
Combat, I'm ready for combat