#tayvin

Fatefully I tried to pick my battles Til the battle picked me

Taylor was used to picking her battles, to deciding which sides of herself to show the public. Her image was under her control, until the night that kissgate happened (“til the battle picked me”). Misery Like the war of words I shouted in my sleep And you passed right by I was in the alley surrounded on all sides

I’m sure the aftermath of kissgate must have been terrible and Taylor had trouble sleeping, because she was facing the decision whether to come out now, or whether to deny everything and push herself further into the closet. She felt “surrounded on all sides”, like there was no other way out of it than to start bearding again. The knife cuts both ways

She is able to “slice” the incident out of her life, but in turn she gets hurt as well. If the shoe fits, walk in it Til your high heels break

She starts bearding with Calcium Harvest, because it works with the narrative (“the shoe fits”) and she decides to do it until her high heels break, until she can’t keep up the fancy show any longer. And I fell from the pedestal Right down the rabbit hole Long story short, it was a bad time

She fell from the “pedestal” that she built herself, her public image of her and Karlie being “best friends” was completely falling apart. I agree that “rabbit hole” could be a major nod to Dianna, but I don’t really see how to incorporate this into my interpretation of the song yet. It is also a phrase often used by Kaylors when they describe how they first found out about Kaylor and how they then fell down the rabbit hole of easter eggs and secret messages, so it could also be alluding to that. But, “long story short” (lol) – having to beard and to shut herself back into the closet was a bad time for both Taylor personally and her relationship with Karlie. Pushed from the precipice Clung to the nearest lips Long story short, it was the wrong guy

Taylor was so rushed to make a decision that she “clung to the nearest lips”, aka Calcium. But in the long run she realized that he “was the wrong guy” for this. I won’t go into detail here, but I think we can all agree on the shitshow that was their bearding relationship. Now I'm all about you I'm all about you I'm all about you

Taylor reassures Karlie that even though she had to do what she did with Calvin, she is still “all about” Karlie, and that Karlie is her number one. Actually I always felt I must look better in the rear view

Taylor always knew that one day something like this might happen. It’s her way of telling herself that she should have been more careful and should have double checked the “rear view”, or maybe the audience at the concert to see whether there were any cameras on them. Missing me At the golden gates they once held the keys to

“Golden Gates” gives me major 1989 era feels, like how they partied openly and everything was in full color. Kind of like she sings in TIWWCHNT. The gates could also be a reference to Karlie’s garden gate though (see Cruel Summer). When I dropped my sword I threw it in the bushes and knocked on your door And we live in peace But if someone comes at us This time I'm ready

Maybe for a short while after kissgate happened, Taylor was fighting her own feelings for Karlie; she was unsure how they should go on after that. But she eventually “dropped her sword”, she stopped fighting it and promised Karlie that even though they are now protected by both of their beards, she will be ready the next time, should something like kissgate ever happen again. [Chorus]

I feel like the “long story short, it was the wrong guy” in the second chorus could also be a nod to Hiddleswift, another bearding relationship that brought more complications with it than it actually helped protect Kaylor. The way I see it, the “wrong guys” in this represent her bearding history since kissgate, and how she on the one hand tried to find a beard that would help her protect her true lover, and on the other hand constantly tried to reassure both Karlie and herself that they were fine. No more keeping score Now I just keep you warm No more tug of war now I just know there's more No more keeping score Now I just keep you warm And my waves meet your shore Ever and evermore

This, to me, sounds like Taylor being absolutely sure that she will do whatever it takes to protect her relationship. No more playing games, they’re both in it for the long run, because Kaylor is end game (no this post will not interpret what “happiness” might be about, I’m not ready to go there yet, pls don’t come at me). Past me I wanna tell you not to get lost in these petty things Your nemeses will defeat themselves Before you get the chance to swing

Taylor is talking to her “past” self here, telling herself that everything will fall into place, that the issues with her nemeses (Sc**ter? Jerk? The media?) will eventually be resolved before either of them (Kaylor) even gets “the chance to swing”. And he's passing by Rare as the glimmer of a comet in the sky And he feels like home If the shoe fits, walk in it Everywhere you go

Taylor starts bearding with Toe and he seems like a “rare” find, because he is not known at all and there’s less danger of something in his past coming out that discredits their bearding relationship. She clearly has the upper hand in it and he follows her orders. Bearding with Toe “feels like home”, because it feels safe. Remember that in this verse, she is once again singing of a “him”, whereas in the chorus she is back to “you”, so it’s not the same person she is talking about/to. Pushed from the precipice Climbed right back up the cliff Long story short, I survived Now I'm all about you

The change in the chorus at the end is the first time she doesn’t sing “it was the wrong guy”, but instead she sings “I survived”, because in this regard, Toe is the right guy. He is perfect as a boyfriend for her, because the “we both value a quiet life, away from the spotlight” works so well with him. He could never stir shit the way Calcium did. Long story short, it was a bad time Long story short, I survived

All the beards that led them to where they are now were a “bad time”, bad decisions. But ultimately, in the end, they survived. It was truly a long story (just like this post is), but the outcome was positive. I like to think of this as the other side to DWOHT, the one that is not quite so shattering and heartbreaking, but tells the story of how the world fell apart around them, but they made it out on the other side.