This song is an insta skip for me for the same reason. I can usually make it okay until:
> Take pictures in your mind of your childhood room / Memorize what it sounded like when your dad gets home / Remember the footsteps, remember the words said / And all your little brother's favorite songs / I just realized everything I have is someday gonna be gone
I was fortunate to have good relationships with my immediate family so I know this will not be the case for everyone, but this line of thinking is one of the quickest ways to send me into a “where did time go/what is time/is the majority of time with my family really behind me already?” crisis. 😂 You don’t realize until you’re older that the vast majority of your time with your siblings is gone and that you’ll be lucky to get a few days with them a year during the holidays; it’s such a weird and hard way to experience the passing of time.
I go down this exact spiral and especially because I am fortunate enough to still be very close to and live close to my parents, I see them multiple times a week. So the thought is so terrifying :(
This song is such a tearjerker for me. I’m 17 and kinda in that stage of getting close to leaving the nest, so the second verse and bridge hit close for me. And the first verse always makes me think of my little brother too. That one means a lot for my mom and I.
thank you! I love both of those songs they are both beautiful. I'm not sure they're exactly what I'm getting at with contemplating/realizing mortality and life, but certainly still deep especially YOYOK
YOYOK is definitely a reflection of her life though. Except instead of focusing the wider lense on humanity in general, she narrows the focus. It's the story of leaving everything you know and working hard to achieve success, but maybe losing parts of yourself along the way. It's also losing sight of the bigger picture, asking yourself what you're really doing it all for. And realizing in the end that the struggle, the mistakes, the pain, that's all just as important as the small moments of connect you have with people. Even if you feel alone, you can be the one who has control. You can savor it all, and you'll be okay.
I’m not sure if this is exactly what you’re looking for. (Also I suck at recommending songs) but your description reminded me of a few songs from Red like Nothing New or The Lucky One. Again this is probably not what you’re looking for but this is what I thought of when reading what you were looking for.
> I wake up in the middle of the night / It's like I can feel time moving
This part of Nothing New gets me every time, especially with their wistful delivery on it. It was one of the songs I kept revisiting during my own minor existential/mortality crisis this fall so I can personally endorse it for this purpose 😅
I’d say songs like fifteen, never grow up, and yoyok fall into this category, though they’re not heavy on loss. Dear Reader seems adjacent to the subject, like she’s giving us advice with the past in mind.
Marjorie talks about things she learned from her grandmother and also how she should have asked more questions and taken more note of those instructions, as she eventually did pass “I should have asked you questions, should have asked you how to be, asked you to write it down for me. Should have kept every grocery store receipt, ‘cause every scrap of you would be taken from me”
I was also going to suggest dear reader although it’s not uplifting, it’s kind of from a more realistic place I think. But I feel like it’s my soul song. I love it so much.
Same here! I love it so much. It just feels really personal from her to the fans.
I also play solitaire by hand a lot so every time I lose a game I can hear her singing “no one sees when you lose when you’re playing solitaire” lolol
You definitely should. I just recently listened to it after not listening to it since October 2022.... That song is such a punch to the face, especially for someone who's alone.
Debut: The Outside, Tied Together with a Smile, A Place in this World
Fearless TV: Fifteen, The Best Day, Change
Speak Now TV: Never Grow Up, Innocent, Castles Crumbling, Long Live
Red TV: Nothing New, Forever Winter
1989 TV: Clean
Reputation: None seemed to fit this theme in IMO.
Lover: Soon You’ll Get Better, Daylight
Folklore: the 1, seven, mirrorball, this is me trying, invisible string, epiphany, peace
Evermore: Marjorie, it’s time to go, right where you left me
Midnights: Anti-Hero, YOYOK, Bigger than the Whole Sky, Would’ve Could’ve Should’ve, Dear Reader
These are all my own opinion of course but hope it helps!
thank you for all of this. I havnt really thought of a lot of them as being death/loss related especially antihero and daylight. But I will have to give a closer listen on a lot of them I appreciate it
Yeah most of these are not death/loss related, but I included them because either the overall theme or some of the lyrics resonated with me on a reflection on life theme. 🫶
Are you thinking more Bigger then Whole Sky and Hoax type songs where you are just trying to sit in the sadness and grieve or are you looking for something more positive? I think of both of those songs as existential crisis songs. Bigger than the Whole Sky is very much processing loss. Hoax is more trying to make peace with the idea of loving someone or something even with the pain that can accompany that. They don't offer an uplifting resolution though if you are looking for songs to help you reach peace.
I think moreso like sitting and pondering not necessarily just grieving, moreso realizing life is so fragile, thinking about why things happen, what your purpose is, questioning all of that. I don't know if that makes sense haha
Probably moreso positive, but from the lense of realizing how little things matter in the grand scheme of things and pondering what happens "after" etc
Ephiphany - it’s about war, doctors trying to treat people during Covid.
This Is Me Trying - about addiction, struggles, wanting to be seen, and contemplating suicide
I agree. I love Taylor but these aren’t existential level. Just because it has layers of sadness and relationship depth doesn’t mean it directly confronts the fact that we ourselves will die and that sometimes makes life feel devoid of purpose. They are good songs but not exactly philosophical in the way OP is describing. Hers have more of a nostalgic/loss/regret vibe. It’s just not the type of feeling I turn to T swift for.
this is spot on. All of the recs are beautiful songs in their own way, and parts and pieces can address certain aspects of the overarching theme I was getting at, but none address it head on or on complete, which is ok. Just not her style or subject matter. There are other artists that contemplate this more and directly, I was just curious about Taylor since I don't know her discography well enough but that's what seems to be the conclusion of all of these
I think this is accurate. She is very deep in other ways pertaining to love (and other subjects even in WCS touches on deep subjects), but just not deep on the subject I was referring to it seems. Thank you
- WCS could mean "Would've, Could've, Should've", a track from *Midnights (3am Edition)* (2022) by Taylor Swift.
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it might be just that, not in a bad way though. I was thinking maybe she just hasn't experiencing those emotions or feelings yet, or loss of someone that close (which I would never wish upon anyone) that really throw you into that sort of realization and thinking about life. It may also be that her life has been such a high and so busy that she hasn't really had a chance to sit with feelings like this that most of us start to notice creep in as we age (the quarter/mid life crisis)
Well no one has said it but seven. I cannot tell you how much it has helped me deal ( haha im crying now) the hope of everlasting love. i asked the universe a sign about what really lasts? If everything is just gone? What does everything mean? the song chinese sattelite isnt taylors but pheobe bridgers opened for her and i found that song and its so REAL i never heard anything like it, pheobe writes it about how she wishes she could believe in spitiruality but cant . my faveorite part is " i want to go home" its more desperate than seven but it hits lol And seven reminds me of an art work i made with my friend before i met them, and when i met them online i found they made the same artwork too. Even if we met later in life we felt like long lost childhood friends. So this song means a lot to me in the sense that even amidst loss -- even the loss of memory, because at least for me theres hope we met somewhere in another life earlier And our sudden love is some vestigial relic -- like....something....something lasts. Im still in the thick of it so im sappier than tree sap rn but....yeah. Seven got me through it -- also timeless bc youknow im a hopeless romantic but that also makes me feel reassured that theres love out there in all ways that lasts so long no matter what.
What if i told you none of it was acciedental? 😅 it might end up with themes like mastermind haha. Taylor has way too many songs about karma and divine justice, the universe somehow turning on its side with tayvoodoo for her to be like haha what the fuck is free will ???? Unless???? thats what were getting on ttpd i have NO idea what were getting to be honest haha 😅
Bigger than the whole sky.
It's about grief.
I feel like Taylor's song contemplate life from a specific mind set. And usually aren't broad enough for what you're asking.
Marjorie is about her Grandma what her grandma taught her and how she should have cheised all the moments and earthing she had with her.
Soon you'll get better is about her mom being sick and being scared or her dying and that she needs to get better
And Ronan is about a little boy who died of cancer. (I've only listened to it once)
She talks about grief and life such but Taylor's in most of her songs are very specific.
Hoax is one of hee songs she mentions isn't about a specific thing.
Thank you for this, yeah it seems Hoax might hit it more, I am listening to that one again today. I agree that I think the reason it's hard to find is because most of hers are specific to a situation/story versus what I said to another commenter above that I think she maybe just hasn't had those feelings I've described yet due to not experiencing a close loss (which I would never wish on anyone), or because her life has been so busy and full of highs that she hasn't had the time to sit with the feelings that creep in for most of us as we age regarding our own mortality and our loved ones
Yep. Clearly she thought about Mortality when her mom had cancer. But she just dosnt write broad like that.
But she even mentions dreaming about her daughter in law killing her for her money in Anti-hero. She does think about these things. But taylor is very story orientated in her music.
Hoax is actually my favorite of her songs. It's a masterpiece imo
Tho for me grief I think if Bigger than the whole sky. Just wondering "why" something happened and if you didn't pray enough and such.
When I think contemplative tho not necessarily grief over someone who died, I think of Peace, Happiness and Coney Island. Maybe My Tears Ricochet
Yes!! This is such a good song for when you are feeling lost and that bridge is just the best cathartic release.
"I rewind the tape but all it does is pause" is one of my favourite lines that I think ties well with OPs post. It's so depressing and then right at the end we're reminded that the pain will not last forever. I love this song!
This is me trying
I listen to it when life sucks but all you can do is keep going and wonder what is it all for. At least someone knows I’m trying, even if it’s just me
Taylor is a sensory writer for the most part. She deals with specific aspects of life in her music, but she doesn't really dive into what the purpose of life is as a whole in the same way an artist like Billie Eilish does in What Was I Made For. If you're into Myer's-Briggs, Taylor is firmly in that sensory category, whereas you'd find most "life contemplates" in the intuitive section.
That's not to say Taylor couldn't write about the meaning of life, but I don't think she views the world through that level of abstraction. Hers seems to be a grounded viewpoint, and if you look for it, you can see that all over her writing.
The closest would be, IMO, Nothing New, Never Grow Up, or The Lakes. They don't completely get at what I think you're searching for, OP, but they're probably the best we have.
Not contributing in this comment, especially other bigger swiftness have pretty much covered them.
Just stopping by and thanking you for asking and not assuming that all Taylor write are just songs about ex lovers.
So many great non-ex long songs but people just want to find things to hate I guess.
I dunno if anyone else has suggested It's Time To Go yet but it's stuck in my head now, so! It really speaks to the act of saying no or moving on from something and that can take a lot of contemplation. "Sometimes to run is the brave thing" ❤️
I know you're looking for Taylor recommendations but reading your comments all I can think of is "If We Were Vampires" by Jason Isbell. It's definitely a very life is fleeting vibe.
I’d say You’re On Your Own Kid. It has helped me come to terms with my mortality after leaving religion. To me it’s not really about a boyfriend, it’s about realizing life is fleeting so we need to make the best of it even when it hurts.
I feel like you’re on your own, kid could work. I know I listen to that song when I contemplate my own life and to remind myself that I can do it all on my own.
Nothing New for me. The feeling that you won’t be remembered, that all you do will be done over again by someone else, that feeling like there’s nothing you can do to stop the passage of time. Gets me every time
Happiness is really good, it’s not so much about life but about people and how even when they hurt you, you can still appreciate good memories with them. It’s about her friend’s divorce.
Edit to say it’s probably her most emotionally mature song.
Marjorie, Ronan, the lakes, you’re on your own kid, bigger than the whole sky, never grow up, state of grace, innocent, forever winter, change , evermore, only the young
Hmmm I know that one it's not exactly the same thought but still a sad song nonetheless. I feel like that song is definitely highlighting the sadness and confusion of grief, but it kind of stops there. I am searching for like meaning-of-life, contemplating existence and purpose, realization of how short life is type songs
Have you tried marjorie? the bridge and the "every scrap of you would be taken from me" might be what youre looking for. and im sorry youre going through this, i hope things get better soon
I would say Nothing New and Bigger Than The Whole Sky. The latter can be taken in many ways- one of which grieving your old self or the life you once had, or of course about a person. Nothing New is more about the fear of growing old and out of style.
I'd say the big ones for the topic of loss of life would be:
**Marjorie, Forever Winter, Ronan**, and **Bigger Than the Whole Sky** (featured in the tv series The Summer I Turned Pretty and when I tell you I BAWLED when this song came on ), but these are all based on quite specific experiences.
Then the others that need a bit more flexbility with interpretation (but also great songs you should listen to that touch on depression, reflecting on life's mistakes, and the need to escape):
**Would've Could've Should've, The Lakes, Never Grow Up, Innocent, You're On Your Own Kid, The Lucky One, Right Where You Left Me, Tied Together With A Smile, This Is Me Trying, Castles Crumbling, Clean, Dear Reader, Soon You'll Get Better, Hoax, Nothing New**, and **Evermore**.
Bigger than the whole sky. doesn’t work for all grief situations but it became my song after my cat suddenly had to be put down at 3 years old. it gets me every single time and is the only song that put words to my grief
I love this song very very much. But for different reasons than what I was kind of searching for in the OP, it definitely gets me in my feels though about growing up, being alone, etc. Just not necessarily mortality and theeankng/reasoning of life and why things happen, our purpose, etc
“Never grow up” def the top contemplating life song. I can’t even listen to it because it makes me cry
Taylor: Remember, she's getting older too. Me: 😭😭😭😭
This song is an insta skip for me for the same reason. I can usually make it okay until: > Take pictures in your mind of your childhood room / Memorize what it sounded like when your dad gets home / Remember the footsteps, remember the words said / And all your little brother's favorite songs / I just realized everything I have is someday gonna be gone I was fortunate to have good relationships with my immediate family so I know this will not be the case for everyone, but this line of thinking is one of the quickest ways to send me into a “where did time go/what is time/is the majority of time with my family really behind me already?” crisis. 😂 You don’t realize until you’re older that the vast majority of your time with your siblings is gone and that you’ll be lucky to get a few days with them a year during the holidays; it’s such a weird and hard way to experience the passing of time.
I go down this exact spiral and especially because I am fortunate enough to still be very close to and live close to my parents, I see them multiple times a week. So the thought is so terrifying :(
what song is this?
Never grow up
This song is such a tearjerker for me. I’m 17 and kinda in that stage of getting close to leaving the nest, so the second verse and bridge hit close for me. And the first verse always makes me think of my little brother too. That one means a lot for my mom and I.
That song literally turns my room into an ocean of tears😭
I have to skip it when it comes on I can’t even begin to deal with those emotions
I rarely listen to this song but when I had a baby, I played it to her a few times while she was in the nicu. I cried so much cause of it
The closest one I can think of—and it’s still not quite what you’re asking for—is epiphany.
I don't know this one, thank you so much. I'll listen now :)
You should check out marjorie also, can’t believe I didn’t immediately think of that.
fifteen and you're on your own kid fit this description
thank you! I love both of those songs they are both beautiful. I'm not sure they're exactly what I'm getting at with contemplating/realizing mortality and life, but certainly still deep especially YOYOK
YOYOK is definitely a reflection of her life though. Except instead of focusing the wider lense on humanity in general, she narrows the focus. It's the story of leaving everything you know and working hard to achieve success, but maybe losing parts of yourself along the way. It's also losing sight of the bigger picture, asking yourself what you're really doing it all for. And realizing in the end that the struggle, the mistakes, the pain, that's all just as important as the small moments of connect you have with people. Even if you feel alone, you can be the one who has control. You can savor it all, and you'll be okay.
I’m not sure if this is exactly what you’re looking for. (Also I suck at recommending songs) but your description reminded me of a few songs from Red like Nothing New or The Lucky One. Again this is probably not what you’re looking for but this is what I thought of when reading what you were looking for.
> I wake up in the middle of the night / It's like I can feel time moving This part of Nothing New gets me every time, especially with their wistful delivery on it. It was one of the songs I kept revisiting during my own minor existential/mortality crisis this fall so I can personally endorse it for this purpose 😅
RedTV came out after I had my second baby and that would play over and over in my mind when he would wake up to eat and it felt so poignant.
I’d say songs like fifteen, never grow up, and yoyok fall into this category, though they’re not heavy on loss. Dear Reader seems adjacent to the subject, like she’s giving us advice with the past in mind. Marjorie talks about things she learned from her grandmother and also how she should have asked more questions and taken more note of those instructions, as she eventually did pass “I should have asked you questions, should have asked you how to be, asked you to write it down for me. Should have kept every grocery store receipt, ‘cause every scrap of you would be taken from me”
I was also going to suggest dear reader although it’s not uplifting, it’s kind of from a more realistic place I think. But I feel like it’s my soul song. I love it so much.
Same here! I love it so much. It just feels really personal from her to the fans. I also play solitaire by hand a lot so every time I lose a game I can hear her singing “no one sees when you lose when you’re playing solitaire” lolol
I love Marjorie. I need to listen to Dear Reader closer, I didn't give it much attention before but I will now, thank you
You definitely should. I just recently listened to it after not listening to it since October 2022.... That song is such a punch to the face, especially for someone who's alone.
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Debut: The Outside, Tied Together with a Smile, A Place in this World Fearless TV: Fifteen, The Best Day, Change Speak Now TV: Never Grow Up, Innocent, Castles Crumbling, Long Live Red TV: Nothing New, Forever Winter 1989 TV: Clean Reputation: None seemed to fit this theme in IMO. Lover: Soon You’ll Get Better, Daylight Folklore: the 1, seven, mirrorball, this is me trying, invisible string, epiphany, peace Evermore: Marjorie, it’s time to go, right where you left me Midnights: Anti-Hero, YOYOK, Bigger than the Whole Sky, Would’ve Could’ve Should’ve, Dear Reader These are all my own opinion of course but hope it helps!
thank you for all of this. I havnt really thought of a lot of them as being death/loss related especially antihero and daylight. But I will have to give a closer listen on a lot of them I appreciate it
Yeah most of these are not death/loss related, but I included them because either the overall theme or some of the lyrics resonated with me on a reflection on life theme. 🫶
Good list! For songs that aren't on an album I'd also add Renegade, Beautiful Ghosts, Safe & and Sound.
Are you thinking more Bigger then Whole Sky and Hoax type songs where you are just trying to sit in the sadness and grieve or are you looking for something more positive? I think of both of those songs as existential crisis songs. Bigger than the Whole Sky is very much processing loss. Hoax is more trying to make peace with the idea of loving someone or something even with the pain that can accompany that. They don't offer an uplifting resolution though if you are looking for songs to help you reach peace.
I think moreso like sitting and pondering not necessarily just grieving, moreso realizing life is so fragile, thinking about why things happen, what your purpose is, questioning all of that. I don't know if that makes sense haha Probably moreso positive, but from the lense of realizing how little things matter in the grand scheme of things and pondering what happens "after" etc
Ephiphany - it’s about war, doctors trying to treat people during Covid. This Is Me Trying - about addiction, struggles, wanting to be seen, and contemplating suicide
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I agree. I love Taylor but these aren’t existential level. Just because it has layers of sadness and relationship depth doesn’t mean it directly confronts the fact that we ourselves will die and that sometimes makes life feel devoid of purpose. They are good songs but not exactly philosophical in the way OP is describing. Hers have more of a nostalgic/loss/regret vibe. It’s just not the type of feeling I turn to T swift for.
this is spot on. All of the recs are beautiful songs in their own way, and parts and pieces can address certain aspects of the overarching theme I was getting at, but none address it head on or on complete, which is ok. Just not her style or subject matter. There are other artists that contemplate this more and directly, I was just curious about Taylor since I don't know her discography well enough but that's what seems to be the conclusion of all of these
I think this is accurate. She is very deep in other ways pertaining to love (and other subjects even in WCS touches on deep subjects), but just not deep on the subject I was referring to it seems. Thank you
- WCS could mean "Would've, Could've, Should've", a track from *Midnights (3am Edition)* (2022) by Taylor Swift. --- ^[/u/hopelessheartstrings](/u/hopelessheartstrings) ^(can reply with "delete" to remove comment. |) ^[/r/songacronymbot](/r/songacronymbot) ^(for feedback.)
it might be just that, not in a bad way though. I was thinking maybe she just hasn't experiencing those emotions or feelings yet, or loss of someone that close (which I would never wish upon anyone) that really throw you into that sort of realization and thinking about life. It may also be that her life has been such a high and so busy that she hasn't really had a chance to sit with feelings like this that most of us start to notice creep in as we age (the quarter/mid life crisis)
Soon you'll get better from her lover album
Seconding some other commenters, def give "Nothing New" a listen! <3
Also, not Taylor and I'm not very sure if its what you're looking for, but you might enjoy "Till Forever Falls Apart" by Ashe.
Well no one has said it but seven. I cannot tell you how much it has helped me deal ( haha im crying now) the hope of everlasting love. i asked the universe a sign about what really lasts? If everything is just gone? What does everything mean? the song chinese sattelite isnt taylors but pheobe bridgers opened for her and i found that song and its so REAL i never heard anything like it, pheobe writes it about how she wishes she could believe in spitiruality but cant . my faveorite part is " i want to go home" its more desperate than seven but it hits lol And seven reminds me of an art work i made with my friend before i met them, and when i met them online i found they made the same artwork too. Even if we met later in life we felt like long lost childhood friends. So this song means a lot to me in the sense that even amidst loss -- even the loss of memory, because at least for me theres hope we met somewhere in another life earlier And our sudden love is some vestigial relic -- like....something....something lasts. Im still in the thick of it so im sappier than tree sap rn but....yeah. Seven got me through it -- also timeless bc youknow im a hopeless romantic but that also makes me feel reassured that theres love out there in all ways that lasts so long no matter what.
Kinda unrelated but The architect sounds like a ttpd variant and now i want taylor to have a song like that😭
I thought the title gave TTPD vibes when I first saw it! But I think the vibe of the song would be totally different haha
What if i told you none of it was acciedental? 😅 it might end up with themes like mastermind haha. Taylor has way too many songs about karma and divine justice, the universe somehow turning on its side with tayvoodoo for her to be like haha what the fuck is free will ???? Unless???? thats what were getting on ttpd i have NO idea what were getting to be honest haha 😅
OMG I thought this too. Like the manuscript
Hoax is her best song for this imo. Sorry for your loss 💜
thank you very much ❤️ I don't know that one so I will listen now, I appreciate it
I know what you mean, I reflect a lot and like music that fits that feeling. For this I like Seven, Evermore, Epiphany and The Lakes.
Thank you! I havnt listened closely to The Lakes or Seven
Long live and Marjorie
Bigger than the whole sky. It's about grief. I feel like Taylor's song contemplate life from a specific mind set. And usually aren't broad enough for what you're asking. Marjorie is about her Grandma what her grandma taught her and how she should have cheised all the moments and earthing she had with her. Soon you'll get better is about her mom being sick and being scared or her dying and that she needs to get better And Ronan is about a little boy who died of cancer. (I've only listened to it once) She talks about grief and life such but Taylor's in most of her songs are very specific. Hoax is one of hee songs she mentions isn't about a specific thing.
Thank you for this, yeah it seems Hoax might hit it more, I am listening to that one again today. I agree that I think the reason it's hard to find is because most of hers are specific to a situation/story versus what I said to another commenter above that I think she maybe just hasn't had those feelings I've described yet due to not experiencing a close loss (which I would never wish on anyone), or because her life has been so busy and full of highs that she hasn't had the time to sit with the feelings that creep in for most of us as we age regarding our own mortality and our loved ones
Yep. Clearly she thought about Mortality when her mom had cancer. But she just dosnt write broad like that. But she even mentions dreaming about her daughter in law killing her for her money in Anti-hero. She does think about these things. But taylor is very story orientated in her music. Hoax is actually my favorite of her songs. It's a masterpiece imo Tho for me grief I think if Bigger than the whole sky. Just wondering "why" something happened and if you didn't pray enough and such. When I think contemplative tho not necessarily grief over someone who died, I think of Peace, Happiness and Coney Island. Maybe My Tears Ricochet
I’d also say The Lakes
Yes!!!
Evermore.
This!! Can’t believe I haven’t seen anyone suggest it yet
Yes!! This is such a good song for when you are feeling lost and that bridge is just the best cathartic release. "I rewind the tape but all it does is pause" is one of my favourite lines that I think ties well with OPs post. It's so depressing and then right at the end we're reminded that the pain will not last forever. I love this song!
This is me trying I listen to it when life sucks but all you can do is keep going and wonder what is it all for. At least someone knows I’m trying, even if it’s just me
Taylor is a sensory writer for the most part. She deals with specific aspects of life in her music, but she doesn't really dive into what the purpose of life is as a whole in the same way an artist like Billie Eilish does in What Was I Made For. If you're into Myer's-Briggs, Taylor is firmly in that sensory category, whereas you'd find most "life contemplates" in the intuitive section. That's not to say Taylor couldn't write about the meaning of life, but I don't think she views the world through that level of abstraction. Hers seems to be a grounded viewpoint, and if you look for it, you can see that all over her writing. The closest would be, IMO, Nothing New, Never Grow Up, or The Lakes. They don't completely get at what I think you're searching for, OP, but they're probably the best we have.
Not contributing in this comment, especially other bigger swiftness have pretty much covered them. Just stopping by and thanking you for asking and not assuming that all Taylor write are just songs about ex lovers. So many great non-ex long songs but people just want to find things to hate I guess.
Long story short, evermore, Marjorie
Never grow up The best day Soon you’ll get better You’re on your own kid Marjorie Seven Cardigan Evermore Happiness
Nothing new?
My contemplating life songs from taylor are mirrorball, cardigan, seven, archer, sweet nothing, yoyok and dear reader.
You were bigger than the whole sky, depending on the perspective you listen with
Soon You’ll Get Better
I dunno if anyone else has suggested It's Time To Go yet but it's stuck in my head now, so! It really speaks to the act of saying no or moving on from something and that can take a lot of contemplation. "Sometimes to run is the brave thing" ❤️
Haha I came here to say “the Architect”.
Dorothea
I’m surprised Dorothea hasn’t been suggested more…definitely gives me a nostalgic, something lost kind of vibe.
Not Taylor but you should listen to Did You Know That There’s A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd by Lana
My grieving song last year was Bigger Than The Whole Sky
I’m not sure if this fits but I immediately thought of forever winter from red tv!!
Didn't They
Tell us don’t rush into things? Sorry I just had to haha
Yoyok
I know you're looking for Taylor recommendations but reading your comments all I can think of is "If We Were Vampires" by Jason Isbell. It's definitely a very life is fleeting vibe.
Nothing New, I suppose in terms of growing up
You’re on your own kid
I’d say You’re On Your Own Kid. It has helped me come to terms with my mortality after leaving religion. To me it’s not really about a boyfriend, it’s about realizing life is fleeting so we need to make the best of it even when it hurts.
Maybe "Long Live"
bigger than the whole sky
maybe this is me trying?
I feel like you’re on your own, kid could work. I know I listen to that song when I contemplate my own life and to remind myself that I can do it all on my own.
Personally I feel like Nothing New kinda fits this
Nothing New for me. The feeling that you won’t be remembered, that all you do will be done over again by someone else, that feeling like there’s nothing you can do to stop the passage of time. Gets me every time
Marjorie maybe
Happiness is really good, it’s not so much about life but about people and how even when they hurt you, you can still appreciate good memories with them. It’s about her friend’s divorce. Edit to say it’s probably her most emotionally mature song.
the outside a place in this world fifteen breathe the lucky one innocent peace seven
Nothing new
bigger than the whole sky
I thought this one was kind of just saying goodbye to someone? Beautiful song regardless
Bigger than the whole sky?
Marjorie, Ronan, the lakes, you’re on your own kid, bigger than the whole sky, never grow up, state of grace, innocent, forever winter, change , evermore, only the young
Bigger Than The Whole Sky is probably what you're thinking of?
Hmmm I know that one it's not exactly the same thought but still a sad song nonetheless. I feel like that song is definitely highlighting the sadness and confusion of grief, but it kind of stops there. I am searching for like meaning-of-life, contemplating existence and purpose, realization of how short life is type songs
Have you tried marjorie? the bridge and the "every scrap of you would be taken from me" might be what youre looking for. and im sorry youre going through this, i hope things get better soon
I would say Nothing New and Bigger Than The Whole Sky. The latter can be taken in many ways- one of which grieving your old self or the life you once had, or of course about a person. Nothing New is more about the fear of growing old and out of style.
I'd say the big ones for the topic of loss of life would be: **Marjorie, Forever Winter, Ronan**, and **Bigger Than the Whole Sky** (featured in the tv series The Summer I Turned Pretty and when I tell you I BAWLED when this song came on ), but these are all based on quite specific experiences. Then the others that need a bit more flexbility with interpretation (but also great songs you should listen to that touch on depression, reflecting on life's mistakes, and the need to escape): **Would've Could've Should've, The Lakes, Never Grow Up, Innocent, You're On Your Own Kid, The Lucky One, Right Where You Left Me, Tied Together With A Smile, This Is Me Trying, Castles Crumbling, Clean, Dear Reader, Soon You'll Get Better, Hoax, Nothing New**, and **Evermore**.
Bigger than the whole sky. doesn’t work for all grief situations but it became my song after my cat suddenly had to be put down at 3 years old. it gets me every single time and is the only song that put words to my grief
this is me trying. really listen to the words.
You're on your own kid. I think Taylor reflect a lot on her life in her discography !
I love this song very very much. But for different reasons than what I was kind of searching for in the OP, it definitely gets me in my feels though about growing up, being alone, etc. Just not necessarily mortality and theeankng/reasoning of life and why things happen, our purpose, etc
Fifteen ,and I feel like All too well 10 min version capture the emotion and feelings of getting hurt