Behind the Meaning of “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” by Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift‘s Eras Tour is an indisputable triumph. The sprawling live show sees Swift showcase the heights of her talents. What makes the marvel even more impressive is the fact that she was doing it while also nursing an aching heart. That’s the onus behind “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart.”

While most of us would struggle to get out of bed after a breakup, Swift was playing three-hour shows to thousands of fans. Before announcing the end of her six-year-long relationship, no one was the wiser about Swift’s heartache. She documented that struggle in this anthem. Check out the meaning behind “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart,” below.

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Behind the Meaning of “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” by Taylor Swift

I can read your mind
“She’s having the time of her life”
There in her glittering prime
The lights refract sequined stars off her silhouette every night
I can show you lies

Swift isn’t just singing about the Eras Tour in this song, she models the production after it. From In-Ear monitor countdowns to cinematic instrumentation, the same excitement one would get from seeing Swift in concert starts to bubble up in the listener.

This song has two distinctive sections that alternate back and forth. There is the dramatic, near-haunting verses and the glittering, up-tempo choruses.

I’m so depressed, I act like it’s my birthday every day
I’m so obsessed with him but he avoids me like the plague
I cry a lot but I am so productive, it’s an art
You know you’re good when you can even do it
With a broken heart

In the chorus, Swift drops the kicker: though it’s the peak of her career, her personal life is crumbling. She sings about a lost love. I’m so obsessed with him but he avoids me like the plague, she sings. Though the music picks up during this section of the song, lyrically it’s Swift at her most devastated.

It takes someone truly committed to their craft to continue forward regardless of any hurdles. Swift proves she’s more than worth her stock by revealing the struggle behind her success.

Revisit the track, below.

(Photo by John Medina/Getty Images)