Behind the Meaning of Taylor Swift’s Ode to New Love “Labyrinth”

Oh no, I’m falling in love again, Taylor Swift sings in the chorus of her Midnights cut, “Labyrinth.” Swift brought this atmospheric track out on the opening night of the Eras Tour in Argentina. Arguably no song could be a better fit for Swift’s life right now. If you believe the rumors (and it’s getting hard not to), Swift is falling headfirst into a new relationship with everybody’s favorite tight end.

In honor of Swift performing “Labyrinth” live for the first time, let’s take a look at the meaning behind the lyrics.

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Behind the Meaning

You know how scared I am of elevators
Never trust it if it rises fast
It can’t last

We find Swift freshly single at the beginning of this song–art often imitates life. I’ll be gettin’ over you my whole life, she sings like someone who just got out of, say, a six-year relationship. Her loneliness doesn’t fester for long. In the pre-chorus, she prepares to take on a new love.

She approaches this new relationship with a hint of reservation. Uh-oh, I’m fallin’ in love / Oh no, I’m fallin’ in love again, isn’t exactly the musing of someone with their walls down. Nevertheless, she credits her new lover for getting her to open up again: I thought the plane was goin’ down / How’d you turn it right around?

You know how much I hate
That everybody just expects me to bounce back
Just like that

In the second verse, she takes the leap forward in love. It’s not all smooth sailing. Break up, break free, break through, break down, she rattles off. Nevertheless, she can’t help but be drawn in. You would break your back to make me break a smile, she sings.

When we put this song in the context of her recent connection to Travis Kelce, it becomes clear why she wanted to feature this track during her Buenos Aires show. Ending a long-term relationship is never easy. Swift knows it all too well. Getting back into the swing of dating afterward is sometimes even harder. Judging by the many appearances she and the NFL star have made together recently, she’s been navigating that transition as well.

You know what they say though, “You can’t help who you fall for.” Love does not abide by perfect timing. While getting over someone and finding new love can surely cause a “Labyrinth” to take over your mind, it’s all out of our control.

I thought the plane was going down
How’d you turn it right around

Photo by John Medina/Getty Images