What does "Call It What You Want" by Taylor Swift mean?

"Call It What You Want" Lyrics Meaning

I wasn't quite sure what to make of "Look What You Made Me Do" or "...Ready for It?" I honestly didn't get into Taylor Swift as an artist until after she released 1989--that was when I started taking pop music seriously. But what I found I REALLY liked. "Shake It Off" was fun, and "Blank Space" was satire, so that was literary and cool. 

But what I really liked about Taylor Swift was her old music. It was fun, it was sweet, it was pure, and it was beautiful. There were elements of that in 1989--I loved "New Romantics"--but the first few songs from Reputation were a little rough. I didn't like the dubstep, and the quality of lyrics seemed to take a sharp nose dive from some of her songs, verging on the "evil pop" she's complained about in the past. 

But "Call It What You Want" is certainly my favorite of the four new songs she's released from Reputation up to this point. It's simple, it's pure, and it feels honest. Not only that, but I think the lyrics truly do mean something to her, and I think they're going to mean something to you as well. 

"Bridges burn, I never learn, at least I did one thing right"

In "Call It What You Want," Taylor Swift tells us about a new relationship that's just about a year old. Despite those on the outside casting their judgmental glances her way, she's completely satisfied with where she's at and who she's with. Trusting him is the "one thing" she's sure she did right. 

Wanna go deeper? Check out my podcast about this song!

Verse 1

My castle crumbled overnight
I brought a knife to a gunfight
They took the crown, but it's alright
All the liars are calling me one
Nobody's heard from me for months
I'm doin' better than I ever was, 'cause

The first verse of Taylor Swift's "Call It What You Want" is about her life falling down around her. It sets up a problem that needs to be overcome or fixed. Her "castle" crumbling is about bad things like negative portrayals of her in the media or people making jabs at her. Her "knife" at the "gunfight" is her being under-prepared for the level of hate or anger that others are pointing at her. And she feels like they've taken "the crown" or success that she was seeking, but she's not too worried about it--someone else is distracting her.

She responds to people's accusations by calling them "liars" and acknowledges that she hasn't been very active recently (presumably so that she can write music) when she sings, "Nobody's heard from me for months." And then, leading into the chorus, she begins to explain why she's "doin' better than [she] ever was . . . ."

Chorus

My baby's fit like a daydream
Walking with his head down
I'm the one he's walking to
So call it what you want, yeah, call it what you want to
My baby's fly like a jet stream
High above the whole scene
Loves me like I'm brand new
So call it what you want, yeah, call it what you want to

Taylor Swift explains that her current boyfriend (who many assume is British actor Joe Alwyn) is attractive and that he's "[w]alking with his head down" and that he's "walking to" her. This is an interesting lyric because it seems to show that he may be humble or ignoring those who detract from her and is certainly only interested in her. 

Others may have choice words for Taylor Swift's perceived "boyfriend hopping" or whatever her relationship with Joe Alwyn is, but she welcomes them to "call it what you want to." They can conjecture and guess, but she's confident in what she truly knows it to be. She speaks of her love interest as "fly" and "[h]igh above the whole scene"--someone who can rise above petty distractions. She claims that he "[l]oves me like I'm brand new." He's not worried about her past experiences or about what may be her tired heart. 

Verse 2

All my flowers grew back as thorns
Windows boarded up after the storm
He built a fire just to keep me warm
All the drama queens taking swings
All the jokers dressing up as kings
They fade to nothing when I look at him
And I know I make the same mistakes every time
Bridges burn, I never learn, at least I did one thing right
I did one thing right
I'm laughin' with my lover, makin' forts under covers
Trust him like a brother, yeah, you know I did one thing right
Starry eyes sparkin' up my darkest night

In the lyrics of the second verse of "Call It What You Want," Taylor Swift continues to use interesting metaphors to describe her life and current relationship. Concerning the hostile reactions she's been experiencing, she says that her flowers became "thorns" and that she had "[w]indows boarded up after the storm." But in the face of that, her boyfriend "built a fire just to keep me warm"--to comfort her in the face of her struggles. 

Despite the "drama queens taking swings" and people with no real claim to significance pretending to be more important than her, "[t]hey fade to nothing when" she's with him. She's unaware of the outside world because he makes her feel safe. Of course, she admits that she's made her own mistakes and has burned bridges she shouldn't have, but despite that she's happy that she "did one thing right," and we assume that's being with her new boyfriend. The world may be a mess, but she's "laughin'" with him and trusts "him like a brother"--someone who is motivated to care about her for reasons beyond a romantic interest. As a result of this, even his "eyes" make bright her "darkest night" or most difficult times.

Bridge

I want to wear his initial on a chain round my neck, chain round my neck
Not because he owns me, but 'cause he really knows me
Which is more than they can say, I
I recall late November, holdin' my breath, slowly I said
"You don't need to save me, but would you run away with me?"
Yes (would you run away?)

The meaning of the bridge of "Call It What You Want" centers around the nature of their relationship and how they met. The most interesting line of the song is her wearing "his initial on a chain round my neck": "Not because he owns me, but 'cause he really knows me." It's interesting that she feels the need to clarify that he doesn't own her--I think Taylor Swift values independence highly--but I think she's setting an example for her young audience members that shows that they too can respect themselves and still be in a caring, loving relationship. 

What she really values about him is that he's taken the time to get to know her and cares enough about her to do so. The haters on the other hand aren't able to claim that they actually know her. They've never taken the time. 

The relationship started in "late November." Taylor Swift again maintained her independence when she told him, "You don't need to save me, but would you run away with me?" She again explains that she's doing fine on her own, but despite that, she still wants to be with him. 

Outro

(Call it what you want, call it)
(Call it what you want, call it what you want, call it)
(Call it what you want, call it what you want, call it)
(Call it what you want, call it what you want, call it)
(Call it what you want, call it what you want, call it)
(Call it what you want, call it what you want, call it)
(Call it what you want, call it what you want, call it)
Call it what you want, yeah
Call it what you want… to

In the outro of "Call It What You Want," Taylor Swift emphasizes the call to others outside observers that their opinion about her relationship truly doesn't matter. 

Deeper Meaning of "Call It What You Want" by Taylor Swift: "You don't need to save me"

I think the most interesting parts of "Call It What You Want" are the portions in which she makes it clear that she's still strong and independent on her own. She sings that she doesn't need her boyfriend to save her and that she wears his initial not because he owns her. Taylor Swift is apparently looking for an egalitarian relationship and wants to be an equal partner. It's important for her to feel safe with her boyfriend, but she doesn't want to be dependent on him. 

I refer to one of my favorite books (7 Habits of Highly Successful People by Stephen Covey) when I wonder whether she's willing to be interdependent with her boyfriend. The meaning of "Call It What You Want" gives no real indication one way or the other, but an avoidance of interdependence and real, deep relationship and community can be a casualty of misguided attempts at being completely self-sufficient. No one's truly self-sufficient. We all depend on our parents, our friends, grocery store managers, mechanics, etc. I'm truly not saying that Taylor Swift is doing anything wrong here, but "Call It What You Want" made me think about this, and I wonder what you think? I'm just playing devil's advocate because it's an interesting conversation (and gives me a chance to shout out Stephen Covey). Let me know your thoughts in the comments!