With the title “Actually Romantic,” Swifties might have been expecting Taylor Swift to return to the sentimental ballads she penned early in her career. But the track is cheekier than the title suggests.
The seventh track on “The Life of a Showgirl” features a sassy chorus in which Swift sings about someone who has criticized her, yet the pop star finds all the time this person has spent talking about her “actually sweet.”
The song falls in line with tracks from past eras where the Grammy winner called out those who have wronged her, like “Mean,” “Bad Blood” and “This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things.”
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Although Swift famously avoids revealing the inspiration behind her songs, Swifties speculated that a strained relationship with a former friend could have motivated her to write “Actually Romantic.”
Read the Lyrics to ‘Actually Romantic’
I heard you call me “Boring Barbie”
When the coke’s got you brave
High-fived my ex and then you said you’re glad he ghosted me
Wrote me a song saying it makes you sick to see my face
Some people might be offended
But it’s actually sweet
All the time you’ve spent on me
It’s honestly wild
All the effort you’ve put in
It’s actually romantic
I really got to hand it to you
No man has ever loved me like you do
Hadn’t thought of you in a long time
But you keep sending me funny valentines
And I know you think it comes off vicious
But it’s precious, adorable
Like a toy Chihuahua barking at me from a tiny purse
That’s how much it hurts
How many times has your boyfriend said,
“Why are we always talking about her?”
It’s actually sweet
All the time you’ve spent on me
It’s honestly wild
All the effort you’ve put in
It’s actually romantic
I really got to hand it to you
No man has ever loved me like you do
You think I’m tacky, baby
Stop talking dirty to me
It sounded nasty but it feels like you’re flirting with me
I mind my business, God’s my witness that I don’t provoke it
It’s kind of making me wet
‘Cause it’s actually sweet
All the time you’ve spent on me
It’s honestly lovely
All the effort you’ve put in
It’s actually romantic
Really got to hand it to you, to you
No man has ever loved me like you do
It’s actually romantic
It’s actually romantic