What Taylor Swift's Cardigan Is Really About

On July 24, Taylor Swift surprised fans by dropping her latest album Folklore. The singer announced the news via her Instagram, writing, "In isolation my imagination has run wild and this album is the result, a collection of songs and stories that flowed like a stream of consciousness. Picking up a pen was my way of escaping into fantasy, history, and memory." She continued, "I've told these stories to the best of my ability with all the love, wonder, and whimsy they deserve. Now it's up to you to pass them down. folklore is out now." 

The lead single of the album, "Cardigan," was the first to get fans talking, released along with a music video — and an actual cardigan you can buy (via Vulture). And with lyrics like "When I felt like I was an old cardigan / Under someone's bed / You put me on and said I was your favorite," we can't help but wonder what this instant hit is about (via Elle). 

Answering questions regarding the meaning of "Cardigan" during a Twitter Q&A, Swift, admitted, "The song is about a lost romance and why young love is often fixed so permanently within our memories." She added, "Why it leaves such an indelible mark." But the internet largely agrees that is giving us some serious hints about her current relationship with British actor Joe Alywn, which is highly private (via Capital FM). So private, in fact, that the Lover songstress has never really spoken about him publicly.

The lyrics continue, "I knew you / Playing hide-and-seek and / Giving me your weekends / I knew you / Your heartbeat on the High Line / Once in twenty lifetimes." This is seemingly an insight into the couple's devotion to each other. Perhaps unlike other previous relationships, Swift and Alwyn always prioritize each other and put one and other first. "Once in twenty lifetimes" could mean that this is Swift's once-in-a-lifetime love. And we couldn't be more happy for her.