Taylor Swift Explains "Tragic" Meaning Behind Her 'Fortnight' Lyrics

23 April 2024, 09:30 | Updated: 23 April 2024, 12:00

By Sam Prance

Is Taylor Swift's 'Fortnight' about Joe Alwyn or Matty Healy? Here's what fans think the Post Malone collaboration is about.

Swifties assemble! Taylor Swift and Post Malone's first collab is officially here. What are their 'Fortnight' lyrics about though? Well, Taylor has opened up about the meaning behind the song in a 'The Tortured Poets Department' listening party.

Ahead of the release of 'The Tortured Poets Department', Taylor Swift tweeted that 'Fortnight' is the album's first single. She teased: "I’ve been such a huge fan of Post because of the writer he is, his musical experimentation and those melodies he creates that just stick in your head forever. I got to witness that magic come to life firsthand when we worked together."

• Read more: Taylor Swift Fans Think Her 'The Manuscript' Lyrics Are About Jake Gyllenhaal
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Naturally, fans are already obsessed with the song and hearing Taylor and Post together. What's the real meaning behind 'Fortnight' though? And who is it about? Joe Alwyn? Matty Healy? Here's a full guide to Taylor Swift's 'Fortnight' lyrics.

Who are Taylor Swift's 'Fortnight' lyrics about?

Taylor Swift - Fortnight (feat. Post Malone)

Ahead of the release of 'Fortnight', fans speculated that the song could be about the last two weeks of her relationship with Joe Alwyn. 'Fortnight' is a British word for a period of two weeks. However, people also connected it to her other British ex Matty Healy who she dated after Joe. Now, the song is out, it's a lot more abstract than fans originally suspected.

In the first verse, Taylor alludes to being in an emotionally fragile place. She sings: I was supposed to be sent away but they forgot to come and get me. Taylor then wishes an ex well who betrayed her: All of this to say, I hope you're okay, but you're the reason / No one here's to blame but what about your quiet treason.

In the second verse, Taylor appears to sing about a short-lived romance that failed to help her "move on": All my mornings are Mondays stuck in an endless Februrary / I took the miracle move on drug and the effects were temporary / And I love you, it's ruining my life / I touched you for only a fortnight.

It's possible that the first verse is directed at Joe and the second is directed at Matty. However, it's unlikely that Taylor will ever specify who the song is about. After all, her songs are far more about her emotions than any people in particular.

Describing the song in iHeartRadio's 'The Tortured Poets Department' listening party, Taylor said: "I’ve always imagined that it took place in this, like, American town where the American Dream you thought would happen to you didn’t, right?"

She continued: "You ended up not with the person you loved and now you have to just live with that every day, wondering what would’ve been, maybe seeing them out."

Taylor ended by saying: "And that’s a pretty tragic concept, really. So I was just writing from that perspective.”

Taylor Swift - 'Fortnight (feat. Post Malone)' lyrics

VERSE 1
I was supposed to be sent away
But they forgot to come and get me
I was a functioning alcoholic
'Til nobody noticed my new aesthetic
All of this to say, I hope you're okay
But you're the reason
And no one here's to blame
But what about your quiet treason

CHORUS
And for a fortnight there we were forever running
'Til you sometimes ask about the weather
Now you're in my backyard turned into good neighbours
Your wife waters flowers, I wanna kill her

VERSE 2
All my mornings are Mondays stuck in an endless February
I took the miracle move on drug and the effects were temporary
And I love you, it's ruining my life
I love you, it's ruining my life
I touched you for only a fortnight
I touched you, but I touched you

CHORUS
And for a fortnight there, we were forever running
'Til you sometimes ask about the weather
Now you're in my backyard turned into good neighbours
Your wife waters flowers, I wanna kill her
And for a fortnight, there we were together running
'Til you sometimes come and tug my sweater
Now you’re at the mailbox turned into good neighbours
My husband is cheating, I wanna kill him

BRIDGE
I love you, it’s ruining my life
I love you, it's ruining my life
I touched you for only a fortnight
I touched you, I touched you
I love you, it’s ruining my life
I love you, it's ruining my life
I touched you for only a fortnight
I touched you, I touched you

BRIDGE
I’m call you up, but you won’t pick up?
Another fortnight lost in America
Move to Florida, buy the car you want (Car you want)
But it won’t start up 'til you touch, touch, touch me
I’m call you up but you won’t pick up
Another fortnight lost in America
Move to Florida, buy the car you want
But it won’t start up 'til I touch, touch you

Read more about Taylor Swift here:

• Taylor Swift Fans Think Her 'The Alchemy' Lyrics Are About Travis Kelce
• What are Taylor Swift's 'Fortnight' Lyrics About? The Meaning Explained
• Are Taylor Swift's 'I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)' Lyrics About Matty Healy?
• Read Taylor Swift's 'The Tortured Poets Department' Prologue Poem In Full Here
• Read Stevie Nicks' Poem For Taylor Swift's 'The Tortured Poets Department' In Full Here

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