Taylor Swift's "Is It Over Now?" Lyrics and Meaning
Why Fans Think Taylor Swift's "Is It Over Now?" Is About Harry Styles
Taylor Swift's "1989 (Taylor's Version)" album has finally arrived, exactly nine years since its 2014 release, and we are here to confirm that the long-awaited rerecording was absolutely worth the wait. In addition to the 13 standard edition and three deluxe edition tracks, the newly-released Taylor's Version contains five new never-before-heard "From the Vault" songs (probably because "1989" was her fifth studio record and Swift is nothing if not a mastermind). Though each lyrical masterpiece offers a new facet to the intricately woven, quintessential pop era that was "1989," one of those previously unreleased songs is understandably drawing a lot of attention among listeners due to its very specific, hyper-vivid, and pointed lyrics. We are talking about the last track on the re-released album — "Is It Over Now? (Taylor's Version)."
What Is Taylor Swift's "Is It Over Now" About?
"Is It Over Now?" charts the aftermath of a tumultuous romance which has many ups and downs that leave the narrator — presumably Swift — questioning whether the relationship was really done. Since it was originally written for inclusion on "1989," the song naturally shares many thematic and sonic similarities with the rest of the album, which makes figuring out its meaning a little bit easier.
Who Is "Is It Over Now (Taylor's Version)" About?
The song opens with a distorted reverberation of the words "Is it?" which echoes a state of agitation and anxiety, not unlike the one expressed in the fourth track off the album "Out of the Woods," rumoured to be about Swift's whirlwind romance with Harry Styles between 2012 and 2013. However, the parallels between the two songs don't end there. "Once the flight had flown," she sings dejectedly in the first verse, which could further tie into "Out of the Woods," where she sings about "two paper aeroplanes flying." "I slept all alone / You still wouldn't go," she adds, describing the loneliness that creeps in with heartache while still being hung up on what could've been.
In the pre-chorus, Swift jumps ahead to the bitter ending of a doomed love, where she implies her ex's infidelity to be the reason the relationship eventually crashes down. "You dream of my mouth before it called you a lying traitor / You search in ever maiden's bed for somethin' greater, baby," she sings. It's worth noting that Swift touches on similar themes of unfaithfulness in the synth-heavy "Style," which is — you guessed it — likely also inspired by Styles.
The chorus highlights the lack of closure and miscommunication between the former couple, as Swift finds herself confusingly asking when exactly the relationship ended. "Was it over when she laid down on your couch? / Was it over when he unbuttoned my blouse?" she sings, hinting that both have moved on but are still not fully letting go of each other. Furthermore, the specific usage of her ex's "couch" calls to mind a similar lyric from "Out of the Woods," where Swift is reminiscing over the happy times of the past relationship. "We were lying on your couch/ I remember," she sings.
The second verse delves further into the specific details about Swift's former significant other. "When you lost control / Red blood, white snow," she shares, alluding to Swift and Styles's 2012 infamous snowmobile accident, which reportedly left the former One-Direction member injured, as the "Midnights" singer mentioned in the "Out of the Woods," it caused "20 stitches." "Blue dress on a boat / Your new girl is my clone," she continues, harkening back to another public incident involving Styles. The 12-time Grammy winner was spotted alone on a ship soon after the news of her split with Styles broke out. In the pictures, she was wearing a blue dress, which many believe is similar to the one she wore in the music video for "Out of the Woods."
Here, Swift also accuses her past lover of dating a look-alike, which, again, tracks, as Styles himself admitted to doing so in his 2017 song "From the Dining Table": "Woke up the girl who looked just like you / I almost said your name." Swift's flagrant implication is further elaborated upon as she sheds light on her ex's type in women. "If she's got blue eyes, I will surmise that you'll probably date her."
In the bridge, Swift does away with any subtlety and point-blank calls out her former partner for their lack of discretion as they appeared to have publicly flaunted their new romance soon after the breakup. "There were flashin' lights / At least I had the decency / To keep my nights out of sight," she sings in a scathing revelation. She then, in a moment of absolute honesty, reveals that she even fantasized about putting herself in harm's way just so their ex would come and express their true feelings for her.
The second pre-chorus echoes an eerily similar harmony that we repeatedly hear in the vocal background for "Out of the Woods," further connecting the subjects of the two songs. "Is It Over Now?" ends on a definite note as the outro implies that the two eventually parted ways for good as the former lover doesn't reveal his feelings for Swift as she would've liked. "I was hoping you'd be there / And say the one thing / I've been wanting / But no."
Taylor Swift's "Is It Over Now? (Taylor's Version)" Lyrics
Check out the "Is It Over Now? (Taylor's Version)" lyrics in their entirety below (via Genius).
INTRO
(Is it? Is it? Is it? Is it? Is it?)
VERSE 1
Once the flight has flown (Uh-huh)
With the wilt of the rose (Uh-huh)
I slept all alone (Uh-huh)
You still wouldn't go
PRE-CHORUS
Let's fast forward to three hundred takeout coffees later
I see your profile and your smile on unsuspecting waiters
You dream of my mouth before it call you a lying traitor
You search in every maiden's bed for somethin' greater, baby
CHORUS
Was it over when she laid down on your couch?
Was it over when he unbuttoned my blouse?
"Come here," I whispered in your ear
In your dream as you passed out, baby
Was it over then?
And is it over now?
POST-CHORUS
(Is it? Is it? Is it?)
VERSE 2
When you lost control (Uh-huh)
Red blood, white snow (Uh-huh)
Blue dress on a boat (Uh-huh)
Your new girl is my clone
BRIDGE
And did you think I didn't see you?
There were flashin' lights
At least I had the decency
To keep my nights out of sight
Only rumours 'bout my hips and thighs
And my whispered sighs
Oh Lord, I think about jumpin'
Off of very tall somethings
Just to see you come runnin'
And say the one thing I've been wanting, but no
PRE-CHORUS
Let's fast forward to three hundred awkward blind dates later (Oh)
If she's got blue eyes, I will surmise that you'll probably date her (Oh, no)
You dream of my mouth before it called you a lying traitor (Oh)
You search in every model's bed for somethin' greater, baby
CHORUS
Was it over when she laid down on your couch?
Was it over when he unbuttoned my blouse?
"Come here," I whispered in your ear
In your dream as you passed out, baby
Was it over then?
And is it over now?
POST-CHORUS
Uh-huh
(Is it? Is it?)
Uh-huh
BRIDGE
Think I didn't see you?
There were flashin' lights
At least I had the decency
To keep my nights out of sight
Only rumours 'bout my hips and thighs
And my whispered sighs
Oh Lord, I think about jumpin'
Off of very tall somethings
Just to see you come runnin' (Runnin')
And say the one thing I've been wanting, but no
OUTRO
Flashin' lights, oh, Lord (Oh)
Let's fast forward to three hundred takeout coffees later (Oh)
(Flashin' lights) I was hoping you'd be there
And say the one thing (Oh, Lord)
I've been wanting (Oh, Lord)
But no
INTRO
(Is it? Is it? Is it? Is it? Is it?)
VERSE 1
Once the flight has flown (Uh-huh)
With the wilt of the rose (Uh-huh)
I slept all alone (Uh-huh)
You still wouldn't go
PRE-CHORUS
Let's fast forward to three hundred takeout coffees later
I see your profile and your smile on unsuspecting waiters
You dream of my mouth before it call you a lying traitor
You search in every maiden's bed for somethin' greater, baby
CHORUS
Was it over when she laid down on your couch?
Was it over when he unbuttoned my blouse?
"Come here," I whispered in your ear
In your dream as you passed out, baby
Was it over then?
And is it over now?
POST-CHORUS
(Is it? Is it? Is it?)
VERSE 2
When you lost control (Uh-huh)
Red blood, white snow (Uh-huh)
Blue dress on a boat (Uh-huh)
Your new girl is my clone
BRIDGE
And did you think I didn't see you?
There were flashin' lights
At least I had the decency
To keep my nights out of sight
Only rumours 'bout my hips and thighs
And my whispered sighs
Oh Lord, I think about jumpin'
Off of very tall somethings
Just to see you come runnin'
And say the one thing I've been wanting, but no
PRE-CHORUS
Let's fast forward to three hundred awkward blind dates later (Oh)
If she's got blue eyes, I will surmise that you'll probably date her (Oh, no)
You dream of my mouth before it called you a lying traitor (Oh)
You search in every model's bed for somethin' greater, baby
CHORUS
Was it over when she laid down on your couch?
Was it over when he unbuttoned my blouse?
"Come here," I whispered in your ear
In your dream as you passed out, baby
Was it over then?
And is it over now?
POST-CHORUS
Uh-huh
(Is it? Is it?)
Uh-huh
BRIDGE
Think I didn't see you?
There were flashin' lights
At least I had the decency
To keep my nights out of sight
Only rumours 'bout my hips and thighs
And my whispered sighs
Oh Lord, I think about jumpin'
Off of very tall somethings
Just to see you come runnin' (Runnin')
And say the one thing I've been wanting, but no
OUTRO
Flashin' lights, oh, Lord (Oh)
Let's fast forward to three hundred takeout coffees later (Oh)
(Flashin' lights) I was hoping you'd be there
And say the one thing (Oh, Lord)
I've been wanting (Oh, Lord)
But no
