Country pop darling Taylor Swift has certainly become known for writing songs about the ghosts of
boyfriends past. Now fresh off of a breakup with One Direction's Harry Styles, it's time to play a
familiar game: Which song is about Taylor's ex? We plowed through some of Swift's biggest hits and
matched the lyrics to 10 of Swift's high-profile (reported) former relationships. It's all based on clues,
speculation and a few rumors, so there's no guarantee we got 'em all right. But here are our guesses
-- look and listen.
Joe Jonas
(July 2008-October 2008)
Before he broke up with her over a 27-second phone call, Joe Jonas and Taylor Swift seemed
to be going strong. Her original reactions to the break-up -- "Last Kiss" and "Forever and Always"
-- were a little more scathing, but her latest perspective on the Jonas Brother -- "Holy Ground" --
is a lot more positive. She seems to have gotten over Jonas and is looking back at all the things
she loved about dating her fellow pop star.
Lucas Till
(March 2009-April 2009)
Swift's "You Belong With Me" co-star Lucas Till won her heart on the set of the hit music video,
but their relationship was short-lived. There didn't seem to be much drama, which is perhaps
why Till seems to never have had a Swift song written about him. He later spoke out about their
brief try at dating, saying that it "didn't work out" because he "really just liked her as a friend."
Ouch.
Taylor Lautner
(August 2009-December 2009)
On the Speak Now single "Back To December," Swift apologizes (when does she ever do that?)
to an ex for a rough night, a night that very well could have been the one when she dumped actor
Taylor Lautner. Why assume she's talking about the former teen wolf, who first caught Swift's eye
on the set of their "Valentine's Day" flick? Well, she referenced his "tan skin" and "sweet smile."
The guy's both of those for sure.
John Mayer
(December 2009-February 2010)
What likely began as a sweet 2010 summer connection ended on a sour note and, of course,
in song (or, more likely, several songs). At 19, Swift seemed to think that John should have
treated the delicate country flower with a little bit more care. Shrewdly entitling the cut after
Mr. Mayer's first name, she spewed out lines like, "Don't you think I was too young to be messed with?
The girl in the dress cried the whole way home. I should've known." Geez, that's heavy.
Cory Monteith
(April 2010-May 2010)
Swift explained to Yahoo that the "Speak Now" song "Mine" was about a guy, "that I just barely
knew put his arm around me by the water, and I saw the entire relationship flash before my
eyes." Neither Swift nor "Glee" star Cory Monteith ever confirmed that they were dating --
although both turned bright red when Ellen DeGeneres breached the subject -- but if not
, she has an imagination great enough to dream up a solid song about what could have been.
Jake Gyllenhaal
(October 2010-January 2011)
In an NPR interview, Swift explained that "The Last Time" is about an "experience I had with
someone who was kind of this unreliable guy. You never know when he's going to leave,
you never know when he's going to come back, but he always does come back." Between
acting in flicks that take him all over the world and the bevy of gorgeous options Jake
Gyllenhaal likely has, it's not too far of a stretch to think Swift is singing, "Put my name at the
top of your list," about him. Eventually, though, she obviously got her name crossed off all together.
Eddie Redmayne
(October 2011-January 2012)
"My Week With Marilyn" star Eddie Redmayne was rumored to be dating Swift for a few
months at the end of 2011, but up until this week, the 31-year-old actor is still denying
that the relationship ever happened. Whether or not they did have the reported three-month
fling, Redmayne (despite having a name very similar to Taylor's most recent album) doesn't
appear to have made enough of an impact to earn a song on the pop princess' latest release.
Zac Efron
(February 2012-March 2012)
Taylor and Zac Efron reportedly started dating for a few months while promoting their movie
"The Lorax" in the first part of 2011. Both deny the rumors, however, and it doesn't seem like
Efron was attached to any of the songs on "Red." The pair did write a song about their relationship,
denying the dating rumors through a parody of Foster the People's "Pumped Up Kicks" on
Ellen DeGeneres' talk show.
Conor Kennedy
(July 2012-October 2012)
During an interview with Ryan Seacrest, Taylor explained that her single "Begin Again" is about,
"When you've gotten through a really bad relationship and you finally dust yourself off and
go on that first date, after a horrible breakup." Coincidentally, at that moment the then 22-year-old
was enamored with 18 year old Conor Kennedy. Seems like he was the reason she was singing
lyrics like, "I think it's strange that you think I'm funny 'cause he never did." Of course she had to
throw a shot at the prior dude. But whatever.
Harry Styles
(December 2012-January 2013)
Taylor's relationship with One Direction's Harry Styles didn't last long, and it always
seemed rocky, but it was scrutinized by the media from the day the pair stepped out
together in Central Park until this week, when rumors started flying about the end of
Haylor. Even before they were officially a couple -- but months after they had a rumored
fling in April 2012 -- Swift wrote "I Knew You Were Trouble" about the British boy bander.
Once they broke up, all she had to tweet was a lyric from the song, "...'til you put me down,"
for fans to know it was over.
XOXOXO
Zac Efron
(February 2012-March 2012)
Taylor and Zac Efron reportedly started dating for a few months while promoting their movie "The Lorax" in the first part of 2011. Both deny the rumors, however, and it doesn't seem like Efron was attached to any of the songs on "Red." The pair did write a song about their relationship, denying the dating rumors through a parody of Foster the People's "Pumped Up Kicks" on Ellen DeGeneres' talk show.
Conor Kennedy
(July 2012-October 2012)
During an
interview with Ryan Seacrest, Taylor explained that her single "Begin Again" is about, "When you've gotten through a really bad relationship and you finally dust yourself off and go on that first date, after a horrible breakup." Coincidentally, at that moment the then 22-year-old was enamored with 18 year old Conor Kennedy. Seems like he was the reason she was singing lyrics like, "I think it's strange that you think I'm funny 'cause he never did." Of course she had to throw a shot at the prior dude. But whatever.
Harry Styles
(December 2012-January 2013)
Taylor's relationship with One Direction's Harry Styles didn't last long, and it always seemed rocky, but it was scrutinized by the media from the day the pair stepped out together in Central Park until this week, when rumors started flying about the end of Haylor. Even before they were officially a couple -- but months after they had a rumored fling in April 2012 -- Swift wrote "I Knew You Were Trouble" about the British boy bander. Once they broke up, all she had to tweet was a lyric from the song, "...'til you put me down," for fans to know it was over.
Country pop darling Taylor Swift has certainly become known for writing songs about the ghosts of boyfriends past. Now fresh off of a breakup with One Direction's Harry Styles, it's time to play a familiar game: Which song is about Taylor's ex? We plowed through some of Swift's biggest hits and matched the lyrics to 10 of Swift's high-profile (reported) former relationships. It's all based on clues, speculation and a few rumors, so there's no guara
Zac Efron
(February 2012-March 2012)
Taylor and Zac Efron reportedly started dating for a few months while promoting their movie "The Lorax" in the first part of 2011. Both deny the rumors, however, and it doesn't seem like Efron was attached to any of the songs on "Red." The pair did write a song about their relationship, denying the dating rumors through a parody of Foster the People's "Pumped Up Kicks" on Ellen DeGeneres' talk show.
Conor Kennedy
(July 2012-October 2012)
During an
interview with Ryan Seacrest, Taylor explained that her single "Begin Again" is about, "When you've gotten through a really bad relationship and you finally dust yourself off and go on that first date, after a horrible breakup." Coincidentally, at that moment the then 22-year-old was enamored with 18 year old Conor Kennedy. Seems like he was the reason she was singing lyrics like, "I think it's strange that you think I'm funny 'cause he never did." Of course she had to throw a shot at the prior dude. But whatever.
Harry Styles
(December 2012-January 2013)
Taylor's relationship with One Direction's Harry Styles didn't last long, and it always seemed rocky, but it was scrutinized by the media from the day the pair stepped out together in Central Park until this week, when rumors started flying about the end of Haylor. Even before they were officially a couple -- but months after they had a rumored fling in April 2012 -- Swift wrote "I Knew You Were Trouble" about the British boy bander. Once they broke up, all she had to tweet was a lyric from the song, "...'til you put me down," for fans to know it was over.
Country pop darling Taylor Swift has certainly become known for writing songs about the ghosts of boyfriends past. Now fresh off of a breakup with One Direction's Harry Styles, it's time to play a familiar game: Which song is about Taylor's ex? We plowed through some of Swift's biggest hits and matched the lyrics to 10 of Swift's high-profile (reported) former relationships. It's all based on clues, speculation and a few rumors, so there's no guarantee
Zac Efron
(February 2012-March 2012)
Taylor and Zac Efron reportedly started dating for a few months while promoting their movie "The Lorax" in the first part of 2011. Both deny the rumors, however, and it doesn't seem like Efron was attached to any of the songs on "Red." The pair did write a song about their relationship, denying the dating rumors through a parody of Foster the People's "Pumped Up Kicks" on Ellen DeGeneres' talk show.
Conor Kennedy
(July 2012-October 2012)
During an
interview with Ryan Seacrest, Taylor explained that her single "Begin Again" is about, "When you've gotten through a really bad relationship and you finally dust yourself off and go on that first date, after a horrible breakup." Coincidentally, at that moment the then 22-year-old was enamored with 18 year old Conor Kennedy. Seems like he was the reason she was singing lyrics like, "I think it's strange that you think I'm funny 'cause he never did." Of course she had to throw a shot at the prior dude. But whatever.
Harry Styles
(December 2012-January 2013)
Taylor's relationship with One Direction's Harry Styles didn't last long, and it always seemed rocky, but it was scrutinized by the media from the day the pair stepped out together in Central Park until this week, when rumors started flying about the end of Haylor. Even before they were officially a couple -- but months after they had a rumored fling in April 2012 -- Swift wrote "I Knew You Were Trouble" about the British boy bander. Once they broke up, all she had to tweet was a lyric from the song, "...'til you put me down," for fans to know it was over.
Country pop darling Taylor Swift has certainly become known for writing songs about the ghosts of boyfriends past. Now fresh off of a breakup with One Direction's Harry Styles, it's time to play a familiar game: Which song is about Taylor's ex? We plowed through some of Swift's biggest hits and matched the lyrics to 10 of Swift's high-profile (reported) former relationships. It's all based on clues, speculation and a few rumors, so there's no guarantee we got 'em all right. But here are our guesses -- look and listen.
we got 'em all right. But here are our guesses -- look and listen.
