Our Top 3 Picks for Who Taylor Swift’s “Maroon” Lyrics Are About

Hello, and happy Friday Midnights day to all who celebrate! In case you haven't heard, legendary songstress and red scarf-wearer Taylor Swift *finally* released her long-awaited new album, which immediately sent the internet in a frenzy. And while all Swifties have kind of automatically taken a collective oath to read into every single lyric of every single song Taylor's ever written, some anthems resonate a biiiiiit more than others. Enter: “Maroon” aka the more cynical, adult version of “Red.” As soon as the song debuted, fans everywhere dropped the most *chef's kiss* tweets:

Though we can *all* agree that the song sounds amazing, it's the lyrics that have people wondering just who Taylor is singing about 👀. Ahem, presenting our three candidates/prime suspects: Jake Gyllenhaal (the obvious choice), Harry Styles (the subtle jab), and Tom Hiddleston (the wildcard lol). Let's get into it, shall we?

Jake Gyllenhaal

Some fans see the glaring parallels to “Red” and figure “Maroon” is actually a revisitation of Taylor's 2010 romance with Jake Gyllenhaal, which was heavily chronicled in her fourth studio album. (P.S. This week marks the 10-year anniversary of that 2012 album *and* maroon is a darker shade of red, js!)

If this is who the track is dedicated to, it could mean that Taylor—now around the same age Jake was when they dated—is using it as a retrospective of sorts. After all, the imagery between this song's lyrics and those in “Red” are v similar. Here's a snipped of “Maroon:”

And a few lines from the chorus of “Red:”

Taylor also begins the song by saying, “and I chose you” and ends it with, “and I lost you,” which checks out with what we know to be the story between her and Jake (I mean, have you seen the “All Too Well (10 Minute Version)” vid?!?!?)

Harry Styles

Though we don't know for sure how or why things ended between Taylor and Harry Styles, we *do* have him to thank for a number of certifiable bangers like “Style” and “Out of the Woods.” Some fans think “Maroon” could be another tune that alludes to Harry. An eagle-eyed fan even pointed out the line “the burgundy on my T-shirt when you splashed the wine onto me” possibly plays off of the One Direction song “Olivia,” which has the following lyrics: “Just thinking how I went about it wrong/This isn't the stain of a red wine, I'm bleeding love.”

Also, when the two celebs were together, they were notably in a long-distance relationship, so the line, “The rust that grew between telephones” could possibly refer to their romance fizzling out because of distance.

Tom Hiddleston

Who could forget Hiddleswift? Some theorize that “Maroon” could be about the singer's ex Tom Hiddleston because of the lyrics, “The one I was dancing with/In New York, no shoes.” In case ya don't remember, Taylor infamously danced with Tom at the 2016 Met Gala in—yep, you guessed it!—New York City.

^^Never thought I'd see the day when I'd get to re-live this.

Regardless of who you think the song is about, I think we can all collectively agree on one thing: It's freakin' amazing. Keep scrolling below to learn the lyrics to "Maroon" (unless you're a weirdo like me and already have the whole thing memorized).

[Verse 1]
When the morning came
We were cleaning incense off your vinyl shelf
'Cause we lost track of time again
Laughing with my feet in your lap
Like you were my closest friend
"How'd we end up on the floor, anyway?" you say
"Your roommate's cheap-ass screw-top rosé, that's how"
I see you every day now

[Chorus]
And I chose you
The one I was dancing with
In New York, no shoes
Looked up at the sky and it was
The burgundy on my t-shirt
When you splashed your wine into me
And how the blood rushed into my cheeks
So scarlet, it was
The mark thеy saw on my collarbone
The rust that grew bеtween telephones
The lips I used to call home
So scarlet, it was maroon

[Verse 2]
When the silence came
We were shaking, blind and hazy
How the hell did we lose sight of us again?
Sobbing with your head in your hands
Ain't that the way shit always ends?
You were standing hollow-eyed in the hallway
Carnations you had thought were roses, that's us
I feel you, no matter what
The rubies that I gave up

[Chorus]
And I lost you
The one I was dancing with
In New York, no shoes
Looked up at the sky and it was (Maroon)
The burgundy on my t-shirt
When you splashed your wine into me
And how the blood rushed into my cheeks
So scarlet, it was (Maroon)
The mark they saw on my collarbone
The rust that grew between telephones
The lips I used to call home
So scarlet, it was maroon

[Bridge]
And I wake with your memory over me
That's a real fucking legacy, legacy (It was maroon)
And I wake with your memory over me
That's a real fucking legacy to leave

[Chorus]
The burgundy on my t-shirt
When you splashed your wine into me
And how the blood rushed into my cheeks
So scarlet, it was maroon
The mark they saw on my collarbone
The rust that grew between telephones
The lips I used to call home
So scarlet, it was maroon

[Outro]
It was maroon
It was maroon

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