The low-down on Taylor Swift's new track "Out of the Woods"
First, we got "Shake It Off," and now "Out of the Woods," the second song off Taylor Swift's upcoming album, "1989."
The '80s-inspired, synthesizer-heavy track was released Tuesday morning on iTunes. As Swift excitedly instagrammed, it's already No. 1:
"Out of the Woods" offers a more personal side of Swift, as she sings about trying to make a struggling relationship work.
The 24-year-old singer told "Good Morning America" Monday that the song "sounds exactly like that frantic feeling of anxiety and questioning [a relationship]."
She co-wrote the track with Jack Antonoff, guitarist from fun. and boyfriend of Lena Dunham. (Side note: Swift told Rolling Stone that she and Dunham are close friends. The actress instagrammed a picture of the two musicians today.)
Antonoff told USA Today that he sent Swift a "big, boombastic looping beat" for the track, and almost instantly, she sent back a vocal part.
"I came up with that melody, the verse and chorus, in about 30 minutes and sent it back to him," Swift said. "Both of us were just freaking out."
Lyrically, the song offers snapshots of a working relationship; Which relationship she's talking about will certainly be a major discussion point amongst fans (a One Direction member comes to mind).
Another discussion point, and the song's most striking moment, is her lyric about an accident that landed the couple in the hospital: "Remember when you hit the brakes too soon Twenty stitches in a hospital room."
Swift told Rolling Stone the lyric was inspired by a snowmobile ride that got out of control. Swift said she she saw her life flash before her eyes, and that the couple had to go to the ER though neither had major injuries.
Swift says while the song will not be released as a single, she wanted to release it before the album drops on Oct. 27 because "I think it's the greatest example of the sound of this album."
Here's the song with the lyrics below:
Looking at it now It all seems so simple
We were lying on your couch I remember
You took a Polaroid of us
Then discovered
The rest of the world was black and white
But we were in screaming color And I remember thinking...
Are we out of the woods yet?
Are we out of the woods yet?
Are we out of the woods yet?
Are we out of the woods?
Are we in the clear yet?
Are we in the clear yet?
Are we in the clear yet? In the clear yet, good.
Are we out of the woods yet?
Are we out of the woods yet?
Are we out of the woods yet?
Are we out of the woods?
Are we in the clear yet?
Are we in the clear yet?
Are we in the clear yet? In the clear yet, good.
Are we out of the woods?
Looking at it now Last December, we were built to fall apart
Then fall back together
Your necklace hanging from my neck
The night we couldn't quite forget
When we decided
To move the furniture so we could dance
Baby, like we stood a chance
paper airplanes flying, flying...
And I remember thinking
Chorus
Remember when you hit the brakes too soon
Twenty stitches in a hospital room
When you started crying
Baby, I did too
But when the sun came up I was looking at you
Remember when we couldn't take the heat I walked out, I said "I'm setting you free"
But the monsters turned out to be just trees
When the sun came up You were looking at me.
You were looking at me... Oh You were looking at me. I remember. Oh, I remember..
Chorus
Tell Us: Which song do you prefer, "Shake It Off" or "Out of the Woods"?