Stay, Stay, Stay: an analysis

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Taylor Swift’s ‘Stay, Stay, Stay’ is not considered one of her best works, but I disagree. There is a magical way the upbeat music is at odds with the intense lyrics. She starts her song with the way she fought with her boyfriend. She goes on to ask him to come back so they can talk their problems out. She is shocked when he comes back to her (wearing a football helmet) and agrees to talk to her.

In the chorus, Taylor asks him to stay. The way the lyrics have been written shows us how much she values the relationship or rather, loves the idea of being in love. The line ‘You think that it’s funny when I’m mad, mad, mad,’ shows us that there are problems in the relationship but that Taylor doesn’t acknowledge them. She is in denial. She thinks it’s best if they both stay together.

‘Before you, I’d only dated self indulgent takers

Who took all of their problems out on me

But you carry my groceries and now I’m always laughing

I love you because you have given me no choice but to…’

These lines show all the good parts of the relationship. She says that he is the best partner she has had. She talks about how he is different from the men in her past. She says that she is genuinely happy with him and goes on to plead with him in the following chorus.

‘You took the time to memorize me

My fears, my hopes and dreams

I just like hanging out with you

All the time

All those times that you didn’t leave

It’s been occurring to me

I’d like to hang out with you

For my whole life’

This bridge is unequivocally the most romantic part of the song. She’s convincing herself and the audience that this man really loved her. She reminds herself that he took the time to get to know her as a person and genuinely cared about her. She states that the fact that he didn’t leave when things got tough made her realize that she really liked this man and wanted to be with him forever.

She shows a bit of fear before her last chorus when she says ‘No one else is gonna love me when I get mad, mad, mad.’

This song is basically a plea for her lover to stay with her. She says that no one could ever love her like he did.

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