The Great War

Album

Midnights

Label

Republic Records

Genre

Ballad

Duration

0:00

Composer(s)

Taylor Swift;Aaron Dessner

Entered Chart

Nov 5, 2022

Peak Date

Nov 5, 2022

Released

Unknown

Recorded

Unknown

B-Side

N/A

"The Great War" is a bonus track off Taylor Swift's *Midnights* album. It details a devastating conflict within a romantic relationship. Despite the conflict, "The Great War" delivers a hopeful message, describing a couple emerging from the tension together and promising to love one another "always" since they have already survived a a difficult period together.

[Verse 1]
My knuckles were bruised like violets
Sucker punching walls, cursed you as I sleep-talked
Spineless in my tomb of silence
Tore your banners down, took the battle underground
And maybe it was egos swinging
Maybe it was her
Flashes of the battle come back to me in a blur

[Chorus]
All that bloodshed, crimson clover
Uh-huh, sweet dream was over
My hand was the one you reached for
All throughout the Great War
Always remember
Uh-huh, tears on the letter
I vowed not to cry anymore
If we survived the Great War

[Verse 2]
You drew up some good faith treaties
I drew curtains closed, drank my poison all alone
You said I have to trust more freely
But diesel is desire, you were playing with fire
And maybe it's the past that's talking
Screaming from the crypt
Telling me to punish you for things you never did
So I justified it

[Chorus]
All that bloodshed, crimson clover
Uh-huh, the bombs were closer
My hand was the one you reached for
All throughout the Great War
Always remember
Uh-huh, the burning embers
I vowed not to fight anymore
If we survived the Great War

[Post-Chorus]
Uh-huh, uh-huh

[Bridge]
It turned into something bigger
Somewhere in the haze, got a sense I'd been betrayed
Your finger on my hairpin triggers
Soldier down on that icy ground
Looked up at me with honor and truth
Broken and blue, so I called off the troops
That was the night I nearly lost you
I really thought I'd lost you

[Verse 3]
We can plant a memory garden
Say a solemn prayer, place a poppy in my hair
There's no morning glory, it was war, it wasn't fair
And we will never go back

[Chorus]
To that bloodshed, crimson clover
Uh-huh, the worst was over
My hand was the one you reached for
All throughout the Great War
Always remember
Uh-huh, we're burned for better
I vowed I would always be yours
'Cause we survived the Great War

[Outro]
Uh-huh, uh-huh
I will always be yours
'Cause we survived the Great War
Uh-huh
I vow I will always be yours