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Anti-Hero

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"Anti-Hero" is the lead single and third track from the standard edition of American singer and songwriter Taylor Swift's tenth studio album, Midnights, released on October 21, 2022, through Republic Records. An instrumental version of the song became available for purchase on November 3, 2022.

Background[]

Swift announced that the third track on Midnights would be titled "Anti-Hero" on October 3, 2022, as episode six out of thirteen on Midnights Mayhem With Me.[1]

On the same day, Swift uploaded a video on Instagram that explained the meaning behind the song, saying: "Anti-Hero” is one of my favorite songs I’ve ever written. I really don’t think I’ve delved this far into my insecurities in this detail before. I struggle with the idea that my life has become unmanageably sized and I, not to sound too dark, but I just struggle with the idea of not feeling like a person. This song is a real guided tour throughout all the things I tend to hate about myself, and it’s all those aspects of the things we dislike and like about ourselves that we have to come to terms with if we are gonna be this person, so I like “Anti-Hero” a lot, because I think is really honest."[2]

On October 17, 2022, Swift revealed that "Anti-Hero" would be the lead single off her tenth studio album.[3] On the same day, Swift revealed that the song would have a music video, and that it would be released on October 21, 2022.

Remixes[]

Music video[]

The video opens with Swift singing the first verse in a 1970s-style suburban home kitchen at night, briefly surrounded by ghosts in tablecloths. She opens the front door, revealing a second version of herself with her early-2010s appearance and a tour dance outfit, and they drink shots and sing the chorus together. The "current" version plays a blue guitar, while the "younger" version smashes a copy of it on the floor. Younger Swift stands next to a blackboard that reads "Everyone Will Betray You" and she points to it with a pointer while Current Swift sits at a desk writing it down like a student taking notes. A third, giant version of Swift crawls into a neighbor's dinner party during the second verse, whereupon a guest unsuccessfully tries to subdue her by shooting her in the heart with a bow and arrow. The giant version of Swift gives a shocked but unfazed look in response and glumly eats the guests' food alone. Current and Younger Swift jump up and down on a bed before Younger Swift pushes Current Swift off of it. A photograph of Swift's grandmother, Marjorie Finlay, is in the background the bathroom scene as Current Swift, now wearing a white tank top and shorts stands on a scale. The dialogue portion of the video plays out during the bridge, which describes Swift's dream of her own funeral, attended by her sons Preston and Chad (Mike Birbiglia and John Early) and daughter-in-law Kimber (Mary Elizabeth Ellis), the latter of whom Chad implicates in the apparent murder of Swift, all while a fourth version of Swift is peeking from inside the coffin. The three attendees bicker over who their mother loved the most, learning that her last will and testament leaves them with 13 cents, bequeaths her assets to her cats, and does not contain any "secret encoded message" that means a larger inheritance. The video ends with the first two versions of Swift sitting on the rooftop and offering a bottle of wine to the giant version, who happily accepts.

Behind the scenes[]

A behind the scenes reel played on the stage before the opening acts perform on The Eras Tour. In the video, it is revealed that two of the ghosts are played by her brother, Austin Swift and her lawyer. The videos were officially released onto Taylor's YouTube channel on December 13, 2024.

Gallery[]

Controversy[]

Some social media criticized the scene in which Swift weighs herself on the scale - with the word "fat" appearing, where her other self expresses her disapproval - calling it "fatphobic", a form of discrimination against overweight and plus sized people. News sources like The Independent and The View defended Swift as she should not have to sanitize her trauma from her eating disorder. The scene was removed from the video.

YouTube shorts[]

After the single was released, Taylor made multiple posts on YouTube Shorts with the song "Anti-Hero" playing. These videos used the hashtag #TSAntiHeroChallenge. The videos displayed Taylor showing some of her anti-heroic traits. Fans were encouraged to create their own, similar videos with the hashtag. Taylor added some of them to a playlist on her YouTube channel, and even commented on a few.

Lyrics[]

[Verse 1]
I have this thing where I get older
But just never wiser
Midnights become my afternoons
When my depression works the graveyard shift
All of the people I've ghosted stand there in the room

[Pre-Chorus 1]
I should not be left to my own devices
They come with prices and vices
I end up in crisis (Tale as old as time)
I wake up screaming from dreaming
One day, I'll watch as you're leaving
'Cause you got tired of my scheming
(For the last time)

[Chorus]
It's me, hi
I'm the problem, it's me
At tea time, everybody agrees
I'll stare directly at the sun but never in the mirror
It must be exhausting always rooting for the anti-hero

[Verse 2]
Sometimes I feel like everybody is a sexy baby
And I'm a monster on the hill
Too big to hang out, slowly lurching toward your favorite city
Pierced through the heart but never killed

[Pre-Chorus 2]
Did you hear my covert narcissism
I disguise as altruism
Like some kind of congressman?
(Tale as old as time)
I wake up screaming from dreaming
One day, I'll watch as you're leaving
And life will lose all its meaning
(For the last time)

[Chorus]
It's me, hi
I'm the problem (I'm the problem, it's me), it's me
At tea time, everybody agrees
I'll stare directly at the sun but never in the mirror
It must be exhausting always rooting for the anti-hero

[Verse 3]
I have this dream my daughter-in-law kills me for the money
She thinks I left them in the will
The family gathers 'round and reads it
And then someone screams out
"She's laughing up at us from Hell"

[Breakdown]
It's me, hi
I'm the problem, it's me
It's me, hi
I'm the problem, it's me
It's me, hi, everybody agrees
Everybody agrees

[Chorus]
It's me, hi (Hi)
I'm the problem (I'm the problem, it's me), it's me
At tea (At tea) time (Time), everybody agrees (Everybody agrees)
I'll stare directly at the sun but never in the mirror
It must be exhausting always rooting for the anti-hero

[Verse 1]
I have this thing where I get older
But just never wiser
Midnights become my afternoons
When my depression works the graveyard shift
All of the people I've ghosted stand there in the room

[Pre-Chorus 1]
I should not be left to my own devices
They come with prices and vices
I end up in crisis (Tale as old as time)
I wake up screaming from dreaming
One day, I'll watch as you're leaving
'Cause you got tired of my scheming
(For the last time)

'[Chorus]
It's me, hi
I'm the problem, it's me
At tea time, everybody agrees
I'll stare directly at the sun but never in the mirror
It must be exhausting always rooting for the anti-hero

[Verse 2: Jack Antonoff]
Sometimes I feel like everybody is an art bro lately
And I just judge them on the hill
Too hurt to hang out, talking shit about your famous baby
Pierced through the heart of '90s guilt
Maybe I'm the problem
it's me

[Pre-Chorus: Taylor Swift, Jack Antonoff]
 Did you hear my covert narcissism
I disguise as altruism
Like some kind of congressman?
(Taylor, you'll be fine)
I wake up screaming from dreaming
One day, I'll watch as you're leaving
And life will lose all its meaning
(For the last time)

[Chorus]
It's me, hi
I'm the problem (I'm the problem, it's me), it's me
At tea time, everybody agrees
I'll stare directly at the sun but never in the mirror
It must be exhausting always rooting for the anti-hero

[Post-Chorus: Jack Antonoff]
Always rooting for the anti-hero

[Verse 3]
I have this dream my daughter-in-law kills me for the money
She thinks I left them in the will
The family gathers 'round and reads it
And then someone screams out
"She's laughing up at us from Hell"

[Breakdown]
It's me, hi
I'm the problem, it's me
It's me, hi
I'm the problem, it's me
It's me, hi, everybody agrees
Everybody agrees

[Chorus]
It's me, hi (Hi)
I'm the problem (I'm the problem, it's me), it's me
At tea (At tea) time (Time), everybody agrees (Everybody agrees)
I'll stare directly at the sun but never in the mirror
It must be exhausting always rooting for the anti-hero

Videos[]

Live performances[]

Swift performed "Anti-Hero" for the first time in London, England, on January 12, 2023, on English rock pop band The 1975's At Their Very Best Tour. "Anti-Hero" is performed as the second song in the Midnights section of The Eras Tour.

References[]

  1. ↑ https://www.tiktok.com/@taylorswift/video/7150130762891775274
  2. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/reel/CjPMULyPp9V/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
  3. ↑ https://www.nme.com/news/music/taylor-swift-announces-new-single-and-reveals-midnights-lyrics-on-new-york-billboard-3330110
  4. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/CkrJohnJ_jd/?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==
  5. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/CkwTA-zShjT/?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==
  6. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/CkyqLDxpNgU/?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==
  7. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/CkyqLDxpNgU/?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==
  8. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/reel/ClEeD73AzC4/?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==
Midnights
"Lavender Haze" • "Maroon" • "Anti-Hero" • "Snow On The Beach" • "You're On Your Own, Kid" • "Midnight Rain" • "Question...?" • "Vigilante Shit" • "Bejeweled" • "Labyrinth" • "Karma" • "Sweet Nothing" • "Mastermind"
Lavender Edition
"Hits Different" • "You're On Your Own, Kid" (Strings remix) • "Sweet Nothing" (Piano remix)
3am Edition
"The Great War" • "Bigger Than The Whole Sky" • "Paris" • "High Infidelity" • "Glitch" • "Would've, Could've, Should've" • "Dear Reader"
The Late Night Edition
"You're Losing Me" • "Snow On The Beach" (Feat. More Lana Del Rey) • "Karma" (Feat. Ice Spice)
Collaborations
Taylor Swift songs featuring other artists
"Anti-Hero" (Bleachers) • "Bad Blood" (Kendrick Lamar) • "Breathe" (Colbie Caillat) • "Castles Crumbling" (Hayley Williams) • "coney island" (The National) • "Electric Touch" (Fall Out Boy) "End Game" (Ed Sheeran, Future) • "evermore" (Bon Iver) • "Everything Has Changed" (Ed Sheeran) • "exile" (Bon Iver) • "Florida!!!" (Florence + The Machine) • "Fortnight" (Post Malone) • "I Bet You Think About Me" (Chris Stapleton) • "I Don't Wanna Live Forever" (ZAYN) • "Karma" (Ice Spice) • "Long Live" (Paula Fernandes) • "Lover" (Shawn Mendes) • "ME!" (Brendon Urie) • "no body, no crime" (HAIM) • "Nothing New" (Phoebe Bridgers) • "Run" (Ed Sheeran) • "Safe & Sound (The Civil Wars) • "Snow On The Beach" (Lana Del Rey) • "Soon You'll Get Better" (The Chicks) • "That's When" (Keith Urban) • "The Last Time" (Gary Lightbody) • "You All Over Me" (Maren Morris)
Songs featuring Taylor Swift
"Babe" (Sugarland) • "Best Days of Your Life" (Kellie Pickler) • "Birch" (Big Red Machine) • "Both of Us" (B.o.B) • "Gasoline" (HAIM) • "Half of My Heart" (John Mayer) •
"Highway Don't Care" (Tim McGraw ft. Keith Urban) • "Renegade" (Big Red Machine) • "The Alcott" (The National) • "The Joker and the Queen" (Ed Sheeran) • "This Is What You Came For" (Calvin Harris) • "Thug Story" (T-Pain) • "Three Sad Virgins" (Pete Davidson, from SNL) • "Two Is Better Than One" (Boys Like Girls) • "us." (Gracie Abrams)
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