"Castles Crumbling", feat. Hayley Williams, is the twentieth track from American singer and songwriter Taylor Swift's third re-recorded album, Speak Now (Taylor's Version), released on July 7, 2023, through Republic Records.
Background[]
The song was registered through GEMA in 2010.
It is supposedly about the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards controversy, and how people began to hate her and claimed she was "playing the victim".
Lyrics[]
[Intro: Hayley Williams]
(Once, I had an empire)
(Once, I had an empire)
[Verse 1: Taylor Swift]
Once, I had an empire in a golden age
I was held up so high, I used to be great
They used to cheer when they saw my face
Now, I fear I have fallen from grace
[Chorus: Taylor Swift, Taylor Swift & Hayley Williams]
And I feel like my castle's crumbling down
And I watch all my bridges burn to the ground
And you don't want to know me, I will just let you down
You don't wanna know me now
[Verse 2: Hayley Williams, Taylor Swift & Hayley Williams]
Once, I was the great hope for a dynasty
Crowds would hang on my words and they trusted me
Their faith was strong, but I pushed it too far
I held that grudge till it tore me apart
[Pre-Chorus: Taylor Swift & Hayley Williams, Taylor Swift]
Power went to my head and I couldn't stop
Ones I loved tried to help, so, I ran them off
And here I sit alone behind walls of regret
Falling down like promises that I never kept
[Chorus: Taylor Swift & Hayley Williams, Taylor Swift]
And I feel like my castle's crumbling down
And I watch all my bridges burn to the ground
And you don't want to know me, I will just let you down
You don't wanna know me now
[Verse 3: Taylor Swift]
My foes and friends watch my reign end
I don't know how it could've ended this way
Smoke billows from my ships in the harbor
People look at me like I'm a monster
Now, they're screaming at the palace front gates
Used to chant my name
Now, they're screaming that they hate me
Never wanted you to hate me
[Chorus: Taylor Swift, Taylor Swift & Hayley Williams]
My castle's crumbling down
And I watch all my bridges burn to the ground
And you don't want to know me
I will just let you down (Just let you down)
My castle's crumbling down
You don't wanna know me now, now
[Outro: Hayley Williams]
(Once, I had an empire)
(Once, I had an empire)
Live performances[]
"Castles Crumbling" was performed twice as a surprise song on The Eras Tour: once on July 28, 2023, in Santa Clara, California, and once on June 22, 2024, in London, England, alongside Hayley Williams.
Trivia[]
The phrase was re-used in the opening line of Call It What You Want, due to the song being similar to the drama with Kanye West and Kim Kardashian in 2016.
Gallery[]
References[]
| Speak Now | ||
|---|---|---|
| "Mine" • "Sparks Fly" • "Back To December" • "Speak Now" • "Dear John" • "Mean" • "The Story Of Us" • "Never Grow Up" • "Enchanted" • "Better Than Revenge" • "Innocent" • "Haunted" • "Last Kiss" • "Long Live" | ||
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