"Dancing With Our Hands Tied" is the eleventh track from American singer and songwriter Taylor Swift's sixth studio album, reputation, released on November 10, 2017, through Big Machine Records.
Background[]
During one of the reputation Secret Sessions, Swift revealed that she wrote "Dancing With Our Hands Tied" after she was photographed by paparazzi in Los Angeles, California with her ex-boyfriend, Joe Alwyn after months of staying out of the public's eye. The paparazzi were shouting at her, some of the comments being about her weight. She was overwhelmed by this and started wondering how she could have a normal relationship with this kind of life. She went straight to the studio, cried and started writing this song.
Lyrics[]
[Verse 1]
I, I loved you in secret
First sight, yeah, we love without reason
Oh, twenty-five years old
Oh, how were you to know? And
My, my love had been frozen
Deep blue, but you painted me golden
Oh, and you held me close
Oh, how was I to know? I–
[Pre-Chorus]
Could've spent forever with your hands in my pockets
Picture of your face in an invisible locket
You said there was nothing in the world that could stop it
I had a bad feeling
And, darling, you had turned my bed into a sacred oasis
People started talking, putting us through our paces
I knew there was no one in the world who could take it
I had a bad feeling
[Chorus]
But we were dancing
Dancing with our hands tied, hands tied
Yeah, we were dancing
Like it was the first time, first time
Yeah, we were dancing
Dancing with our hands tied, hands tied
Yeah, we were dancing
And I had a bad feeling
But we were dancing
[Verse 2]
I, I loved you in spite of
Deep fears that the world would divide us
So, baby, can we dance
Oh, through an avalanche? And
Say, say that we got it
I'm a mess, but I'm the mess that you wanted
Oh, 'cause it's gravity
Oh, keeping you with me- I
[Pre-Chorus]
Could've spent forever with your hands in my pockets
Picture of your face in an invisible locket
You said there was nothing in the world that could stop it
I had a bad feeling
[Chorus]
But we were dancing
Dancing with our hands tied, hands tied
Yeah, we were dancing
Like it was the first time, first time
Yeah, we were dancing
Dancing with our hands tied, hands tied
Yeah, we were dancing (Knew we had our hands tied)
And I had a bad feeling
But we were dancing
[Bridge]
I'd kiss you as the lights went out
Swaying as the room burned down
I'd hold you as the water rushes in
If I could dance with you again
I'd kiss you as the lights went out
Swaying as the room burned down
I'd hold you as the water rushes in
If I could dance with you again (Again)
[Chorus]
Dancing with our hands tied, hands tied
Oh, yeah, we were dancing
Like it was the first time, first time (First time, first time)
Yeah, we were dancing (Oh)
Dancing with our hands tied, hands tied (Dancing with our hands tied)
Yeah, we were dancing (Ooh)
And I had a bad feeling (Had a bad feeling)
But we were dancing
[Outro]
(Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh)
Hands tied, hands tied (Dancing)
Taymoji pack[]
 My love had been frozen...  Is there a secret message inside this heart?  Can I be your tiny dancer?  My hands are tied!  Box |
Live performances[]
Swift performed "Dancing With Our Hands Tied" from May 8, 2018, in Glendale, Arizona, to November 21, 2018, in Tokyo, Japan, on The Reputation Stadium Tour, as the tenth song on the setlist.[1] Occasionally, it was replaced by "So It Goes...". It was also performed as a surprise song at The Eras Tour on November 19, 2023, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. And on June 29, 2024, in Dublin, Ireland, mashed-up with "The Albatross".
Trivia[]
- A line from this song was featured on Swift's "...Ready For It?" music video. The first line, "I loved you in secret", was written in graffiti on the walls.
References[]
| reputation |
|---|
| "...Ready For It?" • "End Game" • "I Did Something Bad" • "Don't Blame Me" • "Delicate" • "Look What You Made Me Do" • "So It Goes..." • "Gorgeous" • "Getaway Car" • "King Of My Heart" • "Dancing With Our Hands Tied" • "Dress" • "This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things" • "Call It What You Want" • "New Year's Day" |