"Nothing New" (originally titled "Nothin' New") feat. Phoebe Bridgers is the twenty-third track from American singer and songwriter Taylor Swift's second re-recorded studio album, Red (Taylor's Version), released on November 12, 2021, through Republic Records.
Background[]
This song was revealed in the deluxe edition journals accompanying her seventh studio album, Lover, where it was originally titled "Nothin' New", given in a small snippet of lyrics written in one of her old journals. It was written for her 2012 album Red, but later left off the album. It was inspired by Joni Mitchell's "A Case of You".
This song is about her fame and how she fears what will happen to her when she loses it.
| “ | I've been thinking a lot about getting older and relevancy and how all my heroes have all ended up alone. I wrote a song on it called "Nothin' New" and it's about being scared of aging and things changing and losing what you have. | ” |
—Taylor Swift | ||
Journal lyrics[]
[Journal snippet]
I’m getting older and less sure of what you like about me anyway
How can a person know everything at 18 and nothing at 22
And will you still want me when I’m nothing new?
Lyrics[]
[Verse 1: Taylor Swift]
They tell you while you're young
"Girls, go out and have your fun"
Then they hunt and slay the ones who actually do it
Criticize the way you fly
When you're soaring through the sky
Shoot you down and, then, they sigh
And say, "She looks like she's been through it"
Lord, what will become of me
Once I've lost my novelty?
[Chorus: Taylor Swift]
I've had too much to drink tonight
And I know it's sad, but this is what I think about
And I wake up in the middle of the night
It's like I can feel time moving
How can a person know everything at eighteen
But nothing at twenty-two?
And, will you still want me when I'm nothing new?
[Verse 2: Phoebe Bridgers & Taylor Swift]
How long will it be cute, all this crying in my room?
When you can't blame it on my youth
And roll your eyes with affection
And my cheeks are growing tired
From turning red and faking smiles
Are we only biding time till I lose your attention
And someone else lights up the room? (Ah)
People love an ingénue (Ah)
[Chorus: Phoebe Bridgers & Taylor Swift]
I've had (I've had) too much to drink tonight
How did I go from growing up to breaking down?
And I wake up (Wake up) in the middle of the night
It's like I can feel time moving
How can a person know everything at eighteen
But nothing at twenty-two?
And, will you still want me when I'm nothing new?
[Bridge: Phoebe Bridgers & Taylor Swift]
I know someday I'm gonna meet her
It's a fever dream
The kind of radiance you only have at seventeen
She'll know the way and, then, she'll say she got the map from me
I'll say I'm happy for her, then, I'll cry myself to sleep
[Chorus: Phoebe Bridgers & Taylor Swift]
I've had (I've had) too much to drink tonight
But I wonder if they'll miss me once they drive me out
I wake up (Wake up) in the middle of the night
And I can feel time moving
How can a person know everything at eighteen
But nothing at twenty-two?
And, will you still want me, will you still want me
Will you still want me when I'm nothing new?
Live performances[]
Swift performed "Nothing New" for the first time on May 5, 2023, in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S., with Phoebe Bridgers on The Eras Tour. The song was performed a second time with Bridgers in East Rutherford, New Jersey, U.S. and a third time without Bridgers as a surprise song on July 24, 2024, in Hamburg, Germany, mashed-up with "Dear Reader."
| RED | ||
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| "State Of Grace" • "Red" • "Treacherous" • "I Knew You Were Trouble" • "All Too Well" • "22" • "I Almost Do" • "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" • "Stay Stay Stay" • "The Last Time" • "Holy Ground" • "Sad Beautiful Tragic" • "The Lucky One" • "Everything Has Changed" • "Starlight" • "Begin Again" | ||
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