"...Ready For It?" is the first track from American singer and songwriter Taylor Swift's sixth studio album, reputation, released on September 3, 2017, through Big Machine Records.
Background[]
“...Ready For It?” debuted on September 2, 2017, in an ad shown during a college football game between Florida State and Alabama.[1] After its TV premiere, it was featured in an ABC ad.
The song had a radio deal and played on iHeartRadio stations on Sunday, September 3rd, starting at 8 AM ET.
Composition[]
"...Ready for It?" is a "pop-oriented", "electronic-inspired" electronic pop and industrial pop song with elements of tropical house and dubstep. The song features deep synths, a bass drop, drum machines, and rapping. The song is performed in the key of E minor with a tempo of 80 beats per minute, with Swift's vocals spanning from G3 to D5.
The song is lyrically about Swift's reputation and falling in love again, as well as referencing the relationship between Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. The song also talks about sexuality.
Critical reception[]
Patrick Ryan of USA Today saw "...Ready for It?" as an improvement on Swift's previous single, "Look What You Made Me Do". While expressing some skepticism concerning Swift's rapping, Ryan noted that the contrast between the "anthemic chorus" and "dark", intense verses made for a "promising second glance on her reputation era".[2]
Live performances[]
The song was performed as the opener of the Reputation Stadium Tour and is featured as the first song in the Reputation set of the Eras Tour.
Music video[]
References[]
- The numbers 89 and 91 are seen a few times in the music video. This represents Taylor's birth year (1989) and her ex-boyfriend's, Joe Alwyn, birth year (1991)
- Chinese words are featured throughout the music video, with the words being "Taylor", "Eddy", "Future", "Joseph", and "Year of the Snake".
- "Eddy" and "Future" are references to another track on reputation, "End Game", that features her best friend Ed Sheeran and American rapper Future.
- "The Year of the Snake" is a reference to the zodiac year she was born in. It could also refer to this year being the year of her reign, although other people have considered her a snake and that her career has ended.
- During the music video, she punches in "21" a keypad. Many fans speculate this to be Joe Alwyn's birth date, February 21st.
- Phrases such as "I loved you in secret", "Ur gorgeous", "All eyes on us", and "They're burning all the witches" are written in graffiti on the wall in the music video. These are all references to lyrics of songs on reputation. In "...Ready For It?"'s Behind the Scenes, Taylor says, "Also, if I forgot all the lyrics to my new album, I'd be good, 'cause they're written all over the walls.
- Taylor also put a few "13"s in the music video. Taylor has some history with the number 13. She considers it a lucky number for various reasons. During an interview with MTV in 2009, she said, "I was born on the 13th. I turned 13 on Friday, the 13th. My first album went gold in 13 weeks. My first #1 song had a 13-second intro," she said. "Every time I've won an award, I've been seated in either the 13th seat, the 13th row, the 13th section, or row M, which is the 13th letter." She continues, "Basically, whenever a 13 comes up in my life, it's a good thing."
- Her music video also shares some similarities with previous music videos. The white horse that cyborg Taylor rode is a reference to the "Blank Space" music video, in which she is shown riding a white horse. Fans have also pointed out a similarity between the scene where cyborg Taylor is surrounded by glowing orbs to a scene in the "Out of the Woods" music video where she is in a similar position surrounded by glowing fireflies.
Interpretations[]
- Many theories have arisen regarding this music video. Though there is no definite answer, many fans theorize that the "media/reputation" Taylor is the cloaked one, and cyborg Taylor is the "real" Taylor or her honest self. They think that "media" Taylor has been imprisoned the real Taylor for so long, because she is either too scared to show her true self or is forced to pretend to be someone she's not for the sake of the public and her reputation. She then sees what the real Taylor is capable of and is amazed by it, and decides that it's time to let her go. The media Taylor has had enough of what the public has said about her and lets the real Taylor take control. The real Taylor doesn't use powers to break the glass separating them, but instead uses her voice. This could mean that although she has the power and money to change what other people think about her, she only uses her voice and tell the truth about everything instead of being defensive and saying that everyone else is always wrong. Media Taylor does nothing to stop her instead of fighting back. As media Taylor face slowly disintegrates and begin to disappear, she ends up in the middle of a staircase being chase by other (evil) faceless cyborgs. This could symbolize the media trying to attack her, but they don't realize that they are attacking a version of Taylor that they have created (this could also be the old Taylor that "Look What You Made Me Do" suggests), which proves them to be hypocritical. While they are busy attacking the media Taylor, the real Taylor proceeds to peacefully make her up and is free from the imprisonment and the cyborgs. She can now be honest and happy rather than living as a version of herself that isn't real. At the very end of the music video, the real Taylor sheds a tear. This is proof that Taylor, although portrayed as a cyborg, is human and has feelings too. She wants the world to know that she isn't just a robot that is programmed to be happy all the time and becomes an image that the public forces her to maintain.
Lyrics[]
[Verse 1]
Knew he was a killer first time that I saw him
Wondered how many girls he had loved and left haunted
But if he's a ghost, then, I can be a phantom
Holding him for ransom, some
Some boys are trying too hard, he don't try at all, though
Younger than my exes, but he act like such a man, so
I see nothing better, I keep him forever
Like a vendetta-ta
[Pre-Chorus]
I, I, I see how this is gon' go
Touch me and you'll never be alone
I-Island breeze and lights down low
No one has to know
[Chorus]
In the middle of the night, in my dreams
You should see the things we do, baby
In the middle of the night, in my dreams
I know I'm gonna be with you, so, I take my time
Are you ready for it?
[Verse 2]
Knew I was a robber first time that he saw me
Stealing hearts and running off and never saying sorry
But if I'm a thief, then, he can join the heist and
We'll move to an island and
And he can be my jailer, Burton to this Taylor
Every love I've known in comparison is a failure
I forget their names now, I'm so very tame now
Never be the same now, now
[Pre-Chorus]
I, I, I see how this is gon' go
Touch me and you'll never be alone
I-Island breeze and lights down low
No one has to know (No one has to know)
[Chorus]
In the middle of the night, in my dreams
You should see the things we do, baby
In the middle of the night in my dreams
I know I'm gonna be with you, so, I take my time
Are you ready for it?
Oh, are you ready for it?
[Refrain]
Baby, let the games begin
Let the games begin
Let the games begin
Baby, let the games begin
Let the games begin
Let the games begin
[Pre-Chorus]
I, I, I see how this is gon' go
Touch me and you'll never be alone
I-Island breeze and lights down low
No one has to know
[Chorus]
In the middle of the night (Night), in my dreams (My dreams)
You should see the things we do (We do), baby (Baby), hmm (Eh)
In the middle of the night, in my dreams (My dreams)
I know I'm gonna be with you (I know I'm gonna be with you)
So, I take my time
In the middle of the night
[Refrain]
Baby, let the games begin
Let the games begin
Let the games begin
Are you ready for it?
Baby, let the games begin
Let the games begin
Let the games begin
Are you ready for it?
Taymoji pack[]
 But if I’m a thief, then he can join the heist...  Partial eclipse of the heart.  I literally heart you.  Roses are red, this flower is also red...  Are you ready for it?  No one has to know...  I can be a phantom.  Let the games begin!  Box |
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" | ||
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