Taylor reveals the gamut of intense emotions she experienced in the relationship that inspired the song ‘Red’ — a song widely believed to be about ex-boyfriend Jake! Read on for all the details.
It’s no secret that Taylor Swift draws heavily on her personal relationships, when it comes to writing her songs. During the taping of her episode of VH1 Storytellers, she reflected on the heartache that inspired her new album’s title track “Red” — heartache from Jake Gyllenhaal!
While filming her upcoming episode at Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, CA, Taylor said “Red” is about “this relationship that I had that was, like, the worst thing ever and the best thing ever at the same time. I was writing this song and I was thinking about correlating the colors to the different feelings I went through.
“You have the great part of red, like the red emotions that are daring and bold and passion and love and affection. And then you have on the other side of the spectrum, jealousy and anger and frustration and you didn’t call me back and I need space,” she says. Whoa — sounds complicated!
“Red” is widely believed to have been written about Taylor’s time with Jake. When the album was released, Vulture decoded the song, finding the word “SAG” in her liner notes. They wrote: “Could SAG stand for “Sagittarius?” Why, yes! Other possible interpretations: Screen Actor’s Guild, to which Jake Gyllenhaal definitely belongs; Sag Harbor, which seems like a place you would see Jake Gyllenhaal (John Mayer is more East Hamptons material); or “SAG” like sag wagon, which is apparently a cycling term and is therefore surely related to these photos of Jake Gyllenhaal in bike shorts. Anyway, it’s Jake.”
Taylor’s episode of VH1 Storytellers will premiere on Nov. 11 at 11:00pm EST.
Are you surprised by Taylor’s description of her relationship with Jake, HollywoodLifers?
– Billy Nilles
More on Who Taylor Swift’s ‘Red’ Album is About:
- Taylor Swift’s New Album — Is ‘Red’ ALL About Jake Gyllenhaal?
- Taylor Swift ‘The Last Time’ — About Jake Gyllenhaal?
- Taylor Swift ‘All Too Well’ — About Jake Gyllenhaal?
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Dorothy Brooks
Posted at 8:24 PM on November 9, 2012
barbara
Posted at 1:17 PM on December 7, 2012
I think “Red” is about Joe Jonas; she has often said that this is the first serious relationship she had and the lyrics to the song seem to refer to a relationship she had a lot of trouble getting over; it also screams of strong emotions, as do many of her other songs about Jonas. I think the song about never, ever getting back together is about Jake; she seems more bitter than scarred about that relationship.