Fortnight by Taylor Swift Featuring Post Malone: A Gut-Wrenching Ballad of Lost Love and Betrayal
Taylor Swift's Fortnight is an emotional roller coaster right from the opening track of her album The Tortured Poets Department. Featuring the raw vocals of Post Malone, the song explores themes of unrequited love, destructive desire, and agonizing heartbreak.
A Confessional Masterpiece
"Fortnight" immediately establishes its stark, confessional tone. Swift's lyrics, filled with stark imagery ("functioning alcoholic," "endless February") paint a vivid picture of a narrator spiraling in the wake of a lost love. The line "I love you, it's ruining my life" is a heart-wrenching refrain that resonates deeply.
Time, Love, and Loss
Fortnights central metaphor—a "fortnight", or two weeks—is achingly poignant. It signifies the fleeting nature of the relationship, the preciousness of that short time, and the lingering pain of its loss. The contrast between the intensity of their past connection and their present distance as "good neighbors" is crushing.
Post Malone's Impact
Post Malone's verse brings a unique, gritty counterpoint to Swift's ethereal vocals. His raspy delivery adds a layer of desperation and recklessness, mirroring the narrator's tumultuous emotions. The inclusion of the lines from the wife/husband's perspective ramps up the tension and hints at the potential destruction caused by this forbidden longing.
Haunting Production
The song's minimalist production allows the raw emotion to come to the forefront. The simple instrumentation puts an emphasis on the vulnerability of the vocals and lyrics. The final haunting lines about a stolen car that "won't start up" leave the listener with a chilling sense of loss and unattainable dreams.
A Powerful Start to the Album
"Fortnight" is a masterclass in songwriting from Swift, showcasing her trademark ability to weave intricate tales of heartache. Post Malone's collaboration adds a welcome depth and complexity to this devastating ballad of lost love. It's a powerful opening to The Tortured Poets Department, suggesting a deeply introspective and emotionally resonant album.
Listen to Taylor Swift Fortnight Featuring Post Malone
Taylor Swift Fortnight Lyrics Meaning
The meaning of "Fortnight" by Taylor Swift can be found in the lyrics featuring Post Malone, where a narrative of forbidden love, destructive obsession, and simmering betrayal unfolds. The song's title hints at a connection lasting only two weeks, yet the emotional impact echoes much longer. Swift's words portray a relationship marred by secrecy and the intoxicating allure of something that can never truly be possessed.
Verse 1
"I was supposed to be sent away but they forgot to come and get me" This establishes a sense of abandonment, being left in a situation that was supposed to be temporary. It could be a metaphor for a relationship.
"I was a functioning alcoholic 'til nobody noticed my new aesthetic" Suggests a turn from hidden pain to a self-destructive outward expression. The speaker tries to mask how this relationship has damaged them.
"All of this to say I hope you’re okay, but you’re the reason" Direct blame for their pain is placed on the person they're addressing. There's a mix of wishing them well while acknowledging they are the source of the speaker's suffering.
"And no one here’s to blame but what about your quiet treason" A striking accusation—'quiet treason' hints at a betrayal that's not necessarily obvious, like an emotional affair.
Verse 2
"And for a fortnight there we were, Forever running to you" 'Fortnight' means two weeks, implying a short but intense connection. 'Running to you' suggests a consuming, all-encompassing need.
"Sometimes ask about the weather" Contrasts the profoundness of the connection with seemingly mundane, surface-level conversations. This could indicate hiding the affair.
"Now you’re in my backyard, turned into good neighbors/Your wife waters flowers. I wanna kill her." Stark shift from passion to proximity and domesticity. The violent desire shows the desperation caused by how close they are, yet how out of reach the speaker feels.
Chorus
"All my mornings are Mondays stuck in an endless February" Mondays and February are typically associated with dreariness. This captures the constant bleakness of the speaker's life.
"I took the miracle move-on drug, the effects were temporary" This reveals an attempt to escape the pain of the relationship that ultimately failed.
"And I love you, it’s ruining my life (I love you, it's ruining my life)/ I touched you for only a fortnight (I touched you)/ But I touched you" The repetition and emphasis on 'I love you' underscores a love that's as destructive as it is compelling. The stark 'I touched you' suggests a forbidden intimacy despite the brevity.
Later Verses and Bridge
The repeated imagery and slight alterations highlight how the situation has changed and yet the feelings remain the same:
Good Neighbors, Cheating Husband: There's a sense of entrapment as both people are now in committed relationships, adding another layer of betrayal.
Calling and the Car: The desperate attempt to reach out and the image of the car needing the lover's touch to start suggests a desire for escape this person seems to hold the key to.
Overall Taylor Swift Fortnight Themes
Destructive Obsession: The lyrics convey an overwhelming, consuming love that leads to ruin rather than fulfillment.
Betrayal and Secrecy: The themes of unfaithfulness, both emotional and physical, are central to the speaker's pain.
Entrapment: The impossibility of this love is a source of torment, especially now that they live in such close proximity.
Taylor Swift Fortnight Lyrics
[Verse 1: Taylor Swift]
I was supposed to be sent away
But they forgot to come and get me
I was a functioning alcoholic
'Til nobody noticed my new aesthetic
All of this to say, I hope you're okay
But you're the reason
And no one here's to blame
But what about your quiet treason?
[Chorus: Taylor Swift]
And for a fortnight, there we were, forever running
'Til you sometimes ask about the weather
Now you're in my backyard, turned into good neighbors
Your wife waters flowers, I wanna kill her
[Verse 2: Taylor Swift, Taylor Swift & Post Malone, Post Malone]
All my mornings are Mondays stuck in an endless February
I took the miracle move-on drug, the effects were temporary
And I love you, it's ruining my life
I love you, it's ruining my life
I touched you for only a fortnight
I touched you, but I touched you
[Chorus: Taylor Swift & Post Malone]
And for a fortnight, there we were, forever running
'Til you sometimes ask about the weather
Now you're in my backyard, turned into good neighbors
Your wife waters flowers, I wanna kill her
And for a fortnight, there we were, together running
'Til you sometimes come and tug my sweater
Now you're at the mailbox, turned into good neighbors
My husband is cheating, I wanna kill him
[Bridge: Taylor Swift, Post Malone, Taylor Swift & Post Malone]
I love you, it's ruining my life
I love you, it's ruining my life
I touched you for only a fortnight
I touched you, I touched you
I love you, it's ruining my life
I love you, it's ruining my life
I touched you for only a fortnight
I touched you, I touched you
[Outro: Post Malone, Post Malone & Taylor Swift, Taylor Swift]
Thought of callin' ya, but you won't pick up
'Nother fortnight lost in America
Move to Florida, buy the car you want
But it won't start up 'til you touch, touch, touch me
Thought of calling ya, but you won't pick up
'Nother fortnight lost in America
Move to Florida, buy the car you want
But it won't start up 'til I touch, touch, touch you
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