What's The Real Meaning Of So Long, London By Taylor Swift? Here's What We Think
And just like that, there's another devastating Taylor Swift Track No. 5 to send everyone into a tailspin. True to form, Swift continues her cherished tradition of scream-able hooks and peppering Easter eggs in her albums. But by far the most intriguing fixture in her ever-expanding musical repertoire — which now boasts 11 studio albums with the release of "The Tortured Poets Department" (TTPD) — remains Track No. 5. Recognized by Swifties and the Grammy Award-winner herself as the most emotionally intense song on any album, this track never fails to tug heartstrings. This time around, it's "So Long, London" that has snagged the spot, which may or may not loosely translate to "So Long, Joe Alwyn."
Speculations are rife that TTPD largely revolves around Swift's fleeting fling with Matty Healy, frontman of The 1975, but "So Long, London" screams of a farewell to her longest relationship. Remember "London Boy" from "Lover"? Yeah, that was ostensibly an ode to Alwyn and their time in the city. Despite her lineup of British exes, which also includes Harry Styles and Tom Hiddleston, Swift hinted in the past that "London Boy" celebrated her three-year stint living in London with her very own London boy.
All of this is to say that "So Long, London" is likely her swan song to the "The Favourite" actor, and with it being Track No. 5 on the album, you may need a hefty supply of tissues when you hit play. Consider this a heads-up — or a warning!
Is So Long, London Taylor's goodbye song to Joe Alwyn?
Taylor Swift's "So Long, London" reads every bit like a tribute to a great love lost, presumably directed towards Joe Alwyn. Throughout the heartwrenching track, Swift delivers lyrics that narrate the struggle to salvage a dying relationship, singing, "I kept calm and carried the weight of the rift / Pulled him in tighter each time he was drifting away / My spine split from carrying us up the hill."
The chorus reveals the depth of Swift's grief as she laments, "Thinking how much sad did you think I had, did you think I had in me? / Oh the tragedy / So long London." Not only does it say farewell to a city she has learned to hold dear, but also to an era in her life tinged with both love and loss. But the track also doesn't shy away from expressing bitterness toward the years she feels were wasted, with lyrics like "I'm pissed off you let me give you all that youth for free," and "You swore that you loved, me but where were the clues? / I died on the altar waiting for the proof," which both suggest frustration with how their relationship unfolded. They contrast sharply with her previous musings on marriage in "Lover," where she swore Alwyn was likely the person she'll exchange "I Dos" with.
Ultimately, "So Long, London" concludes on a note of acceptance rather than resentment, hinting that she finally achieved a sense of closure. "So long, London / Had a good run / A moment of warm sun / But I'm not the one," she crooned. She even mentioned that she'll "find someone," but as we all know, she already did. Hey Travis!