: Swift uses violent and morbid diction—such as "wound," "poison," "weapon," and "tomb"—to describe how these memories continue to haunt her even a decade later.
The track is widely interpreted by critics and fans as a sequel to Swift's 2010 song "Dear John," reflecting on a relationship she had at age 19 with a 32-year-old man. : Swift uses violent and morbid diction—such as
: Fans have noted that Swift released this song when she was 32, the same age the subject was when they dated while she was 19. Production and Reception Would've, Could've, Should've | Taylor Swift Wiki | Fandom Production and Reception Would've
: The lyrics are dense with metaphors related to faith, including "crisis of my faith," "stained glass windows in my mind," and "danced with the devil". The official lyric video reinforces this with background scenes of churches and candles. including "crisis of my faith