Taylor Swift is holding nothing back on her candid new album “The Tortured Poets Department.” The pop superstar takes pointed aim at a ‘possible’ former lover on the searing track “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived,” delivering some of her most biting lyrics to date.
On the track, Swift details the disillusionment of a relationship that initially seemed promising but ultimately revealed a partner who fell far short of expectations.
“You tried to buy some pills from a friend of friends of mine/They just ghosted you/Now you know what it feels like,” she sings. “I don’t even want you back/I just want to know/If rusting my sparkling summer was the goal/And I don’t miss what we had/But could someone give a message to the smallest man who ever lived?”
In one of her concerts earlier this year, she admitted that “The Tortured Poets Department” served as a “lifeline” for her during a difficult period. While the heartache is palpable throughout, “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived” sees Swift taking an extraordinarily bitter and caustic tone, leveling a torrent of accusations at a former partner she now views with utter disdain.
As is often the case with Taylor Swift’s music, fans have already begun dissecting the lyrics for potential clues about the song’s subject. References to a “sparkling summer” being ruined and lines reminiscent of past works have led some to speculate about connections to her recent splits from Joe Alwyn and Matty Healy of The 1975.
However, let’s not forget that Swift has a history of blending autobiographical details with fiction, leaving the true inspiration open to interpretation.
You can listen to “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived” below.