Oh no, I’m falling in love again, Taylor Swift sings in the chorus of her Midnights cut, “Labyrinth.” Swift brought this atmospheric track out on the opening night of the Eras Tour in Argentina. Arguably no song could be a better fit for Swift’s life right now. If you believe the rumors (and it’s getting hard not to), Swift is falling headfirst into a new relationship with everybody’s favorite tight end.
In honor of Swift performing “Labyrinth” live for the first time, let’s take a look at the meaning behind the lyrics.
Videos by American Songwriter
[RELATED: 3 Ways Taylor Swift Has Disrupted the Music Industry]
Behind the Meaning
You know how scared I am of elevators
Never trust it if it rises fast
It can’t last
We find Swift freshly single at the beginning of this song–art often imitates life. I’ll be gettin’ over you my whole life, she sings like someone who just got out of, say, a six-year relationship. Her loneliness doesn’t fester for long. In the pre-chorus, she prepares to take on a new love.
She approaches this new relationship with a hint of reservation. Uh-oh, I’m fallin’ in love / Oh no, I’m fallin’ in love again, isn’t exactly the musing of someone with their walls down. Nevertheless, she credits her new lover for getting her to open up again: I thought the plane was goin’ down / How’d you turn it right around?
You know how much I hate
That everybody just expects me to bounce back
Just like that
In the second verse, she takes the leap forward in love. It’s not all smooth sailing. Break up, break free, break through, break down, she rattles off. Nevertheless, she can’t help but be drawn in. You would break your back to make me break a smile, she sings.
When we put this song in the context of her recent connection to Travis Kelce, it becomes clear why she wanted to feature this track during her Buenos Aires show. Ending a long-term relationship is never easy. Swift knows it all too well. Getting back into the swing of dating afterward is sometimes even harder. Judging by the many appearances she and the NFL star have made together recently, she’s been navigating that transition as well.
You know what they say though, “You can’t help who you fall for.” Love does not abide by perfect timing. While getting over someone and finding new love can surely cause a “Labyrinth” to take over your mind, it’s all out of our control.
I thought the plane was going down
How’d you turn it right around
Photo by John Medina/Getty Images
More Features
-
1972: (L-R) Jim Hodder, David Palmer, Denny Dias, Donald Fagen, Jeff "Skunk" Baxter and Walter Becker of the rock band "Steely Dan" pose for a portrait in 1972. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) -
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images -
Kyu Sakamoto. (1941-1985) Japanese singer, best known outside Japan for his international hit song "Ue o Muite Aruko" (known as "Sukiyaki" in English-speaking markets), which was sung in Japanese and sold over 13 million copies. It reached number one in the United States Billboard Hot 100 in June 1963, making Sakamoto the first Asian recording artist to have a number one song on the chart. (Photo by Sjöberg Bildbyrå/ullstein bild via Getty Images) -
American singer, songwriter and musician Gram Parsons (1946 – 1973), circa 1969. (Photo by Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images) -
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – Jo Dee Messina performs during the 2026 CMA Fest at Nissan Stadium on June 05, 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Taylor Hill/FilmMagic) -
Picture taken in 1974 in Stockholm shows the Swedish pop group Abba with its members (L-R) Benny Andersson, Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Agnetha Faltskog and Bjorn Ulvaeus posing after winning the Swedish branch of the Eurovision Song Contest with their song "Waterloo". – Sweden's legendary disco group ABBA announced on April 27, 2018 that they have reunited to record two new songs, 35 years after their last single. The quartet split up in 1982 after dominating the disco scene for more than a decade with hits like "Waterloo", "Dancing Queen", "Mamma Mia" and "Super Trouper". (Photo by Olle LINDEBORG / TT News Agency / AFP) / Sweden OUT (Photo credit should read OLLE LINDEBORG/AFP via Getty Images)
