We don’t have the data, but we’d feel pretty confident in saying “I Love You” is one of (if not the) most heavily used sentiments in songwriting. Love songs are a dime a dozen, and musicians have said those three little words in about every way possible. It takes a special kind of songwriter to do any real reinvention of that phrase. One of the best examples of that is Taylor Swift.
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As Swiftie and X user @valmastermind pointed out, Swift has managed to say “I Love You” many times without ever uttering the phrase at all. Find our seven favorite instances of this, below.
[RELATED: Behind the Heartbreaking Meaning of “You’re Losing Me” by Taylor Swift]
1. I like shiny things, but I’d marry you with paper rings (“Paper Rings”)
Selflessness is one of the hallmarks of true love. Putting trivial wants aside isn’t an easy task. Many of us (if not most) are materialistic in some form or fashion. In “Paper Rings,” Swift is so wrapped up in her relationship that things are of little value to her. I like shiny things, but I’d marry you with paper rings, she sings in the chorus. It’s a powerful statement of love being the most important thing—everything else is just icing on top.
2. You kissed me in a way that’s gonna screw me up forever (“Suburban Legends”)
“Suburban Legends” was released “From the Vault” for Swift’s 1989 (Taylor’s Version). The mid-tempo track features the line above in the pre-chorus: You kissed me in a way that’s gonna screw me up forever. You can tell the emotions were palpable when Swift was writing this song. A single kiss is gonna keep her transfixed for the foreseeable future. It’s not a traditional way to say “I Love You,” but you can read between the lines here.
3. I’d like to hang out with you / For my whole life (“Stay Stay Stay”)
What more is a lifelong romantic commitment than the decision to continue hanging out with someone forever? That’s the idea Swift elucidates in “Stay Stay Stay” with the line above. Many writers have said something along the lines of “I wanna be with you forever,” but there is something young and bubbly about the way Swift says it here that is so enticing.
4. My house of stone, your ivy grows / And now I’m covered in you (“ivy”)
Falling in love is to be completely enveloped in another person. Swift conflates that feeling with the unstoppable growth of ivy in this track. I’m covered in you, she sings decidedly. We can’t get over how many different ways Swift has managed to convey love in her songs. This is one of her most roundabout ways.
5. I want your midnights / But I’ll be cleaning up bottles with you on New Year’s Day (“New Year’s Day”)
Real love is more than just the exciting moments, it’s the quiet, tame ones too. Swift is ready (and excited) to revel in the latter on “New Year’s Day.” I want your midnights / But I’ll be cleaning up bottles with you on New Year’s Day, she sings in the chorus. She’s in the mood to party, but she’s also excited for the aftermath, when its just her and her partner.
6. I would die for you in secret (“peace”)
Similarly to “Paper Rings,” “peace” has many moments of selflessness that prove the love Swift is singing about here is as real as it gets. One moment that stands out in particular is I would die for you in secret. Even if there was no show–no credit–she would decide to make the ultimate sacrifice for her love.
7. At every table, I’ll save you a seat (“Lover”)
Sometimes, it’s the little things that remind us we’re loved. The line above from “Lover” is simple, but incredibly tender at the same time. A saved seat means a lifetime of never feeling alone or out of place. It’s as perfect a declaration of love as we’ve ever heard.
(Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management)
