Written by Taylor Swift, Jack Antonoff, Sounwave, Jahaan Sweet and Keanu Beats
Recorded by Taylor Swift
“Karma” is many things to our song’s narrator, but mostly, it’s a celebration of not being an asshole. It’s tough always doing the right thing, especially when others aren't holding themselves to the same standard. If you’ve earned good karma, toot your own horn and stick it in the face of others. I support this - let’s jump in!
The protagonist wastes no time getting into it:
You're talking shit for the hell of it, addicted to betrayal…
You're terrified to look down
'Cause if you dare, you'll see the glare
Of everyone you burned just to get there
While this person is burning others, the protagonist has kept her “side of the street clean.” And she knows that a clean street is a direct path to the benefits of good karma. Good karma is everything: a boyfriend, god, and a breeze through your hair on the weekend. But perhaps no comparison expresses the awesomeness of good karma as much as:
Sweet like honey, karma is a cat
Purring in my lap 'cause it loves me
Flexing like a goddamn acrobat
Me and karma vibe like that
You know who doesn’t vibe with karma like that? Whoever the dipshit is she’s singing to. He’s described as a “spider-boy” and a “king of thieves.” This guy will get what he deserves and karma will hunt him down like a bounty hunter.
So how did our protagonist get to the point of vibing like this, how does she know how to keep her side of the street so clean, and why has she endured while others have failed? The answer is in the bridge!
Ask me what I learned from all those years
Ask me what I earned from all those tears
Ask me why so many fade, but I'm still here
It’s challenging to separate the author from the narrator. My default is to make no assumptions and take any first-person narrative song as fiction. But at times, for context, it’s worth considering the author. Swift often draws from her own life, career and celebrity. And despite the countless haters, she does seem to keep her side of the street clean, and she has endured. I’m sure she’ll give us many more great bridges in the future – until then, I’ll be vibing with my cats and good karma.
-MJK
Recorded by Taylor Swift
“Karma” is many things to our song’s narrator, but mostly, it’s a celebration of not being an asshole. It’s tough always doing the right thing, especially when others aren't holding themselves to the same standard. If you’ve earned good karma, toot your own horn and stick it in the face of others. I support this - let’s jump in!
The protagonist wastes no time getting into it:
You're talking shit for the hell of it, addicted to betrayal…
You're terrified to look down
'Cause if you dare, you'll see the glare
Of everyone you burned just to get there
While this person is burning others, the protagonist has kept her “side of the street clean.” And she knows that a clean street is a direct path to the benefits of good karma. Good karma is everything: a boyfriend, god, and a breeze through your hair on the weekend. But perhaps no comparison expresses the awesomeness of good karma as much as:
Sweet like honey, karma is a cat
Purring in my lap 'cause it loves me
Flexing like a goddamn acrobat
Me and karma vibe like that
You know who doesn’t vibe with karma like that? Whoever the dipshit is she’s singing to. He’s described as a “spider-boy” and a “king of thieves.” This guy will get what he deserves and karma will hunt him down like a bounty hunter.
So how did our protagonist get to the point of vibing like this, how does she know how to keep her side of the street so clean, and why has she endured while others have failed? The answer is in the bridge!
Ask me what I learned from all those years
Ask me what I earned from all those tears
Ask me why so many fade, but I'm still here
It’s challenging to separate the author from the narrator. My default is to make no assumptions and take any first-person narrative song as fiction. But at times, for context, it’s worth considering the author. Swift often draws from her own life, career and celebrity. And despite the countless haters, she does seem to keep her side of the street clean, and she has endured. I’m sure she’ll give us many more great bridges in the future – until then, I’ll be vibing with my cats and good karma.
-MJK
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