Taylor Swift: Tell Me Why Meaning

Song Released: 2008

Tell Me Why Lyrics

I took a chance, I took a shot
And you might think i'm bulletproof, but i'm not
You took a swing, I took it hard
And down here from the ground I see who you are

I'm sick and tired of your attitude
I'm feeling like I don't know you...

1. 1TOP RATED

   #1 top rated interpretation:
   anonymous

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   Feb 1st 2009 !⃝

   I tkink that this song is about her being so in love with a boy that she doesn't see the real him. "You took a swing, i took it hard and down her from the ground i see who you are." Once she realizes that he doesn't love her she wonders why he's doing that to her. She gets sick of him being rude to her all the time. "Im sick and tires of your attitude,im feeling like i don't know you, you tell em that you want me than push me around." she knows that she needs him but his meaness overpowers the love. "and i need you like a heartbeat, but i knwo you got a mean streak."
   
   All in all she knows that he knows that he's hurting her and she wants to know why. "I know that you see what your doing to me, tell me why".

2. 2TOP RATED

   #2 top rated interpretation:
   anonymous

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   Dec 16th 2008 !⃝

   Taylor complaining about being taken advantage of by someone, then standing up to them.
3. SW675

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   Jan 18th 2020 !⃝

   I always assumed this song was about racism and race - related issues. Taylor did confirm that it was about "someone always having the upper hand in a relationship," which makes me think of race - related history.
   This song is really, really powerful, and it is so due to the versatility of the lyrics; they're smart, honest, assertive, but surprisingly subjective. In this way, they could theoretically be applied to any instance wherein there is an abusive power dynamic between two parties.
   "...but you know you got a mean streak, makes me run for cover when you're around" is a lyric that really correlated to race - related issues in my mind. "Why do you have to put down my dreams, so you're the only thing on my mind?" did as well.
   Taylor also said that the song was about "boys who play mind games," which is also plausible, but I think the race - related interpretation is much more interesting.
4. anonymous

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   Apr 5th 2019 !⃝

   It's about a girl who was treated rudely by a boy and they were on and off in their relationship.
5. anonymous

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   Jan 3rd 2013 !⃝

   I took it as someone who's being abused by her boyfriend or someone she loves.
6. anonymous

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   May 31st 2012 !⃝

   I think this song is about her seeing the real side of a boy she's fallen in love with. She realizes he's mean and not a good person like she thought she was. She still loves him but she can't be around him without being hurt.
7. anonymous

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   May 1st 2012 !⃝

   Uh hey.. My interpratation? I dunno how to spell haha.. My interp. Is VERY different to everyones. Mine is not about a guy at all when I related to it. It was actually my mum/mom!!! Im not exactly gonna analyse the lyrics but I'll tell you how I see the song in my view. My mum seriously is a bully to me. Whatever I do never pleases her. She always pushes me around but I know that I need her even though she always throws a fit... I know u got a mean streak... I always want to run away when she's around. I remember what she said last night... Shouting at me for trying to please her but displeases her... I was in the athletics team at school.. How can she not be proud? Anyways, I know what shes doing to me but the main reason is that i want her to TELL ME WHY she isnt happy with me... Ok very bad explanation but that was how I related to it. K bye.
8. Lucky24

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   Jun 19th 2011 !⃝

   I think it was about her taking a chance with this boy to see if he was the one (I took a chance, I took a shot) - and he wasn't. He thought that he could say anything to her, and the words wouldn't hurt her, but when he did that, she saw that she obviously didn't mean enough to him for him to try not to hurt her. (you might think I'm bulletproof, but I'm not)
   
   He then did something that hurt her, and she saw that he never really cared about her, (you took a swing, I took it hard, and down here from the ground I see who you are.)
   
   I'm sick and tired of your attitude, im feeling like I don't know you) he's shown a side of him that she's never seen, and she feels like she doesn't really know him anymore because of that.
   
   "you tell me that you love me then cut me down" he says that he loves her, but then hurts her.
   
   "I need you like a heartbeat, but you know you got a meanstreak, makes me run for cover when your around" she needs him like she would need her heart to live, but she can't be around him because he hurts her too much.
   
   "here's to you and your temper, yes, I remember what you said last night," she's letting him know that she can hear everything he says, remembers it, And that words burgher.
   
   "and I know that you see what your doing to me, tell me why" she knows that he knows that he's hurting her, but she's confused as to why he hurts her.
   
   Over all , this song is about falling for someone who hurts her repeatedly.
9. anonymous

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   Nov 6th 2009 !⃝

   'i took a chance i took a shot and you might think i'm bullet proof but i'm not. you took a swing, i took it hard and down here from the ground i see who you are'
   
   i think this means she took a chance to date this boy and he thinks he can say whatever he wants to her but it won't hurt her-"you might think i'm bullet proof but i'm not" but she is not bullet proof so it does hurt her. and he hurt her really badly and she took it really hard but now that they are broken up she can see what a jerk he was to her the whole time and now she see's who he really is.
10. anonymous

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    Aug 28th 2009 !⃝

    this song is pretty close to my heart, i was with this guy for 10months on and off. we would get really close and my friends would tell me he's not nice but i would tell them that they didnt know the real him. and i still believe that he is really a nice person inside. it toke me about 5 months to get over him after our last break up and we still talk a bit but since i have been back home and away from all the foreign ,people i hang out with and have fun with i have been finding myself thinking about him again which is bad! tell me why is the word for word story of our relationship!
11. chscheerleader

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    Jul 7th 2009 !⃝

    I can most defiantly relate to Taylor in this song. I dated this guy named Ryan on and off for over 5 months. He could be so sweet at times and then at other times he can be a complete jerk to me. I still really like him a lot, maybe even love... and he says he likes me but he hasn't talked to me since then. But maybe he will take a change for the good and me and him can work out. :) <3

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