“Dancing With Our Hands Tied” is a poignant song by Taylor Swift from her album Reputation, which delves into the complexities of love under the scrutiny of fame.
The song reflects Swift’s personal experiences, particularly her relationship with Joe Alwyn, which she initially kept private. It captures the tension between deep emotional connection and the fear of external pressures threatening to disrupt their bond.
In this article, we’ll explore the message conveyed in the song’s lyrics.
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“Dancing With Our Hands Tied” Lyrics Meaning
[Verse 1]
I, I loved you in secret
First sight, yeah, we love without reason
Oh, twenty-five years old
Oh, how were you to know? And
My, my love had been frozen
Deep blue, but you painted me golden
Oh, and you held me close
Oh, how was I to know? I
In the first verse, Taylor Swift reflects on falling in love secretly with someone at a young age, “twenty-five years old”. She acknowledges that their love was passionate and immediate, “First sight, yeah, we love without reason”.
However, her own heart had been “frozen” and “deep blue” until this person came along and “painted [her] golden”. Despite her guarded state, he “held [her] close”, making her feel loved and accepted.
[Pre-Chorus]
I could’ve spent forever with your hands in my pockets
Picture of your face in an invisible locket
You said there was nothin’ in the world that could stop it
I had a bad feelin’
And darlin’, you had turned my bed into a sacred oasis
People started talkin’, puttin’ us through our paces
I knew there was no one in the world who could take it
I had a bad feelin’
The pre-chorus suggests that Taylor felt a sense of foreboding about the relationship, even as she was falling deeper in love. She imagines having the person’s “face in an invisible locket” and their hands in her pockets, as if to keep them close.
But she had a “bad feelin'” that something would interfere with their happiness. As the relationship became public, “People started talkin’, puttin’ us through our paces”, and she realized there was no one who could stop the world from trying to divide them.
[Chorus]
But we were dancin’
Dancin’ with our hands tied, hands tied
Yeah, we were dancin’
Like it was the first time, first time
Yeah, we were dancin’
Dancin’ with our hands tied, hands tied
Yeah, we were dancin’
And I had a bad feelin’
But we were dancin’
The chorus is the emotional heart of the song. Despite the challenges, Taylor and her lover continued “dancin'”, a metaphor for being together and connecting on a deep level. The “hands tied” imagery suggests they felt restricted and powerless to control their fate.
But in the moment, it was as magical as their first time dancing together. Still, Taylor couldn’t shake her “bad feelin'” that it wouldn’t last.
[Verse 2]
I, I loved you in spite of
Deep fears that the world would divide us
So, baby, can we dance
Oh, through an avalanche? And
Say, say that we got it
I’m a mess, but I’m the mess that you wanted
Oh, ’cause it’s gravity
Oh, keeping you with me, I
In the second verse, Taylor acknowledges that she loved this person “in spite of / Deep fears that the world would divide us”. She asks if they can keep “dancin’ / Oh, through an avalanche?”, a metaphor for the obstacles they faced.
Even though she admits she’s “a mess”, she feels loved and accepted for who she is. The pull of gravity, “keeping you with me”, is a poetic way of saying their connection is strong.
[Bridge]
I’d kiss you as the lights went out
Swayin’ as the room burned down
I’d hold you as the water rushes in
If I could dance with you again
I’d kiss you as the lights went out
Swayin’ as the room burned down
I’d hold you as the water rushes in
If I could dance with you again (Again, yeah)
The bridge is the most dramatic and emotional part of the song. Taylor imagines kissing her lover as the world falls apart around them – “as the lights went out / Swayin’ as the room burned down / I’d hold you as the water rushes in”.
She longs to be “dancin’ with you again”, even in the face of disaster. It’s a bittersweet expression of her desire to hold on to the relationship no matter what.
[Outro]
Hands tied, hands tied
(Dancin’)
The outro simply repeats the “hands tied” imagery, reinforcing the central metaphor of the song.
Taylor and her lover are bound together, powerless to control their fate, but still choosing to be with each other in the moment.
Deeper Meaning Behind “Dancing With Our Hands Tied”
“Dancing With Our Hands Tied” by Taylor Swift explores the complexities of love, fear, and the pressures of public scrutiny in a relationship. The song was inspired by Taylor Swift’s relationship with Joe Alwyn and her experiences with the media scrutiny surrounding their romance.
Swift and Alwyn started dating in 2016, but kept their relationship very private for the first year. They spent several months together in the UK, away from the public eye, before Swift was spotted by paparazzi in Los Angeles in early 2017.
When Swift returned to LA after her time in the UK, she was confronted by paparazzi who made comments about her weight and the length of time she had been out of the spotlight.
After the paparazzi incident, Swift went straight to the recording studio, cried, and wrote “Dancing With Our Hands Tied”.
She has described the song as being about the “combination of love and fear” and how those emotions “coincide with each other and fight with each other” in a relationship.
The song begins with the notion of loving someone in secret, highlighting the initial thrill and intimacy of their relationship. This suggests a desire to keep their love private, away from the prying eyes of the public.
Swift expresses her deep fears that external forces could tear them apart. This is evident in lines like “I loved you in spite of deep fears that the world would divide us,” showing that while she is deeply in love, she is also acutely aware of the potential threats to their relationship.
The line “People started talking, putting us through our paces” also implies that gossip and outside opinions create pressure, making their love feel precarious.
The phrase “hands tied” suggests a lack of freedom to act or express oneself fully. In the context of the song, it reflects how Taylor Swift and her partner are unable to navigate their relationship openly due to public scrutiny and media attention. They can still “dance” or connect emotionally, but they are restricted in how they can express that love to the outside world.
In the end, this song resonates with anyone who has experienced the push and pull of love amidst external pressures, making it a poignant addition to her discography.
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