The Most Relatable Taylor Swift Song for Each Enneagram
As Taylor Swift wows audiences with her record-breaking Eras Tour and celebrates the release of her 11th studio album, pop culture can’t get enough of her music. Fans are posting hour-long deep dives into the Tortured Poets Department on YouTube. Concert-goers are planning extravagant Eras Tour outfits, and heartbroken Swifties are identifying with particularly depressing lyrics on social media.
But despite the Swiftie-mania, it’s important for long-term fans to remember why they connected to Swift’s music in the first place: her songwriting. Spanning not only genres but emotions, Swift’s lyrics touch on so many aspects of life that everybody is bound to relate to at least one song. Today, we will be looking at the song that you relate to, based on your Enneagram type.
Type One: “long story short”
Like the other songs on Evermore, Taylor opts for self-reflection in “long story short.” The entire Evermore album marks her transition from writing about present heartbreaks to reflecting on her career as a whole. In this particular song, she details the blows to her public image during the Reputation era and the poor choices she made as a result. However, she also sings about the lessons she learned. From the other side of the heartache, she realizes that everything bad in the past needed to happen so that she could feel content in the present.
Like Taylor in this song, Type Ones have a penchant for objective reflection and are constantly examining the track they are on. Just as Taylor acknowledges that she entered the wrong relationship out of loneliness, Ones can also recognize the role that they play in their own misery. Ones, like Taylor in this song, see life as a story – and from stories, you can always learn something.
Type Two: “New Year’s Day”
Choosing a song for the lovable Two from an album known as Taylor’s edgiest may seem counterintuitive. However, Reputation is a love album before it is a career rebrand. Between the songs that declare Taylor’s new dark persona (in my opinion, the weaker ones) are ballads about new love.
“New Year’s Day” is about being afraid to lose someone who has just entered your life, but has become a crucial part of it. To her new lover, Taylor promises devotion through the ups and downs of their relationship. She offers unconditional love in the face of her fear of them leaving.
As Taylor does in this song, Twos tend to offer unconditional love to the people in their lives. They see the success of their friendships and romantic relationships as a reflection of who they are, and are afraid to lose someone they love because it would be a blow to their self esteem. So, they offer others so much love that they feel less inclined to leave.
Twos know what it is like to be cast aside or mistreated, so they take special care to make those in their inner circle feel cared for. Unfailingly loyal, they are able to see people through the worst parts of their lives and love them more for it. And that’s what Reputation is all about.
Type Three: “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart”
Taylor Swift is a Type Three herself, and can speak to the type Three experience (and she does on “You’re On Your Own Kid”, “Anti-Hero” and “Sweet Nothing”).
This song, however, has become the Three’s anthem in a matter of weeks.
“I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” is a testament to Swift’s ability to push her feelings aside for the sake of success. In this song, she sings about the pain of undergoing a public breakup while performing every night for a world tour, re-recording albums, orchestrating a tour movie premiere, and writing new music. Despite the heartbreak of having someone crucial walk away, she has tasks to get done.
Threes feel just as much as any other Enneagram type, but their drive for success allows them to set aside negative emotions for the sake of productivity. This can be extremely useful – during an exam season or busy work week, being able to separate work and your inner world can be an invaluable skill. However, the routine ignoring of your emotions in the favor of extrinsic success can be damaging. How often have you tried to treat a heavy heart with a to-do list?
Type Four: “A Place in This World”
Though it’s arguably her weakest album, Taylor Swift is a strong debut. It’s filled with all the musings of sixteen-year-old Swift, which chime with the astonishment and wonder that Fours hold towards the world.
In this song, Taylor – who is at the beginning of her musical career and has just moved to Tennessee – is looking out at the world and determining what her place in it will look like. She is on the brink of adulthood and wondering which of her childhood values she will be allowed to take with her.
Regardless of age, Fours are always doing this. Type Fours commonly describe their default mindset as “on the outside looking in” and they’re always trying to find their place in the world. They fluctuate between being excited by the future’s possibilities and despondent because they don’t know how to stick with a specific life path.
I could write about other “Four” Taylor Swift songs (anything on Folklore and every sad song on Midnights) but “A Place in This World” highlights what is so beautiful about being a Four: all the possibilities you see.
Type Five: “the lakes”
This, at first glance, is a song about Fours. Taylor’s longing for “auroras and sad prose” on a day at the lake is such a Type Four desire. However, further dissection of the lyrics betrays them as a Type Five’s musings.
“the lakes” is really about being so fascinated with the natural world that you want to step away from other human beings to admire it fully. Taylor’s interest in “Windermere peaks” and wisteria seem just as analytical as romantic. She seems so put off with the outside world and the media that she seeks nature as a refuge.
Not all Fives are introverts, but most would rather learn as much as possible about the world and the way that it works than duke out the complications of their social lives. Like Taylor, Fives usually find themselves indulging in their hobbies and safe spaces, where they can pursue their interests without interference.
Fives are also independent. More than any other type, they are comfortable with doing things by themselves, or with a small group of people. This is reflected in Taylor’s desire to have only one trusted person with her on this adventure.
Type Six: “Out Of The Woods”
One of the greatest love songs that Taylor has ever written, “Out Of The Woods” details a romance filled with unease. It’s about a perilous relationship, which Taylor has constant doubts about – because of her incompatibility with her lover and her fear of having the relationship exposed by the media.
This causes the objects of the song to love each other in private – dancing in the living room, sharing tense moments in a hospital room – and constantly fear being found out.
Because of the doubt that surrounds their decisions, Sixes can have a similar mindset in regards to their own relationships. Their fear of being betrayed or getting abandoned can lead them to show less love than they are capable of.
However, this song is also about loyalty. Despite the relationship being what it is, Taylor sticks with her lover through difficult times. More than their doubt, Sixes are known for staying by their loved ones’ sides no matter what. Sixes treat others with loyalty, since they know what it’s like to be treated without it.
Type Seven: “Fearless”
Because the media tends to reduce Type Sevens to flighty party types, an early dance (“22,” “Shake it Off,” “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”) song was probably expected as the Seven song. However, Sevens have more emotional depth than they are often given credit for. In fact, “mirrorball” was almost the Seven song because of the responsibility they feel to entertain others.
“Fearless” perfectly captures the Type Seven experience because it is earnest and nostalgic at the same time. In this song, a much younger Taylor describes what it’s like to be on the edge of a new, scary thing (in her case, a relationship) and be afraid – but to pursue it wholeheartedly.
Charging into situations with their signature optimism is just what Sevens do. Their choice to be joyful and upbeat regardless of struggles they face is a sign of fearlessness. This is why the entire Fearless album feels like it was written for Sevens.
Type Eight: “Mean”
In “Mean,” Taylor speaks to the hometown bullies who belittled her dreams when she was just starting out. Instead of brooding over their mistreatment, she simply promises that her success will be her revenge. In the same way, Eights love to take revenge by becoming better. An Eight’s biggest motivation to improve is the people who kicked them when they were down.
Eights’ outward confidence is often a coping strategy from when they were weaker – the times when they were mistreated or taken advantage of were fuel to help them become the most self-assured version of themselves.
Instead of taking other people’s mistreatment as proof that there was something inherently wrong with them – as some other types would have – Eights used those obstacles to motivate themselves towards becoming better people. They were not roadblocks, simply challenges.
While true maturity is realizing that you do not have anything to prove to the people who mistreated you, using traumatic experiences as fuel to build a better life is much better than wallowing in sadness.
Type Nine: “The Archer”
A fan favorite, “The Archer” is an uncomfortable recounting of Taylor’s flaws. She admits that she sabotages her happiness and plays a role in the combustion of her relationships. However, the song is also about her steady determination to avoid acknowledging her insecurities.
Taylor’s avoidance of herself is a direct parallel to how Type Nines tend to avoid any conflict, including self-conflict. Nines are empathetic and agreeable, forever seeing the positive side. This is a problem, however, when they do not confront their difficult emotions. It stunts personal growth.
Nines also need to play the mediator role in large groups of people. They tend to put on an understanding, empathetic face so that everybody else can feel happy – and this leads to them never fully feeling true to themselves. They live in constant fear of being “found out” as different from the face they put on. This is reflected in Taylor’s repeated cry of “They see right through me.”
In this song, Taylor wonders who could know who she truly is and stay in a relationship with her. Similarly, Nines often wonder who would still want to be associated with them if they weren’t exactly who people would like them to be – “They see right through, I see right through me.”
Muna Nnamani is a college student. As an English major, her favorite hobbies are making book playlists and over-identifying with fictional characters. As a pre medicine student, she is passionate about providing healthcare to low-income communities. She’s an INFP 4w3.Muna Nnamani is a college student. As an English major, her favorite hobbies are making book playlists and over-identifying with fictional characters. As a pre medicine student, she is passionate about providing healthcare to low-income communities. She’s an INFP 4w3.
