The Great War

Written by Taylor Swift and Aaron Dessner

My knuckles were bruised like violets
Sucker punching walls
Cursed you as I sleep talked
Spineless in my tomb of silence
Tore your banners down
Took the battle underground
And maybe it was egos swinging
Maybe it was her
Flashes of the battle come back to me in a blur

All that bloodshed
Crimson clover
Uh huh, sweet dream was over
My hand was the one you reached for
All throughout the Great War
Always remember, uh huh
Tears on the letter
I vowed not to cry anymore
If we survived the Great War

You drew up some good faith treaties
I drew curtains closed
Drank my poison all alone
You said I have to trust more freely
But diesel is desire
You were playing with fire
And maybe it’s the past that’s talking
Screaming from the crypt
Telling me to punish you for things you never did
So I justified it

All that bloodshed, crimson clover
Uh huh, the bombs were closer
My hand was the one you reached for
All throughout the Great War
Always remember, uh huh
The burning embers
I vowed not to fight anymore
If we survived the Great War
Uh huh, uh huh

It turned into something bigger
Somewhere in the haze
Got a sense I’d been betrayed
Your finger on my hairpin triggers
Soldier down
On that icy ground
Looked up at me with honor and truth
Broken and blue
So I called off the troops
That was the night I nearly lost you
I really thought I’d lost you

We can plant a memory garden
Say a solemn prayer
Place a poppy in my hair
There’s no morning glory
It was war it wasn’t fair
And we will never go back to that

Bloodshed, crimson clover
Uh huh, the worst was over
My hand was the one you reached for
All throughout the Great War
Always remember, uh huh
We’re burned for better
I vowed I would always be yours
Cause we survived the Great War
Uh huh, uh huh
I will always be yours
Cause we survived the Great War
Uh huh
I vowed I will always be yours