Taylor Swift promised "torture poetry" when she released Torture Poets Ministry , and she delivers on that promise. Her new release is an emotional breakup album that includes several songs for fans' heartbreak playlists. But breakups are different if you're Taylor Swift, and if there's one song on her surprise second installment of TTPD: The Anthology that really captures that fact, it's "How Did It End?"
Swift wrote on Instagram beforehand that the anthology reflects "the events, perspectives, and emotions of a fleeting, fateful moment — a moment that is both shocking and sad." In "How Does It End?" This is especially true in ". This raw ballad depicts the experience of experiencing a crushing split in the public eye.
Fans sympathize with Swift's pain
"How Does It End?" shares the struggle of dealing with the death of a relationship while knowing that the masses can't stop wondering and discussing what happened. “The hunger of empathy comes,” she sings. "We won't tell anyone except all our friends."
Swift seems to be causing concern among her fans and followers, with gossip and speculation accompanying it. This time, the song's villain isn't one of her exes, but all of us. She described being the victim of "intruder stares" and then imagining those people coming home to discuss her recent breakup.
Which split is "How Did It End?" about?
The tortured poet seems to have had not one, but two splits, but "How did it end?" Theoretically, this could apply to any of her breakups over the years, since they've been subject to so much s concern. That said, some of the lyrics do seem to tie the song to the period after Swift and Joe Alwyn ended their six-year relationship.
In May 2023, Swift released "You're Losing Me", a song "from the vault" from "Midnight" , which was also her first breakup song after her breakup with Erin. It shows a sick and dying relationship with only one of them trying to save it until it's too late. "We thought a cure would come in time, but now, I'm afraid it won't," she sings.
Likewise, "How Does It End?" has lyrics about illness and death. "Our diseases are so bad, we can't cure them," she sings. She also mentioned "autopsies" and "the sound of dying breaths."
However, the details of the breakup are not the focus here. Swift's songs are more about the speculation, curiosities, and questions that arise after the fact.
"How does it end?" "lyrics
Read the full lyrics to the song below.
(Uh-oh, uh-oh)
We hereby proceed
This autopsy
To the outdoorsman in me, he is the flower in the greenhouse
Our disease is like this
we can't cure them
And so my birthright became a stranger
Come all, come all
It's happening again
Compassionate Hunger Drops
we won't tell anyone
except all our friends
we must know
How is the result?
(Uh-oh, uh-oh)
We turn a blind eye to unforeseen circumstances
We learned the correct steps for different dances (oh, oh, oh)
Fall victim to the gaze of intruders
If you lose your chance, what chance do you have?
Soon, they will go home to their husbands
smug because they know they can trust him
And then feverishly call their cousins (oh, oh)
Guess who we met at the store?
Going in circles like getting lost
Didn't you hear that?
they canceled everything
one breath, then
How is the result?
Say it again if you feel it
What does the dying breath sound like?
The soul leaves quietly
The deflation of our dreams
makes me feel lost and shocked
Me and my beloved ghost
sitting on a tree
dying
It's happening again
How is the result?
I can't pretend I understand
How is the result?
Come all, come all
It's happening again
Compassionate Hunger Drops
we won't tell anyone
except all our friends
but i still don't know
How is the result?
