Taylor Swift Shares Her Real Feelings on Touring During Joe Alwyn Breakup in ‘I Can Do It With a Broken Heart’
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Taylor Swift’s Eras tour began on March 17, 2023. News of her breakup from Joe Alwyn broke on April 8, 2023, during one of her concert breaks.
By the time she was back on stage in Tampa, Floria from April 13-15, Swift was professional, joyful, and collected. She never spoke about the breakup on stage. During her Tampa show, she even gave a thumbs up to a fan’s “you ok?” sign, to reassure her Swifties she was fine.
But in reality, she was struggling. Swift shares what she was really feeling as she processed the end of her six-year relationship with Alwyn while on a nationwide tour in her The Tortured Poets Department track, “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart.”
She addresses fans in the lyrics, saying, “I can show you lies / ’Cause I’m a real tough kid. I can handle my shit / They said, ‘Babe, you gotta fake it ’til you make it,’ and I did / ‘Lights, camera, Bitch, smile / Even when you wanna die’ / He said he’d love me all his life / But that life was too short.” Her ending is particularly biting, with Swift singing, “You know you’re good when you can even do it with a broken heart / You know you’re good / You’re good / ’Cause I’m miserable. / And no one even knows! / Try and come for my job.”
Swift expanded on her dashed hopes that her romance with Alwyn would last a lifetime in her Tortured Poets songs “So Long, London” and “loml.” What makes “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” so remarkable is that Swift focuses on the public’s perception of her and juxtaposes it with the real feelings she hid.
As a source told People on April 10, 2023, Swift purposely put her energy into work post-split: “She doesn’t have anything bad to say about Joe. They just grew apart. Taylor is staying very focused on her tour right now. There is a lot of respect still between them.”
Read the full lyrics of “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” below:
I can read your mind
“She’s having the time of her life
There in her glittering prime
The lights refract sequin stars off her silhouette every night”
I can show you lies
’Cause I’m a real tough kid. I can handle my shit
They said, “Babe, you gotta fake it till you make it” and I did
“Lights, camera, Bitch, smile
Even when you wanna die”
He said he’d love me all his life
But that life was too short
Breaking down, I hit the floor
All the pieces of me shattered as the crowd was chanting more
I was grinning like I’m winning, I was hitting my marks
’Cause I can do it with a broken heart
I’m so depressed I act like it’s my birthday every day
I’m so obsessed with him, but he avoids me like a plague
I cry a lot, but I am so productive; it’s an art
You know you’re good when you can even do it with a broken heart
I can hold my breath
I’ve been doing it since he left
I keep finding his things in drawers
Crucial evidence; I didn’t imagine the whole thing I’m sure
I can pass this test
’Cause I’m a real tough kid. I can handle my shit
They said, “Babe, you gotta fake it till you make it,” and I did
Lights, camera, Bitch smile
In stilettos for miles
He said he’d love me for all time
But that time was quite short
Breaking down, I hit the floor
All the pieces of me shattered as the crowd was chanting more
I was grinning like I’m winning, I was hitting my marks
’Cause I can do it with a broken heart
I’m so depressed I act like it’s my birthday every day
I’m so obsessed with him, but he avoids me like a plague
I cry a lot, but I am so productive; it’s an art
You know you’re good when you can even do it with a broken heart
You know you’re good when you can even do it with a broken heart
You know you’re good
You’re good
’Cause I’m miserable
And no one even knows!
Try and come for my job
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