Navigating the lyrics to a Taylor Swift song is like discovering your favorite place for the very first time; it’s exciting and enthralling, magnificent and all-encompassing, and it feels like a journey of unforgettable circumstances by the time you’ve heard her sing the final note.
Recommended VideosFrom songs like “Enchanted” and “August,” Swift isn’t just a singer/songwriter — she’s a masterful storyteller, and her impact on pop culture goes far beyond just music. Think of shows like The Summer I Turned Pretty, Grey’s Anatomy, or Killing Eve — Swift’s lyrical impact on some of our favorite television shows is like the pumpkin spice sprinkle atop the perfect fall (iced) coffee. A Swiftie shared a clip of one of her most memorable television performances in which she belted out the lyrics of a tune that doesn’t get enough credit, as far as we’re concerned. It has people asking questions about what the lyrics are.
Swift’s “False God,” tells one of her most heartbreaking stories of all, one we’ve all been familiar with despite our best wishes not to be; one of love that gets it wrong, heartache, and the soul-shattering realization that sometimes our best laced romantic intentions belong to a person who won’t ever give us what we need in return.
So, what are the lyrics to a song that will stand the test of time as one of Swift’s most angsty, emotional, and beloved songs of all time? Let’s take a look.
What are the lyrics to Swift’s “False God”?
we don't talk enough about the snl false god performance it was literal perfection pic.twitter.com/k48tezt9Ov
— miguel I taylivia stan (@cowboyinwoods13) October 6, 2023As we said above, “False God” is one of Swift’s most underrated songs, but just because the masses haven’t caught on to its brilliance doesn’t mean that Swifties themselves haven’t adored it since Lover debuted in 2019.
The song has always been one we’ve adored, but it was given new meaning when Jenny Han and Co. used it in an episode of season one of The Summer I Turned Pretty, specifically during a scene when Belly Conklin and Conrad Fisher were finally about to share their first kiss. At that moment, we remembered how it felt to be cut so deeply by someone you loved and how brilliantly Swift put it into words.
“We were crazy to think
Crazy to think that this could work
Remember how I said I’d die for you?
We were stupid to jump
In the ocean separating us
Remember how I’d fly to you?
And I can’t talk to you when you’re like this
Staring out the window like I’m not your favorite town
I’m New York City
I still do it for you, babe
They all warned us about times like this
They say the road gets hard and you get lost when you’re led by blind faith
Blind faith
But we might just get away with it
Religion’s in your lips
Even if it’s a false god
We’d still worship
We might just get away with it
The altar is my hips
Even if it’s a false god
We’d still worship this love
We’d still worship this love
We’d still worship this love”
Of course, fans know that the song doesn’t end there, but we must examine where we’re right now. Swift sings about religion in his lips, an altar in her hips, and the way worshiping the love they make is worth it, even if it’s only a false God.
Have you ever fallen for the person your mom warned you about? Have you ever developed feelings for the person your friends were convinced would break your heart, only to realize they were right, but the love was still there anyway? It’s like playing with fire and expecting not to feel the burn. Something makes you want to be the one person who doesn’t end up being scorched, all while knowing it will hurt like hell when it happens.
“False God” and The Summer I Turned Pretty
We’ll pick up with the rest of the song as we describe one of the most perfectly timed moments in television history, from the passion in the eyes of Chris Briney and Lola Tung as Conrad and Belly to the way you can almost feel what exists between them to the way Swift’s voice builds as the moment goes completely wrong. If this scene didn’t stop you in your tracks, we just want to ask how.
Conrad has always been Heaven for Belly, but hell is the pain she feels as they fight, and the rest of Swift’s lyrics spell out a tumultuous relationship — the kind that dares you to play a game you know you’ll never win.
“I know heaven’s a thing
I go there when you touch me
Honey, hell is when I fight with you
But we can patch it up good
Make confessions and we’re begging for forgiveness
Got the wine for you
And you can’t talk to me when I’m like this
Daring you to leave me just so I can try and scare you
You’re the West Village
You still do it for me, babe
They all warned us about times like this
They say the road gets hard and you get lost when you’re led by blind faith
Blind faith
But we might just get away with it
Religion’s in your lips
Even if it’s a false god
We’d still worship
We might just get away with it
The altar is my hips
Even if it’s a false god
We’d still worship this love
We’d still worship this love
We’d still worship this love, ah
Still worship this love
Even if it’s a false god
Even if it’s a false god
Still worship this love”
Swift’s “False God” performance on Saturday Night Live started the conversation and was just as impactful as its moment in TSITP. She swayed across the stage with a fire in her eyes that dared a lover to try to cross her again, all while inviting them back for just one last embrace. It’s fire and ice, love and hurt; it’s Taylor Swift at her best.
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