Cruel Summer
Single | Lover (2019)
Table of Contents
Background
«Jack and Annie [Clark] did the track and a lot of the instrumentation and I did the topline in whatever language that is. A topline is all the notes and the lyrics you hear. So whatever you would sing, that is what I wrote on this. It was just so fun to write this one and I really love this one. Jack and I like to do ranting bridges. Like in 'Out Of The Woods' where the bridge is the biggest moment of the song — we revisited that concept.»
Taylor Swift
NME asked co-writer Annie Clark (St. Vincent) about the creation of “Cruel Summer” in a 2021 interview. She recalled: “Gosh, it was really casual. Just some people in a room jammin’.”
Single Release
«'Cruel Summer' was on the Lover album that came out four years ago. And I just need to let you know something: 'Cruel Summer' was my pride and joy on that album! That was my favorite song. And you know, you have conversations before the album comes out and everybody weighs in on what should be singles. And I was finally, finally about to have my favorite song become a single off of Lover. And I'm not trying to blame the global pandemic we had but that is something that happened that stopped 'Cruel Summer' from ever being a single. So, what's happening right now, thanks to you, and no one understands how this is happening: You guys have streamed 'Cruel Summer' so much right now, in 2023, that it's like rising on the streaming charts so crazy. And my label just decided to make it the next single! This is truly, truly perplexing to me because I just haven't had something like this happen in my career. So thank you to anyone who's been listening to that song like 500 times a day. That way my favorite one!»
Taylor Swift
Lyrical Theme
«This song is one that I wrote about the feeling of a summer romance, and how often times a summer romance can be layered with all these feelings of pining away and sometimes even secrecy. It deals with the idea of being in a relationship where there’s some element of desperation and pain in it, where you’re yearning for something that you don’t quite have yet. It’s just right there, and you just can’t reach it. So, this has some of my favorite lyrics in it, and it was so fun to write this.»
Taylor Swift
Live Performance
Critical Reception
Commercial Performance
From March 2023, Taylor embarked on “The Eras Tour“, her sixth headlining concert tour, as a tribute to all of her “musical eras”. The show begins with the Lover act, on which “Cruel Summer” is the second song performed. The song resurged in popularity and streaming after the performance became viral on social media. As a result, Republic Records released it as the fifth Lover single to US contemporary hit radio on June 20, 2023. Commenting on the song’s resurgent success, Jason Lipshutz of Billboard said, “a Lover track organically rising to new heights at the same time simply demonstrates Swift’s current ubiquity, unprecedented in the modern music era.”
On singles charts, “Cruel Summer” reached new peaks in Singapore (1), Australia (2), Canada (2), the UK (2), New Zealand (3), Malaysia (6), and Ireland (12). It peaked at No. 1 in the Philippines and entered the Top 10 in Indonesia and Japan. The song has received certifications from Greece (Gold), Italy (Gold), New Zealand (double Platinum), Poland (Gold), Portugal (Platinum), and the UK (Platinum). It peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Global 200. In the US, “Cruel Summer” re-entered the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 49 for a third week on the chart dated June 3, 2023. After its single release, the song became Taylor’s 41st Top 10 entry on the Hot 100, and extended her record as the woman with the most Top 10 entries. It also became the fourth Lover track to chart within the Top 10, after “ME!“, “You Need to Calm Down“, and the title track, “Lover“, all in 2019. The song has since peaked at No. 3 on the Hot 100. On airplay charts, “Cruel Summer” was Taylor’s 12th No. 1 single on Pop Airplay and 11th No. 1 single on Adult Pop Airplay, making her the solo artist with the most chart toppers on both. The song also reached No. 1 on the Billboard Radio Songs chart, her eighth No. 1 hit on said chart. That feat made Taylor the first artist to top the Billboard Radio Songs chart in the last three decades (2000s, 2010s, and 2020s).
Interpolation
Lyrics
[Intro]
(Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
[Verse 1]
Fever dream high in the quiet of the night
You know that I caught it (Oh yeah, you’re right, I want it)
Bad, bad boy
Shiny toy with a price
You know that I bought it (Oh yeah, you’re right, I want it)
[Pre-Chorus]
Killing me slow
Out the window
I’m always waiting for you to be waiting below
Devils roll the dice
Angels roll their eyes
What doesn’t kill me
Makes me want you more
[Chorus]
And it’s new
The shape of your body
It’s blue
The feeling I got and it’s
Ooh
It’s a cruel summer
It’s cool
That’s what I tell ’em
No rules in breakable heaven but
Ooh
It’s a cruel summer
With you
[Verse 2]
Hang your head low
In the glow of the vending machine
I’m not dying (Oh yeah, you’re right, I want it)
We say that we’ll just screw it up in these trying times
We’re not trying (Oh yeah, you’re right, I want it)
[Pre-Chorus 2]
So cut the headlights
Summer’s a knife
I’m always waiting for you just to cut to the bone
Devils roll the dice
Angels roll their eyes
But if I bleed you’ll be the last to know
[Chorus]
It’s new
The shape of your body
It’s blue
The feeling I got and it’s
Ooh
It’s a cruel summer
It’s cool
That’s what I tell ’em
No rules in breakable heaven but
Ooh
It’s a cruel summer
With you
[Bridge]
I’m drunk in the back of the car
And I cried like a baby coming home from the bar (Oh)
Said, “I’m fine” but it wasn’t true
I don’t want to keep secrets
Just to keep you
And I snuck in through the garden gate every night that summer
Just to seal my fate (Oh)
And I scream, “For whatever it’s worth,
I love you, ain’t that the worst thing you ever heard?”
He looks up grinning like a devil
[Chorus]
It’s new
The shape of your body
It’s blue
The feeling I’ve got and i’ts
Ooh
It’s a cruel summer
It’s cool
That’s what I tell ’em
No rules in breakable heaven but
Ooh
It’s a cruel summer
With you
[Outro]
I’m drunk in the back of the car
And I cried like a baby coming home from the bar (Oh)
Said, “I’m fine” but it wasn’t true
I don’t wanna keep secrets just to keep you
And I snuck in through the garden gate every night that summer
Just to seal my fate (Oh)
And I scream, “For whatever it’s worth,
I love you, ain’t that the worst thing you ever heard?”
(Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
Artist | Taylor Swift | |||
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Album | Lover | |||
Released | August 23, 2019 | |||
Studios | Electric Lady (New York City) Conway (Los Angeles) | |||
Genre | Synth Pop Electro Pop | |||
Length | 2:58 | |||
Label | Republic Records | |||
Songwriters | Taylor Swift Jack Antonoff Annie Clark | |||
Producers | Taylor Swift Jack Antonoff | |||
LOVER CHRONOLOGY | ||||
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