Dancing With Our Hands Tied
reputation (2017)
Table of Contents
Background
In 2016, when Taylor was at the peak of overexposure, some of her rivals in the industry (including Scooter Braun, Kanye West and Justin Bieber) succeded in launching a worldwide hate campaign against her. As a result, Taylor disappeared from public view for an entire year and thought about quitting music for good. She became increasingly reticent on social media, having previously maintained an active presence with a large following, and avoided interactions with the press. She conceived her sixth studio album, reputation, as an answer to the media commotion surrounding her celebrity.
“Dancing With Our Hands Tied” is Taylor’s brother Austin Swift‘s favourite track on reputation.
Lyrical Theme and Production
«Taylor set 'Dancing With Our Hands Tied' up by saying that the inspiration for the song came when she was back in LA after spending several months out of the public eye. As we know now, she spent basically all of this time in the UK with [boyfriend] Joe Alwyn, without anyone knowing she even was in a relationship. Back in LA […] she went to the gym only to be caught by paparazzi on her way out. They shouted all kinds of things at her, including comments about her weight – remember this was the first time she had been properly seen in months. She described being really overwhelmed by the experience but that her thought process was less about herself and more about how she could possibly have a normal relationship when this was her life. Taylor actually said that after the incident she went straight to the recording studio, cried, and wrote this song.»
A fan on Tumblr
Live Performances
«So, this one is one of my favorites. I haven’t played it since the 'reputation Tour.'»
Taylor Swift
Commercial Performance
Lyrics
[Verse 1]
I, I loved you in secret
First sight, yeah we love without reason
Oh, 25 years old
Oh, how were you to know?
And my, my love had been frozen
Deep blue, but you painted me golden
Oh, and you held me close
Oh, how was I to know?
[Pre-chorus 1]
I could’ve spent forever with your hands in my pockets
Picture of your face
In an invisible locket
You said there was nothing in the world that could stop it
I had a bad feeling…
And darling, you had turned my bed
Into a sacred oasis
People started talking
Putting us through our paces
I knew there was no one in the world who could take it
I had a bad feeling…
[Chorus]
But we were dancing
Dancing with our hands tied, hands tied
Yeah, we were dancing
Like it was the first time, first time
Yeah, we were dancing
Dancing with our hands tied, hands tied
Yeah, we were dancing
And I had a bad feeling
…but we were dancing
[Verse 2]
I, I loved you in spite of
Deep fears that the world would divide us
So, baby can we dance
Oh, through an avalanche?
And say, say that we got it
I’m a mess, but I’m the mess that you wanted
Oh, ’cause it’s gravity
Oh, keeping you with me
[Pre-chorus 2]
I could’ve spent forever with your hands in my pockets
Picture of your face
In an invisible locket
You said there was nothing in the world that could stop it
I had a bad feeling…
[Chorus]
But we were dancing
Dancing with our hands tied, hands tied
Yeah, we were dancing
Like it was the first time, first time
Yeah, we were dancing
Dancing with our hands tied, hands tied
Yeah, we were dancing (Knew we had our hands tied)
And I had a bad feeling
…but we were dancing
[Bridge]
I’d kiss you as the lights went out
Swaying as the room burned down
I’d hold you as the water rushes in
…If I could dance with you again
I’d kiss you as the lights went out
Swaying as the room burned down
I’d hold you as the water rushes in
…If I could dance with you again (Again)
[Chorus]
Dancing with our hands tied, hands tied
Yeah, we were dancing
Like it was the first time, first time (First time, first time)
Yeah, we were dancing (Oh)
Dancing with our hands tied, hands tied (Dancing with our hands tied)
Yeah, we were dancing (Oh)
And I had a bad feeling (I had a bad feeling)
…but we were dancing (Oh)
[Outro]
Hands tied, hands tied (Dancing)
Artist | Taylor Swift | |||
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Album | reputation | |||
Released | November 10, 2017 | |||
Recorded | January 11, 2017 | |||
Studio | Conway (Los Angeles) | |||
Genre | Dance Pop | |||
Length | 3:31 | |||
Label | Big Machine Records | |||
Songwriters | Taylor Swift Max Martin Shellback Oscar Holter | |||
Producers | Max Martin Shellback Oscar Holter | |||
REPUTATION CHRONOLOGY | ||||
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