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Need

Unreleased | 2019

“Need” is a reject from Taylor’s seventh studio album, Lover (2019). It got leaked in March 2023. In the song, Taylor confesses to needing her partner’s love.
Table of Contents

Background

Before the song got leaked, Taylor’s Inner Circle described it as follows: “The music is unlike any other Taylor song with the chords played in a unique way starting and stopping (sometimes with vocal effects added over). Taylor gives fascinating insight into her thoughts on want, desire, passion, lust, danger, and fear. What Taylor needs most is to be with the man she loves. It’s essential, like breathing for her. The music is stripped down during the bridge. A really good song that would have fit well on the album and perhaps been a fan favorite.” On March 1, 2023, “Need” leaked online.

Lyrical Theme

The writing on “Need” is a lot different and darker than Taylor’s usual songwriting style. She uses different nouns and situations to describe the need for her partner at the time, Joe Alwyn: passion, lust, longing, fear, desire, danger, all build up to the confession of her absolutely needing her lover like air.

Lyrics

[Verse 1]
Want is the cigarette smoke on a jacket
You wore to the wrong part of town
Desire is the sound of the whiskey
Telling me you miss me
Can you come around?

[Pre-Chorus 1]
Passion is a passing thing
It’s accidental chemistry (Ah ah ah)
Lust is a liar
A short-lived fire
But it ain’t what you and I are at all

[Chorus]
Oh, it’s a need
It’s a need
I would go anywhere that you lead
I’m hopeless, breathless, burning slow
Touch me, hold me
Tell me, “Won’t let you go, I won’t leave”
It’s a need

[Verse 2]
Danger is a thousand prickles on my neck
That tell me to run or to freeze
Fear is the nightmare I had
You were with someone else
You forgot about me

[Pre-Chorus 2]
Passion is a passing thing
It’s accidental chemistry (Ah ah ah)
Call up in the evening
It can be deceiving
This is like breathing for me

[Chorus]
Oh, it’s a need
It’s a need
I would go anywhere that you lead
I am hopeless, breathless, burning slow
Touch me, hold me
Tell me, “Won’t let you go, I won’t leave”
It’s a need

[Bridge]
Baby, it’s always a new kiss
Every time we do this
The truth is
It’s essential to me that you love me
More than wishing, longing

[Final Chorus]
Oh, it’s a need
It’s a need (Ah ah ah ah)
I would go anywhere that you lead
I am hopeless, breathless, burning slow
Touch me, hold me
Tell me, “Won’t let you go, I won’t leave”
It’s a need

General Information
ArtistTaylor Swift
StatusUnreleased
Leaked2020
Written2018-2019
GenrePop
Length3:09
SongwriterTaylor Swift
ProducersLouis Bell
Frank Dukes
Taylor Swift
Demo Audio
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