Renegade
Single | How Long Do You Think It's Gonna Last? (Big Red Machine Album) | 2021
«Taylor and I didn’t wanna stop writing songs together – and still don’t, really. […] There were some instrumentals where she was like, ‘This might be Big Red Machine’. So it just kind of happened naturally. After we finished evermore she wrote ‘Renegade’ and I was just – again – being hit by a bolt of lightning or something. When you get the chance to work with someone like her, she’s a savant and just this incredibly hardworking and wonderful person, so it was just special.»
Background and Release
Lyrical Content and Production
«I, emotionally, was really struck by the first time I heard it just the way she talks about how anxiety and fear get in the way of loving someone or create an inability for someone to love. And I think it's incredibly relatable, but it’s expressed in the context of this fairly experimental sound world. The way it came together as a song just really sums up the whole Big Red Machine record.»
«I can’t believe I get to work with Aaron Dessner. When Aaron came into my life, I was ushered into his world of free-flowing creativity where you don’t overthink, you just make music. His generosity of spirit and humility bleeds into every part of his life, and that’s why so many artists have jumped at the chance to be a part of his collaborative project, Big Red Machine. A song we wrote (which also features Justin Vernon) is out today! It’s called 'Renegade'. Thanks Aaron for asking me to show up at your party.»
Critical Reception
Commercial Performance
A Musical Family Tree
«This song was something we wrote after we finished evermore and it dawned on us that this was a BRM [Big Red Machine] song. Taylor's words hit me so hard when I heard her first voice memo and still do, every time. Justin lifted the song further into the heavens, and my brother's (Bryce Dessner) strings and drummer Jason Treuting add so much. The feeling and sound of this song feel very much at the heart of How Long Do You Think It's Gonna Last?; I'm so grateful to Taylor for continuing to share her incredible talent with me and that we are still finding excuses to make music together.»
Lyrics
[Verse 1: Taylor Swift]
I tapped on your window on your darkest night
The shape of you was jagged and weak
There was nowhere for me to stay, but I stayed anyway
And if I would’ve known how many pieces you had crumbled into
I might have let them lay
[Chorus: Taylor Swift & Justin Vernon]
Are you really gonna talk about timin’ in times like these?
And let all your damage, damage me
And carry your baggage up my street
And make me your future history, it’s time
You’ve come a long way, open the blinds, let me see your face
You wouldn’t be the first renegade, to need somebody
Is it insensitive for me to say “Get your shit together so I can love you?”
Is it really your anxiety that stops you from givin’ me everything?
Or do you just not want to?
[Verse 2: Taylor Swift]
I tapped on your window on your darkest night
The shape of you was jagged and weak
There was nowhere for me to stay, but I stayed anyway
You fire off missiles ’cause you hate yourself
And do you know you’re demolishin’ me?
And then you squeeze my hand as I’m about to leave
[Chorus: Taylor Swift & Justin Vernon]
Are you really gonna talk about timin’ in times like these?
And let all your damage, damage me
And carry your baggage up my street
And make me your future history, it’s time
You’ve come a long way, open the blinds, let me see your face
You wouldn’t be the first renegade, to need somebody
Is it insensitive for me to say “Get your shit together so I can love you?”
Is it really your anxiety that stops you from givin’ me everything?
Or do you just not want to?
[Bridge: Taylor Swift]
And if I would have known
How sharp the pieces were you crumbled into
I might have let them lay
[Chorus: Taylor Swift & Justin Vernon]
Are you really gonna talk about timin’ in times like these?
And let all your damage, damage me
And carry your baggage up my street
And make me your future history, it’s time
You’ve come a long way, open the blinds, let me see your face
You wouldn’t be the first renegade, to need somebody
To need somebody, to need somebody, to need somebody, to need
Are you really gonna talk about timin’ in times like these?
And let all your damage, damage me
And carry your baggage up my street
And make me your future history, it’s time
Is it insensitive for me to say “Get your shit together so I can love you?”
You come a long way, open the blinds, let me see your face
You wouldn’t be the first renegade, to need somebody
Is it really your anxiety that stops you from givin’ me everything?
Or do you just not want to?
Album | How Long Do You Think It’s Gonna Last? | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Feature | Taylor Swift | |||
Released | July 2, 2021 | |||
Recorded | March 8-14, 2021 | |||
Studio | Long Pond (Hudson Valley, NY) Kitty Committee (Los Angeles, CA) April Base (Eau Claire, WI) | |||
Genre | Alternative Folk Pop | |||
Length | 4:14 (original) 3:51 (pop version) | |||
Label | 37DO3D Jagjaguwar | |||
Songwriters | Aaron Dessner Taylor Swift | |||
Producer | Aaron Dessner | |||
HOW LONG DO YOU THINK IT’S GONNA LAST? CHRONOLOGY | ||||
|