Themed Found in Taylor Swift's "White Horse"

Taylor Swift's song "White Horse" has multiple levels. The more you see and understand the levels, the more you can enjoy the song.

On the Surface

At its most basic level, you can follow the song easily. It tells a tale of betrayal, disappointment and a rejected attempt at reconciliation. The emotions of betrayal and disappointment reveal themselves in lyrics like "I honestly believed in you," and "I should have known / I'm not a princess, this ain't a fairy tale / I'm not the one you'll sweep off her feet / Lead her up the stairwell." Later on, it becomes clear that the person the narrator addresses tries to rectify the situation, but it comes as too little, too late. This appears in the lines, "And there you are on your knees / Begging for forgiveness, begging for me / Just like I always wanted but I'm so sorry." The story fits with the overall theme of young love and its ups and downs that most of Taylor Swift's songs address in one form or another.

Deeper Meanings

It may seem obvious, but for the most part the fairytale themes remain mostly in the subtext. While Swift does directly say, "This ain't a fairytale," she never explicitly refers to the person to whom she speaks to as her Prince Charming. However, the "white horse" of the title clearly refers to such a character, and much more effective in its subtlety.

In the Video

The music video reveals an entirely new layer to the story. When listening to the song, you could easily assume that Swift sings about discovering an affair carried on behind her back. The video, however, reveals that she has been carrying on an affair. Instead of a relationship that started out honest and ended in deception, the deception has existed since the beginning, which deepens the feelings of hurt and heartache.

While it may seem simple, "White Horse" actually reveals itself as a complex song. In that way, it reflects how life becomes more complex than it may appear.