Taylor's "Labyrinth" and “Right Where You Left Me”

"Labyrinth" appears to be an emotionally charged song with vivid imagery and a narrative that captures the complexity of human emotions after a breakup. The lyrics draw a parallel to Taylor Swift's “Right Where You Left Me” from her album "evermore," which is renowned for its melancholic tone and reflective lyrics.

I appreciate Taylor’s well meaning advice; “Breakups happen every day, you don't have to lose it,” from RWYLM. I’m rediscovering that evermore track through the modern classic ‘Labyrinth,' Which elaborates as a progression “Break up, break free, break through, break down. You would break your back to make me break a smile.” It feels like a brilliant call back in that she is still mentally right where they left her.  My favorite lyric is the kindred vibe: “She’ll be getting over them her whole life.” Everyone “expects her to just bounce back” but she’s calling back to RWYLM's “They expected me to find somewhere, Some perspective, but I sat and stared.”

In this one, I think its not her singing that she’s falling in love with a new person, its falling back in love with the person she is can’t get over.  They keep turning the plane around back to return to them in the labyrinth of her mind.

For instance, Taylor’s lyric, “Breakups happen every day, you don't have to lose it,” highlights the commonality of breakups and subtly urges herself not to lose herself in the process. But one of the most poignant lines in “Labyrinth” is “She’ll be getting over them her whole life.” This resonates deeply as it mirrors the narrative in “RWYLM” where she is stuck in time, unable to move on from the heartbreak. it feels like “They expected me to find somewhere, Some perspective, but I sat and stared” portrays how society often expects quick healing and progression, whereas in reality, people cope at their own pace.

“Labyrinth” also features the lyric “Lost in the labyrinth of my mind,” which is emblematic of the entangled emotions and thoughts one can experience after a breakup. The labyrinth here symbolizes a complex path of emotions and the difficulty in finding an exit. The references to turning the plane around indicate the constant return to past memories and emotional spaces, like a metaphorical labyrinth where the mind keeps wandering back.

Ultimately, “Labyrinth” doesn't solely focus on finding new love, but rather a rekindling of love for oneself and embracing the emotions that come along with it. This self-renewal is hinted at with “I'm falling in love again,” suggesting that it's not about a new person but falling back in love with someone.

The mention of “You know how scared I am of elevators / Never trust it if it rises fast / It can't last,” uses elevators as a metaphor for relationships that escalate too quickly. The apprehension surrounding elevators here symbolizes the fear of rapid emotional investment because it might not have a solid foundation, and like a fast-moving elevator, it could crash.

The next segment “Lost in the labyrinth of my mind / Break up, break free, break through, break down / You would break your back to make me break a smile,” captures the intricate emotional web that one gets entangled in after a breakup. The labyrinth signifies the mental maze of emotions, and the repetition of “break” conveys the multiple layers of what it means to break - a relationship, free from emotional chains, through barriers, and down from the weight of it all.