Maroon – English Lyrics

• By: Taylor Swift
• Album: Midnights

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the rich tapestry of emotions woven into Taylor Swift's "Maroon," a song that uses colors to paint the vivid memories of a past relationship. Delve into the nuanced lyrics, uncover hidden meanings, and understand how this track showcases Swift's evolved perspective on love and loss. Learn about the language of color and metaphor through this compelling song.

[English]

When the morning came we

Were cleaning incense off your

Vinyl shelf 'cause we lost track of time again

Laughing with my feet in your lap

Like you were my closest friend

"How'd we end up on the floor anyway?"

You say

"Your roommate's cheap-ass screw top rosé"

"That's how"

I see you every day now

And I chose you

The one I was dancing with in New York

No shoes

Looked up at the sky and it was

The burgundy on my t-shirt when you splashed your wine into me

And how the blood rushed into my cheeks, so scarlet it was

The mark they saw on my collarbone

The rust that grew between telephones

The lips I used to call home

So scarlet, it was maroon

...

When the silence came we

Were shaking blind and hazy

How the hell did we lose sight of us again?

Sobbing with your head in your hands

Ain't that the way shit always ends

You were standing hollow-eyed in the hallway

Carnations you had thought were roses

That's us

I feel you no matter what

The rubies that I gave up

And I lost you

The one I was dancing with in New York

No shoes

Looked up at the sky and it was (maroon)

The burgundy on my t-shirt when you splashed your wine into me

And how the blood rushed into my cheeks

So scarlet it was maroon

The mark they saw on my collarbone

The rust that grew between telephones

The lips I used to call home

So scarlet, it was maroon

And I wake with your memory over me

That's a real fuckin' legacy, legacy

And I wake with your memory over me

That's a real fuckin' legacy to leave

The burgundy on my t-shirt when you splashed your wine into me

And how the blood rushed into my cheeks

So scarlet it was maroon

The mark they saw on my collarbone

The rust that grew between telephones

The lips I used to call home

So scarlet it was maroon

...

It was maroon

...

It was maroon

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
morning /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/ A1	noun - the early part of the day
lost /lɒst/ A2	verb - unable to find one's way; no longer in possession of
time /taɪm/ A1	noun - the measured or measurable period during which an action, process, or condition exists or continues
laughing /ˈlæfɪŋ/ A1	verb - to make the sounds and movements of mirth, amusement, or scorn
feet /fiːt/ A1	noun - the part of the leg below the ankle
friend /frend/ A1	noun - a person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection
day /deɪ/ A1	noun - a period of 24 hours
dancing /ˈdænsɪŋ/ A1	verb - to move rhythmically to music
sky /skaɪ/ A1	noun - the atmosphere as seen from the earth
wine /waɪn/ A1	noun - an alcoholic drink made from fermented grape juice.
blood /blʌd/ A1	noun - the red fluid that circulates in the heart and arteries of a human or animal.
cheeks /tʃiːks/ A2	noun - either side of the face below the eyes
scarlet /ˈskɑːrlɪt/ B2	adjective - of a brilliant red color.
mark /mɑːrk/ A2	noun - a visible impression or line
rust /rʌst/ B1	noun - a reddish-brown coating formed on iron or steel by the action of oxygen and moisture.
lips /lɪps/ A1	noun - either of the two fleshy parts that form the edges of the mouth
home /hoʊm/ A1	noun - the place where one lives.
maroon /məˈruːn/ B1	adjective - of a brownish-red color. noun - a brownish-red color.
memory /ˈmeməri/ A2	noun - the faculty by which the mind stores and remembers information.
legacy /ˈleɡəsi/ B2	noun - something left or handed down from a predecessor.

Key Grammar Structures

• When the morning came we were cleaning incense off your vinyl shelf

  ➔ Past Continuous Tense

  ➔ Describes an ongoing action ('were cleaning') interrupted by another event ('morning came').

• 'cause we lost track of time again

  ➔ Contraction & Informal Ellipsis

  ➔ 'Cause' (short for 'because') omits the subject, reflecting conversational speech.

• Like you were my closest friend

  ➔ Simile Comparison

  ➔ 'Like' introduces comparison showing intimacy beyond romantic relationship.

• The burgundy on my t-shirt when you splashed your wine into me

  ➔ Reduced Relative Clause

  ➔ Omits 'that was' ('burgundy that was...'), creating complex noun phrase.

• The rust that grew between telephones

  ➔ Metaphorical Noun Phrase

  ➔ Uses concrete noun ('rust') symbolizing deterioration of communication.

• The lips I used to call home

  ➔ Past Habit Modifier

  ➔ 'Used to' indicates discontinued familiarity with lips-as-'home' metaphor.

• Sobbing with your head in your hands

  ➔ Gerund Phrase Subject

  ➔ Gerund ('sobbing') acts as implied subject + adverbial phrase ('with...hands') describing position.

• That's a real fuckin' legacy, legacy

  ➔ Repetition for Emphasis

  ➔ Duplicates 'legacy' reinforced by intensifier 'fuckin'', highlighting emotional weight.

• And how the blood rushed into my cheeks, so scarlet it was

  ➔ Inverted Adjective Phrase

  ➔ Places descriptor 'so scarlet' before copula 'it was' for dramatic effect.