You, with your words like knives
And swords and weapons that you use against me
You have knocked me off my feet again
Got me feeling like a nothing
You, with your voice like nails on a chalkboard
Callin' me out when I'm wounded
You, pickin' on the weaker man

Well, you can take me down
With just one single blow
But you don't know what you don't know

Someday, I'll be livin' in a big old city
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
Someday, I'll be big enough so you can't hit me
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
Why you gotta be so mean?

You, with your switching sides
And your wildfire lies and your humiliation
You have pointed out my flaws again
As if I don't already see them
I walk with my head down
Tryna block you out 'cause I'll never impress you
I just wanna feel okay again

I'll bet you got pushed around
Somebody made you cold
But the cycle ends right now
'Cause you can't lead me down that road
And you don't know what you don't know

Someday, I'll be livin' in a big old city
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
Someday, I'll be big enough so you can't hit me
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
Why you gotta be so mean?

And I can see you years from now in a bar talkin' over a football game
With that same big loud opinion, but nobody's listening
Washed up and ranting about the same old bitter things
Drunk and grumbling on about how I can't sing

But all you are is mean
All you are is mean
And a liar, and pathetic
And alone in life and mean
And mean, and mean, and mean

But someday, I'll be livin' in a big old city
And all you're ever gonna be is mean, yeah
Someday, I'll be big enough so you can't hit me
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
(Why you gotta be so mean?)
Someday, I'll be livin' in a big old city (why you gotta be so mean?)
And all you're ever gonna be is mean (why you gotta be so mean?)
Someday, I'll be big enough so you can't hit me (why you gotta be so mean?)
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
Why you gotta be so mean?


Lyrics submitted by mckennaaax3

Mean Lyrics as written by Taylor Alison Swift

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Mean song meanings
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  • -1
    General Comment

    Not a big Taylor Swift fan but this song struck a chord with me and I like it. While I was never bullied per se, I have had folks put me down and trash talk me--who hasn't. The negative emotions she experiences and displays are NORMAL reactions to being mentally harmed and shows her to be human like the rest of us. Those holier than thous who would have us act like Angels in the face of bullying are deluded and don't live in the real world. Real world humans get sad, angry and even depressed when they are hurt--and Taylor IMHO, had ever right to get pissed off. She is also still young and growing--time will help her balance a lot of her ideas and emotions and put them in proper perspective. I stand up, applaud and say bravo to this Miss for her cheekiness. She put bullying in perspective for young victims and told them it is okay to be angry, and yes, a little bit vindictive. What this does is help them vent--and get it out. In the end, this may enable some victims to move on as opposed to being pushed into silence by those who simply can't be bothered with adolescent hurts in life. The alternative is to keep it all bottled up, the good and the bad, where their emotions spill over--sometimes with deadly consequences.

    sepiasirenon February 06, 2013   Link

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