Taylor Swift’s 2020 single “Cardigan,” from her album Folklore, is packed with quiet emotional weight. The song’s meaning centers around young love, heartbreak, and the way certain memories cling to us for years. It’s told from the point of view of a character named Betty, looking back at a relationship with someone named James.
This article breaks down the lyrics of “Cardigan” line by line, offering a straightforward interpretation of what each section might be saying.
“Cardigan” Lyrics Meaning: Line by Line
Verse 1: Feeling Underestimated
Vintage tee, brand new phone
High heels on cobblestones
There’s a mix of old and new, comfort and effort.
Walking in high heels on cobblestones isn’t easy. It could suggest trying to stay balanced in a tricky situation, like growing up or stepping into a new phase of life.
When you are young, they assume you know nothing
This line repeats throughout the song.
It’s about being underestimated just because of your age.
Adults, partners, even friends might dismiss your feelings or choices, acting like they know better.
Sequin smile, black lipstick
Sensual politics
This shows someone experimenting with identity.
There’s confidence and boldness here. It’s maybe even playing with the idea of seduction or power dynamics in young relationships.
When you are young, they assume you know nothing
Again, this line returns, showing that no matter how you present yourself, people still brush you off.
Chorus 1: Moments of Intimacy
But I knew you
Dancin’ in your Levi’s
Drunk under a streetlight
This shifts things.
She remembers a specific person and a clear moment. It’s carefree, messy, and romantic in that way only youth can be.
It’s tender and a little wild.
I knew you
Hand under my sweatshirt
Baby, kiss it better
This line turns more intimate. It’s physical, close, and raw.
It speaks to sexual closeness, but also emotional comfort, like this person was both a lover and someone who could make things feel okay again.
Refrain: Feeling Seen
And when I felt like I was an old cardigan
Under someone’s bed
You put me on and said I was your favorite
This might be the most important metaphor in the song.
Feeling like an old cardigan means feeling forgotten, discarded.
But being picked up and called someone’s favorite is about being seen, wanted, and valued again.
It’s both romantic and heartbreaking.
Verse 2: Friendship and Betrayal
A friend to all is a friend to none
Chase two girls, lose the one
This points to betrayal.
The idea is that if you try to please everyone, you’re not truly loyal to anyone.
The second line could be about James chasing someone else while still trying to keep Betty, and in doing so, losing both.
When you are young, they assume you know nothing
Again, this line returns.
It keeps reminding us that young love is often dismissed as just “a phase,” even when it cuts deep.
Chorus 2: Building Memories
But I knew you
Playing hide-and-seek and
Giving me your weekends
This feels playful but intimate.
Spending time together every weekend shows consistency, and hide-and-seek adds a sense of childhood comfort, or even emotional distance.
I knew you
Your heartbeat on the High Line
Once in twenty lifetimes
Lying together on the High Line in New York makes the romance feel cinematic.
The last line suggests that kind of connection doesn’t happen often. It’s rare, maybe once in many lifetimes.
Bridge: Love and Damage
To kiss in cars and downtown bars
Was all we needed
These lines remember simpler times.
No big plans. Just being together in cars and bars felt like enough.
You drew stars around my scars
But now I’m bleedin’
Someone helped cover up the pain and tried to make things better, maybe even made it feel magical.
But those wounds never fully healed. Now, they’re open again.
Chorus 3: Loss and Regret
‘Cause I knew you
Steppin’ on the last train
Marked me like a bloodstain
The “last train” suggests a final goodbye.
The memory of it is sharp and painful, like a bloodstain that won’t come out.
I knew you
Tried to change the ending
Peter losing Wendy
This fairytale reference flips the script.
Peter usually leaves, but here, it’s about someone trying to fix the story too late.
It’s a reminder that happy endings don’t always happen.
I knew you
Leavin’ like a father
Running like water
And when you are young, they assume you know nothing
Leaving “like a father” implies abandonment. The emotion here is deep.
“Running like water” shows how quickly love can slip away, no matter how hard you try to hold on.
Verse 3: Long-Lasting Pain and Memory
But I knew you’d linger like a tattoo kiss
I knew you’d haunt all of my what-ifs
Even when it’s over, the feelings don’t fade.
They leave a mark. Something you carry with you into every future decision.
The smell of smoke would hang around this long
‘Cause I knew everything when I was young
Smoke always lingers after the fire.
The line pushes back on the idea that young people don’t understand love.
She did understand, deeply.
I knew I’d curse you for the longest time
Chasin’ shadows in the grocery line
Even in everyday life, the memories sneak in.
Seeing someone who looks like them. Hearing a song. It’s grief, dressed in routine.
I knew you’d miss me once the thrill expired
And you’d be standin’ in my front porch light
This calls out the cycle of how people leave and often come back when the excitement fades.
That return is always too late.
And I knew you’d come back to me (repeated)
The repetition here feels less like hope and more like a fact.
She knows the pattern. She’s lived it.
“Cardigan” Song Meaning: A Love That Won’t Let Go
“Cardigan” is about being deeply loved and then left behind. It captures the way young love can leave a permanent mark, even if it doesn’t last. The song focuses on what it means to be remembered, to be picked back up when someone realizes what they lost.
The emotional layers run deep. There’s sex, betrayal, intimacy, and loss all rolled into one. It shows how someone can make you feel special for a moment, and then disappear, leaving you to carry all the weight.
The cardigan becomes a symbol of how love can make you feel both treasured and forgotten.
Songs Like “Cardigan”
If you like the theme and vibe of “Cardigan,” here are some other songs you might like:
1. “Liability” by Lorde
“Liability” tells the story of feeling too much for someone who couldn’t handle it. The song explores loneliness and emotional rejection in a raw, honest way.
2. “All Too Well” by Taylor Swift
“All Too Well” takes heartbreak and turns it into a vivid movie. The memories, details, and pain in this song echo the emotional truth of “Cardigan.”
3. “From the Dining Table” by Harry Styles
“From the Dining Table” describes missing someone in silence after everything ends. Like “Cardigan,” it blends physical closeness with emotional distance.
4. “Motion Sickness” by Phoebe Bridgers
“Motion Sickness” combines anger and longing after a relationship with power imbalance. The lyrics are biting and vulnerable, making it feel close to the emotional sting in “Cardigan.”
5. “The Night We Met” by Lord Huron
“The Night We Met” captures the ache of wanting to go back and fix a broken love. The haunting tone and slow build match the memory-heavy weight of “Cardigan.”
Related: “The Night We Met” Song Meaning
Conclusion: Love, Loss, and What Stays Behind
“Cardigan” shows how love can leave marks that never fade. It paints a picture of youth, passion, and heartbreak without over-glamorizing it.
The story is messy, full of mistakes and longing. But it also holds onto something honest: how some people leave, come back, and never truly go away.
You can listen to “Cardigan” on Spotify and Amazon.
Be sure to check out more of our Song Interpretations.