What does Tied Together With a Smile mean?

Taylor Swift: Tied Together With a Smile Meaning

Album cover for Tied Together With a Smile album cover

Tied Together With a Smile Lyrics

Seems the only one who doesn't see your beauty
Is the face in the mirror, looking back at you
You walk around here thinking your not pretty
But that's not true...
'Cause I know you

Hold on, baby you're losing it
the waters high, you're...

  1. 1TOP RATED

    #1 top rated interpretation:
    amethset
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    Apr 14th 2009 !⃝

    It was about Taylor's friend who suffered of bulimia. I read it on her official fan site here it is:

    Today's Fan Question: "You wrote "Tied Together With a Smile" about a friend who suffers from anxeoria. Would you ever want to raise funds for eating disorder awareness by using your talent?" Brittany MacNealy, Starkville, MS

    Taylor: That is a really good question. Yeah, I wrote the song "Tied Together With a Smile" the day after I found out that one of my best friends who, a little back story on her, she's gorgeous. All the guys want to date her and all the girls want to be her. She is literally a pageant queen. I wrote this song the day I found out that she was bulimic and, you know, that is one of those moments when your heart kinda stops. How can somebody that seems so strong have such a horrible, horrible weakness? Something that is killing her. Luckily, I have talked to her about it and she has gotten help and she is fine now.

    Eating disorders affect people all over the country. I always thought that one of the biggest overlooked problems American girls face is insecurity. Whether insecurity spurs anxeoria or whether it spurs some other eating disorder or not liking yourself, suicide, or hurting other people. It is all based from insecurity, and not being OK with yourself. I think that if people could just be confident about who they are and what they stand for, I there would be fewer problems in the world. I would love to help out societies that help eating disorders. That is a really, really good question.

  2. anonymous
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    Jun 26th 2021 !⃝

    This song is for all those who have low self-esteem. Just live for yourself First then only you can make others life liveable. Your body, whether or whichever shape or color it is, has been with you since you were born and if you love it you can love everyone. I love you Taylor for writing it.

  3. anonymous
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    Jun 1st 2014 !⃝

    This song hits really close to home... I suffer from a slight ED, and I've always been insecure... I haven't cut or burned yet for one reason and one reason only... I love swimming. Swimming is amazing, and if I have scars, I can't swim. Although I suppose... Never mind.
    The chorus literally describes me... I've always thought of the golden one as the one who is strong, sweet, always smiling, smart... Pretty. Out of all my friends, I'm the strong one, I'm the one who supports them. I've been told I'm pretty, but yeah right. None of my friends realise that I'm constantly crying, and they never catch the meanings behind my poems. I don't really tell them, just give vague information... Lately though, I think a friend has been catching on, my mask has been slipping... Time to put back the walls.

  4. anonymous
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    Mar 23rd 2014 !⃝

    I think Taylor wrote it because everyone needs self confidence and you should be happy for who you are not what you look like.
    :)Stay strong

  5. anonymous
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    Apr 8th 2013 !⃝

    Tied together with a smile is about all the people(mainly girls) who dont know their natural beauty. She wrote it about a friend with an eating disorder but really it can be about anyone who isnt happy with who they are. You can easily get that from the lines "says the only one who doesnt see your beauty" "your walking around thinking you not pretty" obviously this person is very insecure about themselves. "Hold on baby your losing it" saying this person needs to stay strong, that they have it all wrong and they are beautiful. "The waters high your jumping into it" taking a huge risk, getting an eating disorder, maybe cutting or suicide. "Letting go and no one knows" your losing control of who you are, maybe some mean comments are hurting you or just too insecure but no one knows. "You cry but you dont tell anyone" obviously saying this person isnt very happy but is keeping it all to herself. "Tied together with a smile but your coming undone" keepin a fake smile on your face, hiding what your feeling but youve been hiding it for so long and its slowly fading.

  6. anonymous
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    Oct 10th 2012 !⃝

    It is funny how a vague song can have so much meaning in so many ways. This song is very much me, but in my case the issue is lack of self respect and throwing 'love' into all the wrong places. One verse has made a huge difference in my life.
    "I guess it's true that love was all you wanted
    Cause you're giving it away like it's extra change
    Hoping it will end up in his pocket
    But he leaves you out like a penny in the rain
    Oh, cause it's not his price to pay
    Not his price to pay..."
    It is a perfect analogy to describe girls who sleep around trying to be 'special' to the guys, only to find out that you become much less special because giving yourself (literally your body) away diminishes your value in his eyes as well. The saddest part of this is that it truly does diminish your value because the baggage that comes with that is so very hard to overcome. And the cycle is so hard to break. I use these lines to help younger girls understand how to say 'no' to behaviors that are only a temporary high.

  7. anonymous
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    Sep 27th 2012 !⃝

    my cousin told me to listen to this song while i was in the 5th grade. i thought everyone thought i was ugly. in the third grade i asked out a guy he said yes very reluctantly and then he was annoyed and just wanted to be by himself. that is when i broke down and i laughed to my friends desperately crying for help inside and telling them i'm just going to kill myself. and there i sat in the fifth grade and 6th grade holding a knife up to my wrist and dreaming of dying and being with God the only one who understands. now i have an okay life, i still take the knife up to my hand not really cutting but almost. i am now in the 7th grade and have many friends and only one that understands me and goes through the same things. i love her and she is my best friend for life.

  8. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Apr 26th 2012 !⃝

    This song has gotten me through tough times. Reminding me that I'm not worthless, but priceless. Somebody cares about me and I'm beautiful just the way I am.

  9. anonymous
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    Feb 25th 2012 !⃝

    This song saved my life. I was tired of every one at my school and i would not show that i was being ripped apart. i was about to kill myself one day and i wanted to go listening to music. Taylor swift was the last artist i was listening to i cryed for hours after and now i cry myself to sleep because of the people that say i am worthless and do not deserve to live. I cut myself so now i where baggy hoodys and shirts to hide the scares from people. I put on a smile to make it seem like there is nothing wrong. I just am torn up and feeel like i have no where to go.

  10. anonymous
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    Feb 20th 2012 !⃝

    The subject of the song could be the victim of abuse. He/she has been told so many times that they're worthless/ugly/horrible that they've started believing it. The chorus is about the mask that the person has put up starting to fall away. The second verse deals with the subject's relationship with the abuser: "You're giving [love] away...hoping it will end up in his pocket, but he leaves you out like a penny in the rain." The victim keeps trying to make their abuser love them, but he just keeps tormenting them.

  11. anonymous
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    Oct 23rd 2011 !⃝

    I think it's about someone who loves someone alot and they are making themselves do something that is bad to ease the pain

  12. anonymous
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    Aug 2nd 2011 !⃝

    My friends sang this song to me on my 16th birthday. I had never heard it before then. It hit close to home because i always feel like i am not good enough but i pretend to be happy because what good would sulking do? when i was little i had a big picturesque life planned out for me. now, i cry almost every night because i dislike who i turned out to be. I have plenty of friends, no boyfriend, and always feel like i'm waiting for something special that never comes. If this sounds like you, then you should hear this song and i hope that you realize that you are special and their are people out their who care for you, and everyone is perfect in their own way.

  13. anonymous
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    May 11th 2011 !⃝

    i think that this songs meaning is that everyone has problems that they can't tell anyone else but they pretend like everything is okay. they would do anything to feel love and wanted because they dont see how beautiful they really are and how other people see them. They are breaking down inside cause they just cant fake being ok anymore

  14. anonymous
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    May 10th 2011 !⃝

    This song is perfect. I cry and no one knows how I feel. Everyone thinks im naturaly a happy person but they dont know that there is more to me than that. I completly sympathise with Taylors friend because although no one thinks im pretty, i have the sam disease.... thanks taylor for singing every emotion possible

  15. anonymous
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    Feb 21st 2011 !⃝

    It's about a person who on the outside, is pretty, popular, who everyone wants to be, etc. etc, but on the inside, she's hurting and doesn't realize how much she means to everyone. She might be suicidal, bulimic, or anorexic, so Taylor is telling her that she doens't need to change, because everyone loves her the way she is.

  16. anonymous
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    Dec 24th 2010 !⃝

    i think this song is about someone who is always smilling and making people laugh. everyone thinks that person is so happy but they aren't. they cry but nobody knows because they expect the person to always be happy. I think it's about someone who everyone thinks is great and happy and has a good life but really they cry when nobody watches and they are not happy in life but puts a smile on their face to not show that she is sad. but she can't just put a smile on her face anymore.

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