Taylor Swift: Mean Meaning

Song Released: 2011

Mean Lyrics

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 calling me out when I'm wounded
You, picking...

1. 1TOP RATED

   #1 top rated interpretation:
   anonymous

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   Sep 13th 2013 report

   Im bullied. This is one of my favorite. I always sing this song when my classmate bullying me. this song couraging me to stand up on my own feet, this song makes me feel that I'm special. This song help you to ignore what others say lies about you. Be proud of yourself. :)
   I really love you Taylor! You're my inspiration. :)

2. 2TOP RATED

   #2 top rated interpretation:
   anonymous

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   Jun 4th 2011 report

   hey he song "Mean" is about, well, when you do what I do, which is you put yourself out there for a lot of people to say whatever they want about it, there are a million different opinions from a million different people.
   
   Taylor said:
   I get it that not everyone is going to like everything that you do, and I get that no matter what, you're going to be criticized for something. But I also get that there are different kinds of ways to criticize someone. There is constructive criticism. There's professional criticism. And then, there's just being mean. There's a line that you cross when you just start to attack everything about a person, and there's one guy who just crossed the line over and over again. Just being mean, and saying things that would ruin my day.
   
   This happens... no matter what you do, no matter how old you are, no matter what your job is, no matter what your place is in life. There's always going to be someone who's just mean to you. Dealing with that is all you can control about that situation, how you handle it. "Mean" is about how I handle it, and sort of my mind set about this whole situation

3. 3TOP RATED

   #3 top rated interpretation:
   Katniss

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   Apr 10th 2013 report

   "Mean" is a song about a critic who went to one of her concerts and was super strict. She had no heart and gave rude comments that really affected Taylor in a way that she wrote a song. "Words like knives... Same big loud opinion but nobody's listening..." These lyrics give a hint that she's talking about the rude critic.
4. anonymous

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   Sep 30th report

   Being bullied is one of the most horrible things about this world that we live in, 4,400 people each year commit suicide mostly in young people.Shes trying to get across how bad being mean to someone is it does hurt like knives she's right, Except people for who they are, In the lyrics it seems to me that they was knocking her down when she was already down which is really scary, People out there being bullied please please rise above it Good luck remember your not alone.
   
5. anonymous

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   Dec 30th 2017 report

   I think it is about Taylor and her music. The song is about even though she has a different style of music, you shouldn't put her down. Be unique. Do what you want. But ALWAYS be yourself!
6. anonymous

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   May 24th 2015 report

   Taylor was bullied as a child and she wants kids to know that people who bully are smaller than you. You are the better person. Don't take anything bullies say to heart.
7. anonymous

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   May 21st 2014 report

   i think this song means that there is someone who is bullying her and she is waiting to be an adult so she can stop him when he tries to bully her again.
8. anonymous

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   Apr 19th 2014 report

   Sounds like her dad abused her as a child.
   
   "You, have knocked me off my feet again,...
   Well you can take me down,
   With just one single blow...
   Someday, I’ll be big enough so you can’t hit me,"
   
   So sad!
9. anonymous

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   Jan 9th 2013 report

   what? i thought this was somewhat about bullying you know like when rude people call mean things to you and hurt you but that someday in the future youll be better than them all and you shouldnt care about what people say about you :)
10. anonymous

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    Nov 28th 2012 report

    This is a song about a girl who got picked which was obviousally taylor and from other readings (on other websites) she got picked on by either a critic or a instructor and it was just so mean , and giving her honest opinion she is trying to express herself and telling that he is mean that s where she got the name of her song.(The critic or instructor said she was terrible and other MEAN stuff like that):)
11. anonymous

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    Nov 13th 2012 report

    i think that this song is about somone is being bullied and needs to stand up for themself.
12. anonymous

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    Nov 13th 2012 report

    i think this song is about someone being bullied and it is pretty clear
13. iwilldancetillidie

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    Aug 28th 2012 report

    I think its about her and her music because when you listen shes explaining the record people were always putting her down and she will never be on top but then she finally gets reconized and she is saying like in ur face but the record people still have an loud opinion
14. anonymous

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    Jul 26th 2012 report

    May be she's talking about Kanye West ??
15. anonymous

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    Jul 24th 2012 report

    Mean is basically about all the critics who talk about how she can't sing and shes not very good.
16. anonymous

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    Jul 5th 2012 report

    She said in a 60 minutes interview it was written about a really mean critic. She said she normally doesn't read reviews about her, but she did & this guy just kept putting her down to the point it was a bit extreme & it really upset her.
    Nowadays she doesn't like to read reviews.
17. anonymous

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    Apr 24th 2012 report

    Taylor Swift said this song was about Kanye West. All he'll ever be is mean.
18. anonymous

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    Apr 23rd 2012 report

    Mean is a self-empowerment and anti-bullying song. Taylor says it's about criticism, people say about bullying, others say it's about bad reviews from critics and Taylor haters.
    
    Really, Taylor is singing about all of those. She wants to give hope and realization to victims of all of the above, that they should keep holding on until the future, when it's the time their dreams are achieved. Most victims end up having a successful life in the future. Even the singer of the song was bullied: now she's a singer. :)
    
    Mean is an inspiring song that teaches you the somewhat cheesy but usually true lesson: no matter what, you'll be hated by SOMEONE... But in holding on, eventually, you WILL get the upper hand. While your haters? They're probably just going to be, well, mean.