Taylor Swift Taylor Swift - 'Lover' album cover
Taylor Swift’s I Forgot That You Existed is the first track on her seventh studio album, Lover. The jazzy breakup song talks about an ex-lover or ex-friend living “free rent” in her mind.
The song is all about finally getting over the lover that has been taking up space in your mind for far too long. “It isn’t hate, it isn’t love, it’s indifference,” Swift croons. Of course, the song has every fan wondering which of her exes, exactly, she’s talking about — and most people have their money on DJ Calvin Harris.
Here’s what you need to know:
I Forgot That You Existed Lyrics: ‘Free Rent, Living in My Mind’
i forgot that you existed, and i thought that it would kill me but it didn’t 🤷🏼♀️
The lyrics to I Forgot That You Existed read in full, per Genius:
[Verse 1]
How many days did I spend thinking
‘Bout how you did me wrong, wrong, wrong?
Lived in the shade you were throwing
‘Til all of my sunshine was gone, gone, gone
And I couldn’t get away from ya
In my feelings more than Drake, so yeah
Your name on my lips, tounge-tied
Free rent, living in my mind
[Pre-Chorus]
But then something happened one magical night
[Chorus]
I forgot that you existed
And I thought that it would kill me, but it didn’t
And it was so nice
So peaceful and quiet
I forgot that you existed
It isn’t love, it isn’t hate, it’s just indifference
I forgot that you
[Verse 2]
Got out some popcorn
As soon as my rep started going down, down, down
Laughed on the school yard
As soon as I tripped up and hit the ground, ground, ground
And I would’ve stuck around for ya
Would’ve fought the whole town, so yeah
Would’ve been right there, front row
Even if nobody came to your show
[Pre-Chorus]
But you showed who you are, then one magical night
[Chorus]
I forgot that you existed
And I thought that it would kill me, but it didn’t
And it was so nice
So peaceful and quiet
I forgot that you existed
It isn’t love, it isn’t hate, it’s just indifference
I forgot that you
[Bridge]
Sent me a clear message
Taught me some hard lessons
I just forget what they were
It’s all just a blur
[Chorus]
I forgot that you existed
And I thought that it would kill me, but it didn’t
And it was so nice
So peaceful and quiet
I forgot that you existed
I did, I did, I did
It isn’t hate, it’s just indifference
It isn’t love, it isn’t hate, it’s just indifference
So, yeah
Song Meaning, Easter Eggs, & Fan Theories
I Forgot That You Existed could either be about an ex-lover or about an ex-friend who no longer matters in Swift’s life. Swift did like a fan’s Tumblr post about the song that reads, “I cannot wait to gift this on iTunes to the dickhead who broke my heart.”
Another fan has suggested the song is about ex-flame Calvin Harris. They wrote, “she literally didn’t write one song about calvin and then went ya know what i’ll give you one and named it I forgot that you existed”
Some of the lyrics of the song could hint at Harris being the subject:
“Would’ve been right there, front row
Even if nobody came to your show”
What’s more, she seems to reference the moment when Harris went on a Twitter rant against Swift, seemingly siding with Kim and Kanye over his ex, in the following lyrics:
“Got out some popcorn
As soon as my rep started going down, down, down
Laughed on the school yard
As soon as I tripped up and hit the ground, ground, ground”
Another noticed that in Swift’s famous Instagram with five fence holes, she’s wearing a shirt with the flower forget-me-nots as a design. The fan wrote, “y’all, she’s wearing a t-shirt with forget me nots on it, and she has a song….. called i forgot that you existed. IT WAS AN EASTER EGG ALL ALONG”
READ NEXT: Is Taylor Swift Engaged or Married? Her New Song Hints at it