Taylor Swift’s “Honey” Lyrics Redefine Pet Names

While The Tortured Poets Department explored the very beginnings of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s relationship, The Life of a Showgirl finds the musician and her muse deep into life together — and few tracks capture their loved-up energy quite like “Honey.”

A Sweet Perspective

Swift’s “Honey” lyrics explain that she used to have bad associations with pet names such as “honey” and “sweetheart.” Like many women, she was accustomed to hearing them in passive-aggressive contexts — such as a woman in a bar telling her to “back off” or someone criticizing her outfit in a public bathroom.

“But you touch my face, redefine all of those blues when you say ‘Honey,’” Swift sings.

Of course, the song uses the simple idea of a pet name to convey more profound realizations about her relationship. The true meaning of “Honey” seems to be that Swift is heartened by her partner’s earnest love and respect for her, which hasn’t been a given in her past relationships. When others used to call her “lovely,” she sings, they were using it as filler to avoid specifically praising her. “But you say it like you’re in awe of me,” she gushes of her “forever-night stand.”

Taylor Swift’s “Honey” Lyrics

Read the full lyrics to Swift’s new song below.

You can call me honey if you want

Because I’m the one you want

When anyone called me sweetheart

It was passive aggressive at the bar

And the bitch was telling me to back off

‘Cause her man had looked at me wrong

If anyone called me honey

It was standing in the bathroom, white teeth

They were saying that skirt don’t fit me

And I cried the whole way home

But you touch my face

Redefine all of those blues

When you say

“Honey”

Summertime spritz, pink skies

You can call me honey if you want

Because I’m the one you want

Wintergreen kiss, all mine

You give it different meaning

‘Cause you mean it when you talk

Honey, I’m home, we can play house

We can bed down, pick me up

Who’s the baddest in the land, what’s the plan? (What’s the plan?)

You can be my forever-night stand, honey

When anyone called me sweetheart

It was passive aggressive at the bar

And the bitch was telling me to back off

‘Cause her man had looked at me wrong

If anyone called me honey

It was standing in the bathroom, white teeth

They were saying that skirt don’t fit me

And I cried the whole way home

But you touch my face

Redefine all of those blues

When you say

You can call me honey if you want

Because I’m the one you want (I’m the one you want)

You give it different meaning

‘Cause you mean it when you talk

Sweetie it’s yours, kicking in doors, take it to the floor

Give me more

Buy the paint in the color of your eyes (of your eyes)

And graffiti my whole damn life, honey

When anyone called me late night

He was screwing around with my mind

Asking “What are you wearing?” too high

To remember in the morning

And when anyone called me lovely

They were finding ways not to praise me

But you say it like you’re in awe of me

And you stay until the morning

Honey

When anyone called me sweetheart

It was passive aggressive in the bar

And the bitch was telling me to back off

‘Cause her man had looked at me wrong

If anyone called me honey

It was standing in the bathroom, white teeth

They were saying that skirt don’t fit me

And I cried the whole way home

But you can call me honey if you want