It’s been a couple of months since Taylor Swift dropped her album Midnights. Midnights isn’t my favorite of Taylor’s albums, but there is one song on that I would put up with my top Taylor songs of all time: “You’re On Your Own, Kid,” which fills spot number five on the track list. If you aren’t submerged into the Taylor Swift universe like me, you may find the track number insignificant.
Taylor Swift has this thing where the fifth tracks on her albums are always the most personal, emotional songs on the albums. But every Taylor song is personal and emotional, so it’s even more than that. The “Track 5’s” are clear, unfiltered windows into Taylor Swift’s life and current emotional state.
For most of her career, the “Track 5” thing was a complete accident and was just something the fans picked up on. Over the past few albums, though, Taylor has become aware of it and has worked to keep the pattern going.
Before we talk about Midnights’ track five, we need to look at all the previous track fives to really understand what a “Track 5” is.
A “Brief” History of the Taylor Swift “Track 5”
Starting off with Taylor’s debut self-titled album, we have the song “Cold As You,” which is probably the most underrated “Track 5.” It’s a heartbreaking song about Taylor being hurt by a boy she cared about. It’s basically a breakup song, and the next four albums’ “Track 5’s” followed a similar sentiment: “White Horse,” “Dear John,” “All Too Well,” and “All You Had To Do Was Stay.” All five of these songs are really personal, emotional, breakup songs.
Although this article is about how “You’re On Your Own Kid” revolutionized the “Track 5,” the revolution began with reputation’s “Delicate” because “Delicate” is not a breakup song; rather, it’s a song about Taylor falling in love in the midst of her crumbling reputation. Though different, “Delicate” is a great “Track 5” because it’s deeply personal.
Then, we had “The Archer” on Lover. Although I do like this song, this was around when Taylor started trying to make a good “Track 5” as opposed to it happening naturally. “The Archer” is a song about Taylor’s insecurities, but it does kind of feel like Taylor sat down and said, “I’m going to write a ‘Track 5.’”
The important thing about “The Archer” and “Delicate,” though, is that they show the emotional growth of Taylor. For years, the most personal, heartbreaking song on her albums was about a breakup. But as she grew up, she started to explore more mature hardships. This isn’t to say that songs about boys and breakups aren’t valuable (I am a teen girl after all), but just that Taylor was growing up and experiencing bigger, more life-altering hardships.
This trend continues with folklore and evermore, which are basically albums full of “Track 5” worthy songs. “my tears ricochet,” the pick for folklore, is a heartbreaking song that Taylor said was about a divorce, although it seems to be a metaphor for her losing rights to her music. This is a song about Taylor’s life work being stolen from her; it’s much bigger than a teenage breakup. “tolerate it” was evermore’s “Track 5,” and although I don’t love this song, it’s a super sad song about being stuck in a difficult marriage. Once again, this is bigger than a teenage heartbreak. It’s the story of a wife with a husband who doesn’t appreciate her.
To better illustrate the depth of a “Track 5,” here is what I think is the most powerful lyric from each “Track 5:”
Cold As You
“And you come away with a great little story/Of a mess of a dreamer with the nerve to adore you.”
White Horse
“I’m not a princess/This ain’t a fairytale/I’m gonna find someone someday/Who might actually treat me well.”
Dear John
“Don’t you think 19’s too young to be played by your dark twisted games/When I loved you so.”
All Too Well
“You call me up again/Just to break me like a promise/So casually cruel/In the name of being honest.”
All You Had To Do Was Stay
“You were all I wanted/But not like this.”
Delicate
“My reputation’s never been worse so/He must like me for me.”
The Archer
“And all of my heroes die all alone/Help me hold on to you.”
my tears ricochet
“And I can go anywhere I want/Anywhere I want/Just not home.”
tolerate it
“I made you my temple, my mural, my sky/Now I’m begging for footnotes in the story of your life.”
Alright, that was a “brief” history of the Taylor Swift “Track 5.” So, as you can imagine, Taylor Swift fans get really excited when we get to hear a new track five, because they are always some of her best songs.
There is still one more “Track 5:” Midnights’ “You’re On Your Own, Kid.”
“You’re On Your Own, Kid” is arguably the most personal “Track 5.” This is surprising, considering how personal the other one’s are. “You’re On Your Own, Kid” stands out, though: it practically tells Taylor’s life story in just over three minutes.
So, let’s break down the song:
The first verse details Taylor falling for a boy in her hometown who she realized didn’t love her: “Just to learn that you never cared/You’re on your own kid/You always have been.” As you can see, the title of the song is used in a sad way: you’re on your own because the boy you like doesn’t care about you.
The second verse details Taylor in the early stages of her music career - writing songs in her bedroom and playing them in the parking lot. The chorus ends with “Just to learn that my dreams aren’t rare/You’re on your own kid/You always have been.” In these lyrics, Taylor realizes that her dreams of making it big in music aren’t rare and that she’s on her own in a big world.
Then, in the bridge/final chorus of the song, possibly the best minute in all of Taylor Swift’s discography, the lyrics detail many events throughout Taylor’s life. She talks about giving her “blood, sweat, and tears for this” and hosting parties and starving her body. Then, she talks about how she “saw something they can’t take away” and how “there were pages turned with the bridges burned.” Every “Track 5” before this one had the perspective that the world was ending because of the heartbreak and difficulties Taylor was experiencing. But “You’re On Your Own Kid” shows that no matter what happens, life goes on and you will always have yourself.
Then, the song switches from first person perspective to second person perspective, where Taylor gives a few powerful lines of advice she’s telling the listener:
Everything you lose is a step you take
So make the friendship bracelets
Take the moment and taste it
You’ve got no reason to be afraid
You’re on your own, kid
Yeah, you can face this
You’re on your own, kid
You always have been
As you can see, the “you’re on your own, kid” line changes from a discouraging realization throughout Taylor’s life to a line of advice and encouragement she’s sharing with millions. She’s telling us that being on your own doesn’t have to be a scary thing; in fact, it’s a wonderful, empowering thing. I also love the contrast between this and Taylor’s song “Never Grow Up,” which takes a far more fearful perspective towards growing up and being on your own.
As I’ve said, each “Track 5” is about the most emotional thing in Taylor’s life at that time, and before “You’re On Your Own Kid,” they were all heartbreaking and largely lacking hope. “You’re On Your Own Kid” isn’t like this. Although it has its heartbreaking moments, it’s an inspiring, hopeful song. Taylor is basically saying that she’s lived through all the difficulties detailed in the “Track 5’s” and that through it all, she’s always been on her own. Because of that, she was always going to be alright.
Why I Connect With “You’re On Your Own, Kid”
The most special thing about “You’re On Your Own, Kid,” though, is that it’s relatable in a way few other Taylor songs are. I’m a 17-year-old girl, quickly approaching the end of my childhood and the beginning of truly being on my own. Although Taylor is known for being “relatable,” she isn’t always the easiest person for me to relate to. She’s much older than me, she’s unbelievably famous, and she’s more like my “idol” than someone I deeply relate to.
But, “You’re On Your Own, Kid” makes me feel like Taylor and I aren’t different at all. Taylor, the girl who’s dated a long list of famous, widely desired men, once fell for a boy in her hometown who didn’t care about her. Taylor, an undeniably talented musician and songwriter who seemed to always be destined for success, once felt like “her dreams aren’t rare” and that she couldn’t be as good as everyone else. That’s a sort of relatability we rarely get from one of the world’s most beautiful, famous, successful, beloved, and talented women.
Plus, at the end of the song, Taylor is speaking to us. She’s filling that “older sister” role: telling us that it’s all going to be okay because she’s been through it - and this song and her entire discography is proof of it.
The Ultimate “Track 5”
Now, going back to the “Track 5” thing: “You’re On Your Own, Kid” revolutionized the Taylor Swift “Track 5” because it is the ultimate “Track 5.” It’s personal, sad, hopeful, relatable, and an incredible song melodically.
“You’re On Your Own, Kid” is also like a response to all the other “Track 5’s” that came before it. Taylor is telling her past self that it’s all going to be okay, that “everything you lose is a step you take” (“my tears ricochet” is about Taylor losing the rights to her masters). The first verse of “You’re On Your Own, Kid” (about the hometown love) is a response to songs like “Cold As You” and “White Horse” where Taylor felt like her world was ending because of a young love. The second verse about the start of Taylor’s career is a response to all of Taylor’s insecurities explored in “Delicate” and “The Archer.”
The list goes on and on because “You’re On Your Own, Kid” is truly a letter to Taylor’s past self and past music (which details her past emotions), and at the same time, it’s a letter to everybody that listens to the song. “You’re On Your Own, Kid” is the best example of Taylor tying her personal life experiences to the most relatable aspects of humanity in all of us.
It’s hard to say “You’re On Your Own, Kid” is my favorite “Track 5,” because I’ve spent years loving all the others. What I can say, though, is that “You’re On Your Own, Kid” is the perfect “Track 5.” It has completely revolutionized what a Taylor Swift “Track 5” is in a way better than I ever could have imagined, and I can’t wait to hear what follows it.
Thanks for reading!
- Peyton Price
