Castles Crumbling Lyrics in English – Taylor Swift | Speak Now 2023

Here are “Castles Crumbling Lyrics (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)” in English. From Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) album, the song features Taylor Swift and Hayley Williams. Penned by Taylor Swift, “Castles Crumbling (Taylor’s Version)” is sung by Taylor Swift and Hayley Williams. The album is part of Taylor Swift’s re-recording project, and the music director for the song is Taylor Swift.

Enjoy The Lyrics and Feel Free to Sing Along!

Castles Crumbling Lyrics (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)

(Once, I had an empire)
(Once, I had an empire)
(Once, I had an empire)

Once, I had an empire in a golden age
I was held up so high, I used to be great
They used to cheer when they saw my face
Now, I fear I have fallen from grace.

And I feel like my castle’s crumbling down
And I watch all my bridges burn to the ground
And you don’t want to know me, I will just let you down
You don’t wanna know me now.

Once, I was the great hope for a dynasty
Crowds would hang on my words and they trusted me
Their faith was strong, but I pushed it too far
I held that grudge ’til it tore me apart.

Power went to my head and I couldn’t stop
Ones I loved tried to help, so I ran them off
And here I sit alone behind walls of regret
Falling down like promises that I never kept.

And I feel like my castle’s crumbling down
And I watch all my bridges burn to the ground
And you don’t want to know me, I will just let you down
You don’t wanna know me now.

My foes and friends watch my reign end
I don’t know how it could’ve ended this way
Smoke billows from my ships in the harbor
People look at me like I’m a monster
Now they’re screamin’ at the palace’s front gates
Used to chant my name
Now they’re screaming that they hate me
Never wanted you to hate me.

My castle’s crumbling down
And I watch all my bridges burn to the ground
And you don’t want to know me, I will just let you down (just let you down)
My castle’s crumbling down
You don’t wanna know me now, now.

(Once, I had an empire)
(Once, I had an empire)
(Once, I had an empire)

Back To December Lyrics Credits

Castles Crumbling (Taylor’s Version) Song Background

“Castles Crumbling” is one of six previously unreleased “From the Vault” tracks on the 2023 re-recording of Taylor Swift’s 2010 album Speak Now, featuring Hayley Williams, the frontwoman of rock band Paramore and a close friend of Swift. The song was originally written during the Speak Now era in 2010 but remained unreleased until the Taylor’s Version project gave Swift the opportunity to share this deeply personal track with the world.

The song is supposedly about the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards controversy, and how people began to hate her and claimed she was “playing the victim”. Swift puts herself back in the turmoil of 2010, when Speak Now was first released, seeing the way the general public can turn on young artists, particularly young women. The track serves as a companion piece to “Long Live,” exploring the darker fears and anxieties that come with fame and public scrutiny.

Chart Performance & Stats

On July 7, Swift’s Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) debuted, with “Castles Crumbling Lyrics” becoming one of the standout vault tracks. The song has garnered millions of streams across all major platforms, with fans particularly drawn to the emotional collaboration between Swift and Williams. The song gained additional attention when Hayley Williams joined Taylor Swift onstage in London to perform ‘Castles Crumbling’ together live during the surprise section of the Eras Tour set.

Cultural Impact

Fans have noted that “castles crumbling is like the dark sister to long live. it’s all her fears and anxiety if her fans didn’t stick by her”. Critics have compared “Castles Crumbling” to “Nothing New,” a vault track from Red (Taylor’s Version) featuring Phoebe Bridgers, since it is a self-written piece with guest vocals from a female friend, “grappling with a particular kind of self-doubt, caused by the glare of a spotlight”. The song’s themes of self-doubt and vulnerability have made it a cultural touchstone for discussions about mental health and the pressures of fame.

Technical Details

The song has a tempo of 148 BPM, runs 5 minutes and 6 seconds long with a G key and a major mode, with average energy and a time signature of 4 beats per bar. The track features layered vocals, emotional instrumentation, and showcases both Swift’s and Williams’ vocal ranges in a complementary duet arrangement.

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