Sticking together. With many theories popping up, many Swifties are asking: Who are Taylor Swift’s “Vigilante Shit” lyrics about?
“Vigilante Shit” is Taylor’s eighth track off her latest album Midnights, released on October 21, 2022. The song, running on a time of two minutes and forty-four seconds, was written by Taylor and frequent collaborator Jack Antonoff, who also co-wrote “Cruel Summer” and “Out of the Woods”.
Taylor announced the release of her new album at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards. The album is about “13 sleepless nights” throughout Taylor’s life and touches on themes from years past. Since the announcement, she went on her Instagram to talk about the meanings of her new songs from the album. In a video, she got candid about the song “Lavender Haze” which was about the tabloids’ effects on her relationship with Joe Alwyn. “I guess theoretically when you’re in the lavender haze, you’ll do anything to stay there and not let people bring you down off of that cloud,” she confessed. “I think a lot of people have to deal with this now, not just like ‘public figures,’ because we live in the era of social media and if the world finds out that you’re in love with somebody, they’re going to weigh in on it. My relationship for six years, we’ve had to dodge weird rumors, tabloid stuff, and we just ignore it. So this song is sort of about the act of ignoring that stuff to protect the real stuff.”
With Taylor’s feud with Scooter Braun and his divorce fresh on everyone’s mind, fans theorize “Vigilante Shit” is directed towards the music executive. Read on for a breakdown of Taylor Swift’s “Vigilante Shit” lyrics and theories it’s about Scooter’s divorce.
What are Taylor Swift’s “Vigilante Shit” lyrics about?
Image: Getty Images
What are Taylor Swift’s “Vigilante Shit” lyrics about? Like “no body, no crime” from her previous album everymore, Taylor sings about taking on revenge on men. In the first verse of the song, she talks about her disdain for men who do bad things. “I don’t dress for women / I don’t dress for men / Lately I’ve been dressin’ for revenge.”
What grabbed fans’ attention was the intricate details that Taylor left in the song. “She needed cold hard proof, so I gave her some / She had the envelope, where you think she got it from?” Many fans shared their thoughts on Twitter thinking that the song may be directed to Taylor’s long-time enemy Scooter Braun. One fan tweeted, “vigilante shit is actually hilarious 😭😭😭 blondie really aired out scooter braun’s entire family business to the masses like that I’m crying”
Fans also speculate that the lyrics references Scooter’s business in selling Taylor’s masters. “Well, he was doin’ lines and crossin’ all of mine / Someone told his white collar crimes to the FBI / And I don’t dress for villains. Scooter acquired Taylor’s masters in 2019 and sold it for $300 million to a private equity company in 2020. The masters were acquired when Scooter bought Taylor’s former label, Big Machine records. The acquisition does not allow Taylor the creative freedom of owning her own songs. Taylor re-released her previous albums Fearless (released in 2008) and Red (released in 2012), with Fearless (Taylor’s Version) and Red (Taylor’s Version), both released in 2021.
Taylor revealed in a Tumblr post on June 23, 2019, about Scooter’s participation in the masters. “When I left my masters in Scott’s hands, I made peace with the fact that eventually, he would sell them. Never in my worst nightmares did I imagine the buyer would be Scooter,” Taylor wrote at the time. “Any time [Big Machine Records’] Scott Borchetta has heard the words ‘Scooter Braun’ escape my lips, it was when I was either crying or trying not to. He knew what he was doing; they both did. Controlling a woman who didn’t want to be associated with them. In perpetuity. That means forever.”
Scooter and his ex-wife Yael Cohen divorced in 2021 citing “irreconcilable differences.” According to Radar Online, Scooter allegedly cheated on Yael with Erika Jayne from the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Yael was also reportedly mad at Scooter about how he handled Taylor’s masters. In a recent interview with NPR’s Jay Williams, Scooter revealed that he regrets the way that everything went down between him and Taylor. He said, “when I did that deal that you’re referring to with Big Machine, I was under a very strict NDA with the gentleman who owned it, and I couldn’t tell any artist. I wasn’t allowed to. I wasn’t legally allowed to. What I told him was, hey, if any of the artists want to come back and buy into this, you have to let me know. And he shared a letter with me that’s out there publicly that – you know, the artist you’re referring to said, I don’t want to participate in my masters.”
Read the full lyrics to Taylor Swift’s “Vigilante Shit” via Genius below.
Taylor Swift “Vigilante Shit” Lyrics
She needed cold hard proof, so I gave her some
She had the envelope, where you think she got it from?
Now she gets the house, gets the kids, gets the pride
Picture me thick as thieves with your ex-wife
And she looks so pretty
Drivin’ in your Benz
Lately she’s been dressin’ for revenge[Chorus]
She don’t start shit, but she can tell you how it ends
Don’t get sad, get even
So on the weekends
She don’t dress for friends
Lately she’s been dressing for revenge[Bridge]
Ladies always rise above
Ladies know what people want
Someone sweet and kind and fun
The lady simply had enough[Verse 3]
Well, he was doin’ lines and crossin’ all of mine
Someone told his white collar crimes to the FBI
And I don’t dress for villains
Or for innocents
On my vigilante shit again
[Chorus]
I don’t start shit, but I can tell you how it ends
Don’t get sad, get even
So on the weekends
I don’t dress for friends
Lately I’ve been dressin’ for revenge
Image: Courtesy of Republic.
Midnights by Taylor Swift is out on October 21. Buy it on Amazon
.
Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission from the sale.