Taylor Swift – I Hate It Here Lyrics | Genius Lyrics
Cover art for I Hate It Here by Taylor Swift
Apr. 19, 20243 viewers1.2M views

[Verse 1]
Quick, quick, tell me something awful
Like you are a poet
trapped inside the body of a finance guy
Tell me all your secrets, all you'll ever be is
My eternal consolation prize
You see, I was a debutante in another life, but
Now I seem to be scared to go outside

If comfort is a construct, I don't believe in good luck
Now that I know what's what

[Chorus]
I hate it here so I will go to secret gardens in my mind
People need a key to get to, the only one is mine
I read about it in a book when I was a precocious child
No mid-sized city hopes and small-town fears
I'm there most of the year 'cause I hate it here
I hate it here

[Verse 2]
My friends used to play a game where
We would pick a decade
We wished we could live in instead of this
I'd say the 1830s but without all the racists
And getting married off for the highest bid
Everyone would look down 'cause it wasn't fun now
Seems like it was never even fun back then
Nostalgia is a mind's trick
If I'd been there, I'd hate it

It was freezing in the palace
[Chorus]
I hate it here so I will go to lunar valleys in my mind
When they found a better planet, only the gentle survived
I dreamed about it in the dark, the night I felt like I might die
No mid-sized city hopes and small-town fears
I'm there most of the year 'cause I hate it here
I hate it here

[Bridge]
I'm lonely, but I'm good
I'm bitter, but I swear I'm fine
I'll save all my romanticism for my inner life and I'll get lost on purpose
This place made me feel worthless
Lucid dreams like electricity, the current flies through me
And in my fantasies, I rise above it
And way up there, I actually love it

[Chorus]
I hate it here so I will go to secret gardens in my mind
People need a key to get to, the only one is mine
I read about it in a book when I was a precocious child
No mid-sized city hopes and small-town fears
I'm there most of the year 'cause I hate it here
I hate it here

[Outro]
Quick, quick, tell me something awful
Like you are a poet trapped inside the body of a finance guy

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About

This song bio is unreviewed
Genius Annotation

The song captures the complexities of yearning for something more, whether it’s a different time, place, or state of mind. It speaks to the human experience of seeking refuge and understanding within oneself when the external world feels overwhelming or unsatisfying.

Sonically and lyrically, this song could also be seen as a follow-up to Taylor’s song “the lakes” from the extended version of her 2020 album, folklore. In the chorus of “the lakes”, Swift states: “Take me to the lakes where all the poets went to die, I don’t belong, and my beloved, neither do you. Those Windermere peaks look like a perfect place to cry, I’m setting off, but not without my muse”. Whereas, in the chorus of “I Hate It Here” she passionately states: “I hate it here so I will go to secret gardens in my mind. People need a key to get to, the only one is mine. I read about it in a book when I was a precocious child. No mid-sized city hopes and small-town fears, I’m there most of the year ‘cause I hate it here. I hate it here”

This song was added to Taylor’s “I Love You, It’s Ruining My Life (Denial)” playlist.

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

How did the song perform commercially?
Genius Answer

“I Hate It Here” debuted at #34 on the Billboard Hot 100 during the chart week ending of May 4, 2024.

Credits
French Horn
Mastering Engineer
Assistant Recording Engineer
Keyboards
Synth Bass
Mixing Engineer
Conductor
Electric Guitar
Drum Programming
Release Date
April 19, 2024
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