2 Attachment(s)
Why Taylor Swift Fans Think All Too Well Is About Jake Gyllenhaal
Taylor Swift's fans think “All Too Well” is about actor Jake Gyllenhaal. American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, who debuted in 2006, is one of the best-selling most-awarded artists of all time. She has amassed a large following because of her genre-busting discography and narrative songwriting, which draws inspiration mostly from her personal life. This is one of the reasons why many suspect that "All Too Well" draws heavily on Swift's former relationship with Gyllenhaal.
Despite being an established music icon, Swift is still vulnerable to issues within the industry. In 2005, she signed a 13-year contract with record label Big Machine Records, which stipulated that her first six albums would be the company’s properties. However, when Big Machine Records was acquired by talent manager Scooter Braun, Swift’s master recordings were included in the deal, despite Swift’s protests and attempts to reclaim her music. Fortunately, Swift is the main songwriter of all her songs, including the hit “Shake It Off”, which has been used in different movies and shows. Consequently, she has the publishing rights to her songs, which allow her to re-record her previous albums and release her own versions. Swift’s latest masterpiece is Red (Taylor’s Version), a re-recording of her fourth studio album. This reignites conversations surrounding her songs and their subjects. More specifically, fans have been focused on the crowd favorite “All Too Well”, which is generally considered as Swift’s magnum opus.
Since the release of “All Too Well”, fans have speculated that it is about actor Jake Gyllenhaal, whom Swift dated on and off from October to December 2010. All of Red’s songs have liner notes, and “All Too Well”’s secret message is “MAPLE LATTES”. This seemingly references Swift and Gyllenhaal’s Thanksgiving date at a Brooklyn coffee shop, where they both ordered maple lattes.
“All Too Well”’s lyrics also provide insights into their short-lived relationship. The opening lyrics “I left my scarf there at your sister's house, and you've still got it in your drawer even now” hint at Swift’s scarf that she apparently left at the house of The Lost Daughter’s director, Maggie Gyllenhaal, when they celebrated Thanksgiving at her house. Later on, Jake was spotted wearing the same scarf despite the two’s breakup. In addition, the lyrics “You used to be a little kid with glasses in a twin-sized bed” directly describe Gyllenhaal’s childhood picture, which he shared before on his Instagram account. The fall imagery in “All Too Well” is also reflective of their relationship’s timeline.
Swift included a ten-minute version of “All Too Well” in Red (Taylor’s Version), the unabridged edition of the song, shedding more light on the intriguing narrative of their relationship. In this version, she revealed the reason for their breakup through the lyrics “You said if we had been closer in age, maybe it would have been fine.” This alludes to Swift and Gyllenhaal’s age gap, since the two dated when she was 20, and he was 29. There are also references to Swift’s 21st birthday party, which Jake Gyllenhaal, who has starred in a number of crime movies, allegedly missed. Lastly, she inserted a snarky line “I'll get older, but your lovers stay my age," insinuating his preference for much younger partners. Currently, Gyllenhaal is in a relationship with 25-year-old model Jeanne Cadieu.
Fans have long speculated and believed that “All Too Well” is about Jake Gyllenhaal, despite no direct confirmation from Taylor Swift herself. Whether this is entirely based on reality or this is simply another case of her supporters connecting several easter eggs, Swift said that the song’s meaning has changed throughout the years, especially since she has witnessed how much her followers love the song. For Taylor Swift, “All Too Well” has grown from a song she feels too devastated to perform live to a masterpiece that forever binds her with her fans.
