When Taylor Swift’s most recent album “Midnights” was released on October 21, 2022, it was an instant hit, spawning No. 1 songs and rave reviews. But one of the lesser known songs is causing waves in a different way, resonating with those grieving pregnancy loss. “Bigger Than The Whole Sky” starts out grieving some unnamed loss, but it is the chorus that brings out the most emotion. Swift sings:
These lyrics poignantly mourn not just the loss of what was, but what could have been. In particular, the last few lines in the chorus, “I’m never gonna meet what could’ve been, would’ve been, should’ve been you,” and their sense of wistful longing for someone they will never meet, have been meaningful to people who suffered a miscarriage. The comments section under Swift’s lyric video are filled with people sharing their own experiences with pregnancy loss. BuzzfeedNews shared a quote from a Reddit user stating that “I miscarried my first baby 10+ years ago and I’ve always said they were my ‘could have been, should have been’ so these lyrics stopped me in tracks and took me back.”
“Bigger Than The Whole Sky” goes on to ask questions of why this might have happened, what could have caused the loss. Swift writes:
Swift references the struggle to make meaning of the loss, questioning religion and if she could have prayed harder, or perhaps alluding to the butterfly effect by wondering if a random bird across the world caused this to happen. Ultimately there is no explanation fully possible for the losses we experience, and Swift is left with the reality of her sadness. The song then goes on to hauntingly repeat the chorus.
Swift’s songs are notable for their descriptive storytelling and the ability to transport listeners into an emotional landscape. “Bigger Than The Whole Sky” is no different, and has sparked emotions in people who have experienced a variety of losses, both physical and emotional. But given how infrequently pregnancy loss is publicly acknowledged or mourned, it has added meaning for that community. Ashley Fritz, speaking to TODAY Parents, expressed her gratitude for the song in the aftermath of her own miscarriage. “I have never come across anything that has expressed how I felt until I listened to ‘Bigger Than the Whole Sky,” she said. “I finally get to listen to something that allows me to just cry and feel the emotions and maybe let it go for a little bit.” Fritz is not alone in her feelings, and the song is worth a listen by anyone struggling with or supporting anyone experiencing pregnancy loss. This entry was posted in
Swift is shown in the first verse as being speechless and covered in tears as she tries to get better. She sings, “No words come to mind in the aftermath / Salt pours from my eyes and into my ears.” She submits that it’s all out to sea. It’s a feeling anyone experiencing grief will know well. There’s nothing to be done, so just try to get by.
I will never get to meet what could have been, what would have been, or what should have been you because I have a lot to live without.
Despite appearing to be the ideal song to ease her fans’ grief, the song was actually written with other inspirations in mind. We can’t say for sure why Swift felt compelled to write this melancholy song, but see our analysis below.
“Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye / You were bigger than the whole sky / You were more than just a short time,” she sings in the chorus as she waves goodbye for the last time.
In the second verse, she asks, “Did some bird flap its wings over in Asia? / Did some force take you because I didn’t pray?” As she searches for a logical explanation for her loss, she moves into the bargaining stage of her grieving process. She ultimately concludes that it’s simply not meant to be.
On October 21, 2022, Taylor Swift’s most recent album “Midnights” was released. It became an instant hit and produced No. 1 songs and rave reviews. However, a lesser-known song is making waves in a different way by speaking to people who are mourning the loss of a pregnancy. The song “Bigger Than The Whole Sky” initially laments an unidentified loss, but the chorus is where the greatest emotion is revealed. Swift sings:
Swift’s songs are notable for their descriptive storytelling and the ability to transport listeners into an emotional landscape. “Bigger Than The Whole Sky” is no different, and has sparked emotions in people who have experienced a variety of losses, both physical and emotional. But given how infrequently pregnancy loss is publicly acknowledged or mourned, it has added meaning for that community. Ashley Fritz, speaking to TODAY Parents, expressed her gratitude for the song in the aftermath of her own miscarriage. “I have never come across anything that has expressed how I felt until I listened to ‘Bigger Than the Whole Sky,” she said. “I finally get to listen to something that allows me to just cry and feel the emotions and maybe let it go for a little bit.” Fritz is not alone in her feelings, and the song is worth a listen by anyone struggling with or supporting anyone experiencing pregnancy loss. This entry was posted in
“Bigger Than The Whole Sky” continues by posing queries regarding the possibility of this happening and the potential cause of the loss. Swift writes:
Swift talks about her struggle to come to terms with the loss, wondering if she could have prayed more, or maybe if a random bird from across the world had something to do with it. She also makes reference to the butterfly effect. In the end, Swift is left to face the truth of her melancholy since there is no explanation that can adequately account for the losses we suffer. The song then goes on to hauntingly repeat the chorus.
These lyrics poignantly mourn not just the loss of what was, but what could have been. In particular, the last few lines in the chorus, “I’m never gonna meet what could’ve been, would’ve been, should’ve been you,” and their sense of wistful longing for someone they will never meet, have been meaningful to people who suffered a miscarriage. The comments section under Swift’s lyric video are filled with people sharing their own experiences with pregnancy loss. BuzzfeedNews shared a quote from a Reddit user stating that “I miscarried my first baby 10+ years ago and I’ve always said they were my ‘could have been, should have been’ so these lyrics stopped me in tracks and took me back.”
FAQ
Why do birds flap their wings in place?
What bird does not flap its wings?
Who wrote bigger than the whole sky?