Taylor Swift's I Bet You Think About Me: The lyrics and Jake Gyllenhaal link explained (2024)

12 November 2021, 17:18 | Updated: 16 November 2021, 10:14

Taylor Swift's I Bet You Think About Me: The lyrics and Jake Gyllenhaal link explained (1)

Taylor Swift reveals how the song All Too Well came together

Taylor and Chris Stapleton deliver a country-inspired track about an ex. Here's what fans think the lyrics mean.

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From the re-recorded tracks to all the new vault songs, Taylor Swift's Red (Taylor's Version) has sent the Swifties into complete meltdown. (Sorry but verse 3 on 'All Too Well (10-minute version)'? Never recovering!)

One of the biggest new songs From The Vault on Red (Taylor's Version) is 'I Bet You Think About Me' featuring Chris Stapleton. The song sees Taylor singing about how she hopes that everything an ex-boyfriend (that she's now moved on from) does and sees reminds him of her. It's a bop! It's petty! It's full of digs!

At this stage of the game, it's no secret that a lot of songs on Red (Taylor's Version) are believed to have been written about or inspired by her 2010 relationship with actor Jake Gyllenhaal.

There'll likely never be any confirmation about who it's about, or if it's about a mix of experiences, or if it's just based on the exact same feeling the majority of us have when we break up with someone. But fans are pretty sure it could be about the Marvel actor too. Here's why...

Taylor Swift's I Bet You Think About Me: The lyrics and Jake Gyllenhaal link explained (4)

"3 AM and I'm still awake, I'll bet you're just fine. Fast asleep in your city that's better than mine"

Right at the start, 'I Bet You Think About Me' references the "with some indie record that's much cooler than mine" lyric in 'We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together', which some fans believe to have been written about Jake.

In fact, the whole song appears to go hand in hand with 'WANEGBT', as Taylor and Chris later echo the iconic "So he calls me up and he's like, 'I still love you'," lyric with lines like "I bet it's hard to believe, that it turned out I'm harder to forget than I was to leave."

"You grew up in a silver-spoon gated community, glamorous, shiny, bright Beverly Hills. I was raised on a farm, no, it wasn't a mansion. Just livin' room dancin' and kitchen table bills."

Any entry-level Swiftie will know that Taylor grew up on a farm in Pennsylvania, before moving to Nashville to start her music career.

The Beverly Hills lyric, though? Well, fans have pointed out that Jake Gyllenhaal was born in Los Angeles to a director father and a screenwriter mother, so it's not particularly a reach to think that this specific lyric could relate to him, right?

🎶 | “I bet you think about me when you’re out at your cool indie music concerts every week.” - lyrics from I Bet You Think About Me #RedTaylorsVersion pic.twitter.com/iDdx37aI5R

— Taylor Swift News 🧣 (@TSwiftNZ) November 12, 2021

"Mr. Superior Thinkin', do you have all the space that you need?"

In the song, Taylor asks "Do you have all the space that you need?," calling back to the moment in 'WANEGBT' when Taylor sings "'Cause like, we hadn't seen each other in a month when you said you needed space."

"I bet you think about me when you're out, at your cool indie music concerts every week"

Aaaand there it is. The infamous "with some indie record that's much cooler than mine" lyric that is rumoured to be about Jake comes right back around and finds itself slap bang in the middle of another Red track.

Whoever the song is about, whoever they may be... they will simply never know peace at a indie music concert ever again.

Taylor Swift's I Bet You Think About Me: The lyrics and Jake Gyllenhaal link explained (5)

I Bet You Think About Me (Taylor's Version) (From The Vault) (Official Video)

But while the song may have been inspired by a break up from 10 years ago, the music video gives off a whole 'nother meaning.

Some Swifties have theorised that the music video for 'I Bet You Think About Me' could actually be a dig at Scooter Braun and Scott Borchetta.

The video, directed by Blake Lively, shows a groom being reminded of Taylor at his own wedding. She's dressed in red and as the video gradually moves on, everything around the groom turns red.

Red season has returned. She's everywhere, there's no escaping her. She's truly living in his mind rent free. Taylor Swift will always own Red, no matter who sells what to who.

And the middle finger that Taylor throws up, with the 'Red' ring sitting right there? It's definitely meant for Scooter and Scott, right?

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Taylor Swift's I Bet You Think About Me: The lyrics and Jake Gyllenhaal link explained (2024)

FAQs

What is the deal with Jake Gyllenhaal and Taylor Swift? ›

Gyllenhaal and Swift dated from October 2010 into early 2011 when she was 20 and he was 29. Her fan-favorite song “All Too Well” off her 2012 album “Red” is believed to be about their relationship.

What is the theory behind I Bet You Think About Me by Taylor Swift? ›

Meaning Behind the Lyrics

In “I Bet You Think About Me,” Swift calls out her ex, who hasn't been able to move on from her after leaving her for surface-level issues, like different upbringings. Like much of the album, it's safe to speculate that this track is about Jake Gyllenhaal, whom Swift dated around this time.

What's the age gap between Taylor Swift and Jake Gyllenhaal? ›

Furthermore, Swift referenced the age gap between Gyllenhall and Swift in the lyric, “You said if we had been closer in age maybe it would have been fine.” Swift was twenty when she dated Gyllenhaal, who was nine years her senior.

Who is the man in I Bet You Think About Me? ›

The video documents a wedding, with the wedding couple played by the actor Miles Teller and his wife Keleigh Sperry, who had been a friend of Swift's for years. Swift plays an ex-girlfriend who intrudes upon the wedding.

Did Jake Gyllenhaal ever get married? ›

Jake Gyllenhaal, who is very active in political and social issues, is currently unmarried. He has been in a relationship with 24-year-old French model Jeanne Cadieu, who he has been dating since late 2018.

Did Jake Gyllenhaal ever respond to Taylor Swift? ›

“It has nothing to do with me,” Gyllenhaal said when asked about “All Too Well.” “It's about her relationship with her fans. It is her expression. Artists tap into personal experiences for inspiration, and I don't begrudge anyone that.”

What did Katy Perry and Taylor Swift argue about? ›

The pair's famous feud began in 2014 after Perry allegedly poached some of Swift's backup dancers. “She did something so horrible. I was like, 'Oh, we're just straight-up enemies'. And it wasn't even about a guy!

Which Taylor Swift video is about Jake Gyllenhaal? ›

Is Taylor Swift's "All Too Well" About Jake Gyllenhaal? This is the first song fans associate with Jake Gyllenhaal and what sparked an entire lore around a scarf. Many consider "All Too Well" to be Swift's best song, as it captures the heartbreak and naivety of falling in love in your early 20s.

Who is the bride in I Bet You Think About Me video? ›

Keleigh Sperry Teller, Miles Teller's real wife, plays the bride. The couple — who tied the knot in Maui, Hawaii, in 2019 — got to have a second (pretend) wedding while filming the "I Bet You Think About Me" music video two years later.

Did Jake Gyllenhaal ever talk about Taylor? ›

Asked about the song and the drama that followed in a new interview with Esquire, Jake told the publication, "It has nothing to do with me. It's about her relationship with her fans. It is her expression. Artists tap into personal experiences for inspiration, and I don't begrudge anyone that."

How many boyfriends has Taylor Swift had? ›

Out of Taylor Swift's exes, her relationship with Joe Alwyn was the longest (7 years). How many boyfriends has Taylor Swift had? Taylor Swift has 12 publicly known exes.

How old was Taylor Swift when Kanye interrupted her? ›

September 2009: Kanye West interrupts Taylor Swift at the VMAs. This is the moment that started it all. A 19-year-old Swift won the award for Best Female Video at the MTV VMAs for “You Belong With Me.” Just as she took the stage to secure her Moon Man, Kanye West approached and grabbed the mic.

What is the meaning of I bet? ›

You use I bet or I'll bet in reply to a statement to show that you agree with it or that you expected it to be true, usually when you are annoyed or amused by it. [informal, spoken, feelings]

What does it mean to say I bet you? ›

You use expressions such as `I bet,' `I'll bet,' and `you can bet' to indicate that you are sure something is true. [informal] I bet you were good at games when you were at school. I'll bet they'll taste out of this world. See full dictionary entry for bet.

Who is the groom in I Bet You Think About Me video? ›

The video opens with a groom, played by Mile Teller, practicing his wedding vows.

How many exes does Taylor Swift have? ›

Taylor Swift has 12 publicly known exes. Who was the first famous person Taylor Swift dated? Reportedly, Joe Jonas.

What happened with Calvin Harris and Taylor Swift? ›

Though the two had reportedly broken up amicably, things got contentious after Harris denied collaborating with Swift in an interview following the release of his 2016 single featuring Rihanna, “This Is What You Came For,” which Swift cowrote.

How old was Tom Hiddleston when he dated Taylor Swift? ›

We like to think Tom, 35, was a shoulder to cry on for 26-year-old Taylor.

Does Jake Gyllenhaal have kids? ›

However, as of 2023, Jake has no children. Despite this, he has often expressed his fondness for children and desire to start a family. He shares a close bond with his nieces, Ramona and Gloria, who are the daughters of his sister, Maggie and her husband, Peter Sarsgaard.

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