Finally, a Swift song presumed to be about Gyllenhaal that’s not on the album “Red.” However, this song’s link to him revolves around its synonyms for the color red and how that album was seemingly mainly about him. Appearing on “Midnights,” the song “Maroon” portrays a more grown-up love story, with more complexities and honesy than her previous songs.
The telling lyrics: “We were cleaning incense off your vinyl shelf”; “The one I was dancing with in New York, no shoes”; “The mark you left on my collarbone”
Why? Considering Gyllenhaal’s interest in indie music, it isn’t a huge leap to assume Swift is alluding to him when she references a “vinyl shelf.” The majority of their romance took place in New York, and this is where Gyllenhaal still resides. Meanwhile, the mention of a mark on her collarbone may be a subtle reference to the iconic scarf in “All Too Well,” which Swift has labeled a metaphor rather than an actual scarf. Throughout the song, there are synonyms for the color red, including maroon, scarlet, rust, blood, and burgundy. This likely refers to the album “Red,” which is most commonly linked to Gyllenhaal, and the elaborate synonyms suggest she’s looking at their romance with more maturity and wisdom.