In the song, Taylor explains what she’s been through before finding her perfect match, as is clear from lyrics like “This life will beat you up, up, up, up /This is just a temporary speed bump / But failure brings you freedom”.

She looks back on her relationships, saying “I had a bad habit / Of missing lovers past / My brother used to call it / “Eating out of the trash””.

Opalite then switches over to the other person’s POV (assuming this is about Trav), seeming to allude to his ex being disengaged and on their phone constantly: “You couldn’t understand it / Why you felt alone / You were in it for real / She was in her phone / And you were just a pose”.

Ultimately, however, the song finishes on a positive note and how much better things are now that she’s found Travis:

“Never met no one like you before (No) / You had to make your own sunshine / But now the sky is opalite”

Cute!

All in all, the Opalite lyrics offer an optimistic view of love, serving as a reminder that you have to go through the bad to get to the good and find your person and eventual “opalite sky”.

Keen to unpack Taylor Swift’s Opalite lyrics for yourself? You can find them in full below, along with the visualiser for the song.

Taylor Swift’s Opalite lyrics in full

1st verse

I had a bad habit
Of missing lovers past
My brother used to call it
“Eating out of the trash”
It’s never gonna last
I thought my house was haunted
I used to live with ghosts
And all the perfect couples
Said, “When you know, you know”
And, “When you don’t, you don’t”

Pre-chorus

And all of the foes, and all of the friends (Ha, ha)
They’ve seen it before, they’ll see it again (Ha, ha)
Life is a song, it ends when it ends
I was wrong
But my mama told me

Chorus

It’s alright
You were dancing through the lightning strikes
Sleepless in the onyx night
But now the sky is opalite
Oh, oh-oh-oh-oh, oh my Lord
Never met no one likе you before
You had to make your own sunshinе
But now the sky is opalite
Oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

2nd verse

You couldn’t understand it
Why you felt alone
You were in it for real
She was in her phone
And you were just a pose
And don’t we try to love love? (Love love?)
We give it all we’ve got (Give it all we’ve got)
You finally left the table (Uh, uh)
And what a simple thought
You’re starving ’til you’re not

Pre-chorus

And all of the foes and all of the friends (Ha, ha)
Have messed up before, they’ll mess up again (Ha, ha)
Life is a song, it ends when it ends
You move on
And that’s when I told you

Chorus

It’s alright
You were dancing through the lightning strikes
Sleepless in the onyx night
But now the sky is opalite
Oh, oh-oh-oh-oh, oh my Lord
Never met no one like you before
You had to make your own sunshine
But now the sky is opalite
Oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

Bridge

This is just a storm inside a teacup
But shelter here with me, my love
Thunder like a drum
This life will beat you up, up, up, up
This is just a temporary speed bump
But failure brings you freedom
And I can bring you love, love, love, love, love
Don’t you sweat it, baby

Chorus

It’s alright
You were dancing through the lightning strikes
Oh, so sleepless in the onyx night
But now the sky is opalite
Oh, oh-oh-oh-oh, oh my Lord
Never met no one like you before (No)
You had to make your own sunshine
But now the sky is opalite
Oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh