Who Inspired Swift To Write "Better Man"?

Taylor Swift's next album may not be on its way for some time, but that isn't stopping her from writing new music. After the country-turned-pop singer co-wrote Calvin Harris' hit single "This Is What You Came For," Swift is shocking fans yet again with the delayed news of another secretly written song: Little Big Town's new single, "Better Man." Singer Karen Fairchild admitted Swift wrote their new track in a Facebook Live Q&A on Tuesday, Nov. 1, after only initially revealing it was written by "a young girl from Nashville, Tennessee" (which isn't necessarily a lie). However, with the songwriting cat out of the bag, speculation over who the song "Better Man" could be about is officially fair game. Because even if it's not being released as one of her own tracks, Swift still writes from her heart. So, who was the inspiration?

When first looking at the "Better Man" lyrics, it's clear that Swift is describing a love story gone wrong. Despite the fact that Little Big Town's music video paints a picture of a broken marriage, the experience of falling in and out of love is likely something Swift has gone through herself. The chorus of "Better Man" describes the false recollection of a partner that once was. Even Swift can't make someone change. Lyrics include:

Sometimes in the middle of the night I can feel you againBut I just miss you, and I just wish you were a better manAnd I know why we had to say goodbye like the back of my handAnd I just miss you, and I just wish you were a better manA better man

Sound familiar, Swift fans?

The most obvious of options is Swift's recent ex-boyfriend, Calvin Harris. After dating for over a year, their relationship notably got pretty serious before its demise. In fact, Swift and Harris' year-long love story came to an end pretty suddenly — which may align with the "Better Man" lyrics describing a romance that lost its spark. The song goes,

But your jealousy, I can hear it nowYou're talking down to me, like I'll always be aroundYou push my love away, like it's some kind of loaded gunBoy, you never thought I'd run

However, with the song not being released until Oct. 20, Swift's most recent ex-boyfriend, Tom Hiddleston, also seems to fit the song's overall description. For example, in the opening lyrics, it sounds as if Swift is coming to terms with remaining single — instead of quickly hopping into another whirlwind romance. She fell too hard, too fast. She wrote,

I know, I'm probably better off on my ownThan loving a man who didn't know what he had when he had itAnd I see, the permanent damage you did to meNever again, I just wish I could forget when it was magic

So whether you're thinking long-term or thinking of a brief (yet emotional) endeavor, both Harris and Hiddleston could easily fit the bill. However, personally, I'm seeing her more stable relationship with Harris shine through. And well, a song about him was a long time coming.

Little Big Town's "Better Man" is now available on iTunes and for streaming on Spotify.

Images: LittleBigTownVEVO/YouTube; Giphy