Mirrorball: an analysis

An almost line-by-line analysis of Taylor Swift's song

Where Mirrorball is concerned, I must admit that I am biased. The rational side of me recognizes that it is not one of Folklore's or Taylor's best, and yet I have a deep attachment to the song. Both the lyrics and production strike a chord with me every single time, and due to the common misconceptions associated with and misinterpretations of the song, I believed myself to be up for the challenge of breaking it down (as best as I could).  

It is not accidental that the song opens referring to the other person before the singer introduces themself - "I want you to know / I'm a mirrorball." All throughout the song, the singer has an almost omniscient quality to them, knowing almost every facet of the other person's behavior, as shown by lines such as "Ill show you every version of yourself tonight," as well as the context they both find themselves in, which lines such as "I know they said the end is near" suggest. This, together with several introspective declarations the singer makes throughout the song such as "You'll find me on my tallest tiptoes" and "I can change everything about me to fit in" paint a picture of an observant, sensitive individual who swiftly picks up on the subtleties of their environment and their own response to it. 

The repetition of phrases such as "I want you to know" accompanied by others such as "I'll show you every version of yourself" and "I'll get you out on the floor" "You'll find me on my tallest tiptoes" shows us what the singer's relationship with the world is truly like, beyond what they tell us - they are constantly seeking reassurance and external validation. The reason for this is later revealed in the song's (marvelous) bridge "I'm still a believer but I don't know why / I've never been a natural / All I do is try, try, try" - this is a person who is smart enough to understand their limitations in their way of relating to others, someone who seeks true connection but fears they may fall short of it. The whirlwind caused by the clash between the singer's rationality and emotional side that wants to be loved and accepted is deftly encapsulated by these declarations as well as the bridge's overall imagery of the circus closing down and leaving them behind. They are clever enough to see that "they called off the circus / Burned the disco down" and yet even "When they sent home the horses / And the rodeo clowns" they remain "on that tightrope / I'm still trying everything to get you laughing at me". 

This sheds light on the extended metaphor of the mirrorball. A mirrorball is "a revolving ball covered with small mirrored facets, used to provide lighting effects at discos or dances." In equating themself to a mirrorball, the singer is acknowledging that they are in a position to bring attention and love to themselves, but that their desire to retain it leads them to shine for others, to reflect the best in others, and even to "break" "in a million pieces". The singer understands that not everyone who gives them attention truly cares for them, as is evinced by the assertion made to the other person that they are "not like the regulars / The masquerade revelers / Drunk as they watch my shattered edges glisten." 

The repetition of "Hush" is even more significant in this context. The circus and the mirrorball itself evoke images of crowds that the singer wishes to please and appease, and in hushing the other person and mentioning no one being around, they are communicating the fact that this seeming performance that they are putting on isn't a cynical farce. They truly do want to make others happy and want their genuine love, but they are not a natural at doing this and this is the source of their struggle. The lengths they will go to for a laugh or a look, are beautifully exemplified in the tightrope and the trapeze, both extreme circus elements that transmit the singer's anxiety at the prospect of becoming invisible. 

Finally, the repetition of "try","i'm a mirrorball", and of the images of the elaborate performance the singer puts on distinguishes this song's tone from that of others in Folklore such as 'This is me trying'. It shows that the singer, with their ever present emotional intelligence and hyperawareness, desires different kinds of attention and even if the pain is great, so is the promise. 

All in all, I would categorize Mirrorball as a bittersweet record - one with a hopeful tinge to it, that calls for those of us who feel like the social scene is not particularly easy to traverse to try, try, try.