Would've, Could've, Should've

John Mayer "Would've, Could've, Should've" predicted he'd be trending after the release of Taylor Swift's "Midnights."

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Taylor Swift's Would've Could've Should've hints at a past relationship and many fans believe that the song is about rumored ex John Mayer.

Many fans believe that the single hints at Taylor’s rumored romance with John because it includes the age ’19’. At the time of their rumored relationship, Taylor was 19, while John was 32 years old. The last lyric hints at heartbreak when someone tries to get over a romantic partner.

I damn sure would've never danced with the devil at 19... Give me back my girlhood, it was mine first.”

“The wound won't close / I keep on waiting for a sign / I regret you all the time.” You can listen to “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve,” and the whole of Midnights, here. I regret you all the time / I can't let this go, I fight with you in my sleep,” she continues. In fact, some people went so far as to label “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve” the darker version of “Dear John,” or “Dear John 2.0.” Taylor then goes on to express “regret” at the past relationship in question, suggesting that she’s grown aware of how problematic it was since getting older. According to reports, their relationship ended after a brief few months, with a source telling Us Weekly at the time that Jake “wasn't feeling it anymore.”

What does "Would've, Could've, Should've" mean? Taylor Swift seems to have addressed the actions of a former lover on her new song.

Taylor makes it known on "Would've, Could've, Should've" that the relationship she is discussing had some pretty negative long-term affects on her. On "Would've, Could've, Should've," Taylor sings, "I damn sure never would have danced with the devil at 19," which is a clear call back to the topics she discussed on "Dear John" over a decade ago. And if I was a child did it matter if you got to wash your hands," which is a clear reference to the duo's age difference. As longtime fans will recall, it was at that time in her life that Taylor was quietly dating John Mayer, who was in his thirties at the time. But one particular song, "Would've, Could've, Should've," has caught the attention of droves of listeners because it seems as though the artist is reflecting on a past relationship. The ever-popular singer just released her highly-anticipated "Midnights" album, and the fan reaction to it is already strong, to say the very least.

Her highly anticipated new album Midnights is officially out everywhere today, and one song in particular has fans drawing connections to Taylor's previous ...

When you listen to “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve,” I think it’s clear that she still struggles with a lot of those same feelings, and it’s pretty apparent that the relationship had a huge impact on her and how she views love now. She previously hinted in a song titled “Dear John,” from her 2010 third studio album Speak Now, that she felt he took advantage of the power imbalance and their large age gap, with her being so young at the time, and it has fans drawing all sorts of comparisons to that track now here. From the 3am edition, which dropped a few hours after Midnights and included seven new songs, one called “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve” has Swiftie’s ready to rumble with John.

Dear John, Swifties are convinced a bonus track on Taylor Swift's new album Midnights is about a certain older, guitar-playing ex-boyfriend from 13 years ...

“SHOTS WERE FIRED.” And then during the bridge, “Give me back my girlhood, it was mine first.” “I damn sure would’ve never danced with the devil at 19,” she sings on the four-minute track. … Don’t you think 19 is too young to be played by your dark twisted games?” Her third album, Speak Now, released that year, included a devastating ballad pointedly titled “Dear John,” in which she lamented, “Don’t you think I was too young to be messed with? [pop](https://www.billboard.com/t/pop/) star shocked fans who were already reeling from the 12 a.m.

Taylor Swift released seven bonus tracks after 10th album 'Midnight' dropped on Friday, October 21 — decoding the lyrics.

[being the subject of Swift’s lyrics](https://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/pictures/taylor-swifts-song-lyrics-decoded-which-celebrity-is-she-singing-about-in-each-song-20141012/) during a 2012 Rolling Stone interview. [Midnights](https://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/pictures/taylor-swifts-anti-hero-meet-mike-birbiglia-john-early-more/) dropped on Friday, fans were quick to connect the alleged dots. The songwriters were romantically linked soon after, but their [whirlwind relationship](https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/pictures/taylor-swifts-high-profile-flames-2011163/) quickly turned sour. [replied to an angry DM from a Swift fan](https://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/john-mayer-responds-to-fans-dm-about-taylor-swift-split/), which he later shared via TikTok. [dropped her 10th studio album](https://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/pictures/taylor-swifts-new-album-midnights-every-lyric-easter-egg/) on Friday, October 21, initially releasing 13 new songs. Go forth and live happy and healthy!” Do you really hope that I die?” “Memories feel like weapons / And now that I know, I wish you left me wondering.” Swift was 19 when she was rumored to be dating Mayer, who was 32 at the time. “F–k yourself you ugly bitch I hope you choke on something,” the user wrote in November 2021, to which Mayer replied, “I’ve been getting so many messages like these the past couple days. “Something tells me john mayer just jumped out of his sleep with a gasp. [breakup anthem](https://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/10-of-taylor-swifts-lyrics-about-her-famous-exes/) “Dear John,” which [called out an ex’s “dark twisted games”](https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/john-mayer-feels-humiliated-over-resurfaced-taylor-swift-split-talk/) and asked, “Don’t you think 19 is too young?”