When Taylor Swift released her tenth studio album, “Midnights,” on Friday, October 21, one song struck a chord with many listeners. While pregnancy loss isn’t explicitly mentioned, the lyrics in “Bigger Than the Whole Sky” are reminding many women of their own miscarriage experiences.
The song undeniably speaks of loss. Some of the lyrics include:
Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye / You were bigger than the whole sky / You were more than just a short time / And I’ve got a lot to pine about / I’ve got a lot to live without. I’m never gonna meet / What could’ve been, would’ve been / What should’ve been you / What could’ve been, would’ve been you.
Did some force take you because I didn’t pray? / Every single thing to come has turned into ashes / ’Cause it’s all over, it’s not meant to be / So I’ll say words I don’t believe.
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After hearing the song, many women started sharing their personal, heartbreaking stories.
“When I listened to ‘Bigger Than the Whole Sky’ all I could see in my mind is the baby I lost and this put words to everything I’ve felt since the miscarriage,” tweeted one user.
When I listened to “Bigger Than the Whole Sky” all I could see in my mind is the baby I lost and this put words to everything I’ve felt since the miscarriage. I can’t imagine this being about anything else. ? #TSmidnighTS
— Fritzy (@MissFritzy) October 21, 2022
Another said, “I had a miscarriage in June. I’m not over it. I’m not OK. I haven’t been able to put it into words but this song has done it for me.”
TW: Pregnancy Loss.
I had a miscarriage in June. I'm not over it. I'm not OK.
I haven't been able to put it into words but this song has done it for me. Of course it's subjective but that what it means to me.
Thank you @taylorswift13https://t.co/M9XizbmSMP
— Sinéad Reid (@SMReidWrites) October 21, 2022
Fans also started a Reddit thread commenting on their reaction to the song. One woman wrote, “Lost my first pregnancy last month. This song puts into words everything that I haven’t been able to. It hits so close to home.”
Another said, “I’ve had 3 miscarriages, including one in January at almost 12 weeks where I passed my daughter at home and held her. I’m pregnant with my rainbow baby right now. When I heard this song, I immediately just sobbed and played it for my husband who also teared up. This just 100% encapsulated how I felt (and still feel when I think about) having a miscarriage. I’ve never felt so connected to a song about this.”
“This is the most powerful song I’ve ever heard as someone whose had a miscarriage,” another wrote. “I had to pull over the first time I heard it because the immediate tears clouded my vision.”
Ashley Fritz shared her pregnancy loss experience with TODAY Parents. “I have a box in my room with the pregnancy test and the first few pages of the baby book,” she shared. “I still take them out and mourn. I’ve written my own things about my experience and the release of pain, but I have never come across anything that has expressed how I felt until I listened to ‘Bigger Than the Whole Sky.’ I finally get to listen to something that allows me to just cry and feel the emotions and maybe let it go for a little bit.”
Listening to “Bigger Than The Whole Sky” released last night by @taylorswift13, and thinking of my own miscarriage.
The missing never fully goes away. Not sure if that’s what you intended the song to be about, Taylor, but thank you for writing this.https://t.co/NUSVSrThPP
— Lila Rose (@LilaGraceRose) October 21, 2022
While there’s no way of knowing whether or not Swift wrote her song with miscarriage in mind, it’s clear that these lyrics are touching the hearts of women everywhere, and they’re all saying the same thing — the loss of a preborn child is a devastating, heartbreaking experience, no matter how early.
