Going to Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour takes months of preparation, patience, and endurance training. First, you must have survived “The Great War” with Ticketmaster and actually nabbed tickets, then you need to wait in hours-long merch lines, even if you’re buying that coveted blue crewneck days before the show. And lastly, you need to study all of the Eras Tour chants and lyrics to scream, especially if you’re not a natural-born Swiftie. If not, your Swiftie concert buddy might be disappointed in you if you don’t come prepared.
Aside from singing along to the entire 44-song setlist, Swift’s fans have also been shouting slogans and screaming some lyrics extra loudly at the Eras Tour which may sound more foreign to the more casual attendee. But in reality, it’s a testament to the strength and bond of the Swiftie community, and one of the many things connecting Swift to her audience every night. Some of these chants are long-standing traditions from previous Swift tours, while others have been inspired by viral moments and performances from the Eras Tour itself, like when Swift scolded a security guard for bothering a fan.
If you don’t spend your weekends watching Instagram live streams of the Eras Tour to prepare for your show (or relive the memories), here are all of the most important lyrics and chants to memorize for your own show.
The Bridge Of “Cruel Summer”
When: “Cruel Summer”
Why: Because Swift tells you to.
How it started: Fans have been waiting to scream the epic, cinematic bridge of “Cruel Summer” for nearly four years, and Swift didn’t want to make fans wait for a second longer, making the Lover deep cut the second song of the show and asking fans to sing the “first bridge of the night” with her.
The Double-Clap
When: “You Belong With Me,” after Swift sings “When you know you’re ‘bout to cry” in the bridge.
Why: Because it’s been a long-standing Swiftie tradition.
How it started: Swift’s band started clapping twice during “You Belong With Me” way back in 2009 during the Fearless Tour, matching the random drumbeat in the bridge. She hasn’t brought out the song on every tour since, but when she does, the clap is a must for every Swiftie in the audience.
“1, 2, 3, Let’s Go B*tch!”
When: “Delicate,” after the vocoder-ed intro.
Why: Because Swift put “Delicate” on the setlist specifically so you could scream this.
How it started: Swiftie Emily Valencia randomly screamed this at Swift’s Reputation Stadium Tour show at the famous Rose Bowl in May 2018 and posted the video on Twitter. The rest is history. Now, Swift and her dancers often mark the countdown with their fingers. “It’s the weirdest thing, but that’s what happened,” Valencia told BuzzFeed in March.
“F*ck The Patriarchy!”
When: “All Too Well (10 Minute Version),” when Swift also sings the lyric.
Why: Does this one require an explanation?
How it started: This classic expression was one of the more surprising new lyrics on the 10-minute version of “All Too Well,” and always made for emotional concert screaming.
Your City Name
When: “Blank Space,” after every line in the bridge.
Why: Because it’s so oddly satisfying.
How it started: While performing “Blank Space” on The 1989 World Tour, Swift showed off her looping device by shouting the name of the city she was performing in, which then repeated on the speakers during the bridge. Somehow, it’s very catchy and doesn’t at all disturb the flow of the song.
“Hey, Stop!”
When: “Bad Blood,” during the second chorus.
Why: Because Swift yelled this at a security guard during an Eras Tour show, and it’s fun to replicate.
How it started: At her May 13 show in Philadelphia, Swift noticed fans being bothered and pushed back by a security guard for simply dancing, and she didn’t let him get away with it. “She wasn’t doing anything,” she yelled at the guard mid-song, along with multiple requests to “stop!” The demands caught on as a hilarious new chant, complete with fan-made merch on Etsy.
“You Forgive, You Forget, But You Never Let It Go”
When: “Bad Blood,” after the first time Swift sings, “If you live like that, you live with ghosts” during the bridge.
Why: Kendrick Lamar chants this during Swift’s bridge on the “Bad Blood” remix.
How it started: Swift performed the normal version of “Bad Blood” on her 1989 and Reputation Tours in 2015 and 2018, but fans have kept the spirit of her remix with Lamar alive by singing his line during the bridge back to Swift, a tradition that has continued on the Eras Tour.
“Taylor, You’ll Be Fine!”
When: “Anti-Hero,” after Swift sings “like some kind of Congressman” in the second pre-chorus.
Why: Because even Swift needs some support from time to time.
How it started: Bleachers’ Jack Antonoff sings this as a response to Swift’s lyrics on his remix of “Anti-Hero,” in place of Swift singing “Tale as Old as Time.” Some fans adopted this as a show of support as Swift sings her 40th song of the night (yes, 40th).
“Facts!”
When: “Karma,” after Swift sings “Karma takes all my friends to the summit” in the bridge.
Why: Because Mama Swift (meaning Swift’s literal mother) does this.
How it started: On her remix of “Karma,” Ice Spice provides a new verse filled with quotable lines and some background ad-libs on Swift’s part. However, nothing made Swifties laugh more than when she simply stated “facts” during the bridge, which Swift’s mom has turned into the latest Eras Tour chant. If it’s good enough for her, it should become a tradition for us all.
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