Cruel Summer Lyrics by Taylor Swift (with Guitar Chords)
Cruel Summer Lyrics
Intro
(Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
Verse 1
Fever dream high in the quiet of the night
You know that I caught it (Oh yeah, you're right, I want it)
Bad, bad boy, shiny toy with a price
You know that I bought it (Oh yeah, you're right, I want it)
Pre-Chorus
Killing me slow, out the window
I'm always waiting for you to be waiting below
Devils roll the dice, angels roll their eyes
What doesn't kill me makes me want you more
Chorus
And it's new, the shape of your body
It's blue, the feeling I've got
And it's ooh, woah-oh
It's a cruel summer
It's cool, that's what I tell 'em
No rules in breakable heaven
But ooh, woah-oh
It's a cruel summer with you
Verse 2
Hang your head low in the glow of the vending machine
I'm not dying (Oh yeah, you're right, I want it)
We say that we'll just screw it up in these trying times
We're not trying (Oh yeah, you're right, I want it)
Pre-Chorus
So cut the headlights, summer's a knife
I'm always waiting for you just to cut to the bone
Devils roll the dice, angels roll their eyes
And if I bleed, you'll be the last to know, oh
Chorus
It's new, the shape of your body
It's blue, the feeling I've got
And it's ooh, woah-oh
It's a cruel summer
It's cool, that's what I tell 'em
No rules in breakable heaven
But ooh, woah-oh
It's a cruel summer with you
Bridge
I'm drunk in the back of the car
And I cried like a baby comin' home from the bar (Oh)
Said, "I'm fine," but it wasn't true
I don't wanna keep secrets just to keep you
And I snuck in through the garden gate
Every night that summer just to seal my fate (Oh)
And I screamed, "For whatever it's worth
I love you, ain't that the worst thing you ever heard?"
He looks up, grinnin' like a devil
Chorus
It's new, the shape of your body
It's blue, the feeling I've got
And it's ooh, woah-oh
It's a cruel summer
It's cool, that's what I tell 'em
No rules in breakable heaven
But ooh, woah-oh
It's a cruel summer with you
Outro
I'm drunk in the back of the car
And I cried like a baby comin' home from the bar (Oh)
Said, "I'm fine," but it wasn't true
I don't wanna keep secrets just to keep you
And I snuck in through the garden gate
Every night that summer just to seal my fate (Oh)
And I screamed, "For whatever it's worth
I love you, ain't that the worst thing you ever heard?"
(Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
Cruel Summer Lyrics with Guitar Chords
Intro G (Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah) Verse 1 C D Fever dream high in the quiet of the night Bm Em You know that I caught it (oh yeah, you’re right, I want it) C D Bad, bad boy, shiny toy with a price Bm Em You know that I bought it (oh yeah, you’re right, I want it)
Pre-Chorus C D Killing me slow, out the window Bm Em I’m always waiting for you to be waiting below C Devils roll the dice, angels roll their eyes D What doesn’t kill me makes me want you more Chorus G And it’s new, the shape of your body Bm It’s blue, the feeling I’ve got Em And it’s ooh, woah-oh C It’s a cruel summer G It’s cool, that’s what I tell ’em Bm No rules in breakable heaven Em But ooh, woah-oh C G It’s a cruel summer, with you Verse 2 C D Bm Hang your head low in the glow of the vending machine Em I’m not dying (oh yeah, you’re right, I want it) C D Bm We say that we’ll just screw it up in these trying times Em We’re not trying (oh yeah, you’re right, I want it) Pre-Chorus C D So cut the headlights, summer’s a knife Bm Em I’m always waiting for you just to cut to the bone C Devils roll the dice (dice), angels roll their eyes (eyes) D And if I bleed, you’ll be the last to know Chorus G Oh it’s new, the shape of your body Bm It’s blue, the feeling I’ve got Em And it’s ooh, woah-oh C It’s a cruel summer G It’s cool, that’s what I tell ’em Bm No rules in breakable heaven Em But ooh, woah-oh C (G) It’s a cruel summer, with you Bridge G I’m drunk in the back of the car Bm And I cried like a baby coming home from the bar (oh) Em Said "I’m fine", but it wasn’t true C I don’t wanna keep secrets just to keep you G And I snuck in through the garden gate Bm Every night that summer just to seal my fate (oh) Em And I screamed "For whatever it’s worth C N.C. I love you, ain’t that the worst thing you ever heard?" He looks up, grinning like a devil Chorus G It’s new, the shape of your body Bm It’s blue, the feeling I’ve got Em And it’s ooh, woah-oh C It’s a cruel summer G It’s cool, that’s what I tell ’em Bm No rules in breakable heaven Em But ooh, woah-oh C (G) It’s a cruel summer, with you Outro G I’m drunk in the back of the car Bm And I cried like a baby coming home from the bar (oh) Em Said "I’m fine", but it wasn’t true C I don’t wanna keep secrets just to keep you G And I snuck in through the garden gate Bm Every night that summer just to seal my fate (oh) Em And I screamed "For whatever it’s worth C G I love you, ain’t that the worst thing you ever heard?" (Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
More About Cruel Summer
- Artist/Release Date: Cruel Summer was originally released on August 23, 2019, as the second track of Taylor Swift's seventh studio album, Lover (2019). It was later released as a single on June 20, 2023.
- What The Song Is About: Cruel Summer by Taylor Swift is about the early stages of a relationship where you still feel uncertain about whether the other person feels the same way as you.
-
Fun Facts:
- Cruel Summer wasn't originally released as a single, but after being included in the Eras Tour setlist, it became viral and eventually led to it being re-released as a single.
- Cruel Summer reached 3 billion streams on Spotify on July 31, 2025, making this Taylor Swift's first song to reach that many streams. This also makes Taylor Swift the second female artist to reach that number, with Tones and I being number one for Dance Monkey.
- Cruel Summer wasn't originally released as a single, but after being included in the Eras Tour setlist, it became viral and eventually led to it being re-released as a single.