Posted by Jody Rosen on 09/18/2012 at 5:40 PM Best of 2012, Exclusive, Lyrics

The Popdust Files: between the lines, lyrics, taylor swift, We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together

Introducing "Between the Lines," a new Popdust feature in which we geekily analyze the the lyrics of your favorite songs, line by line, and–BEST PART–you get to join in and do the very same! Propose your own interpretation, tell us why we JUST DON'T GET IT, or lead your very own conversation. And check back daily to see if your favorite new jam has been chopped up by our team of trained lyric ninjas.

"We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together," the first single from Taylor Swift's upcoming fourth studio album Red, is a landmark in Swift's career. The song sold 623,000 digital copies in its first week, a new record for digital sales by a female artist. It's her first Hot 100 No. 1; Swift's transition from "Tim McGraw" drawlin’, Faith Hill-bouffant-sportin’ country girl-woman to full-fledged pop starlet is now complete. (There’s even fancy boy-toy beau, Conor Kennedy, to round out the picture: bona fide American political royalty, a pedigreed prince for a pop princess.)

Taylor had some help on "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together": The song was co-written by Max Martin and Shellback, the Swedish ninjas responsible, collectively, for most of the hit records you’ve ever heard. It's got a more lustrous sheen than Swift's previous hits—it's the first Taylor Swift song that you could imagine Katy Perry or Kelly Clarkson singing. But it’s still got that the telltale Taylor feel: another vengeful breakup anthem from our most reliable kisser-and-teller.

Here's our take on the key lyrics. Tell us if we're completely bizonkers by clicking the highlighted text and commenting, or start a thread by highlighting the plain text.