The ninth track and fifth single on 1989 is about Swift hoping her lover will remember their best moments after they’re over. It expresses mixed feelings: hoping that they last, but knowing that they’ll end.
Surprisingly, the famous figure who gets the most elaborate attention is Lana Del Rey: Swift flat-out mimics her on “Wildest Dreams,” flitting between a fluttery soprano and deadpan alto, flipping lyrics so Lana — “His hands are in my hair, his clothes are in my room” — that it’s hard to tell if the song is homage or parody.
-Billboard Magazine
In the US, the song reached number five, becoming her fifth consecutive top ten from 1989.
According to Swift, the beats heard at the beginning of the song resemble her real heartbeats.
Lyrics
[Verse 1]
He said, "Let's get out of this town
Drive out of this city, away from the crowds"
I thought, "Heaven can't help me now"
Nothing lasts forever
But this is gonna take me down
[Pre-Chorus 1]
He's so tall and handsome as hell
He's so bad, but he does it so well
I can see the end as it begins
My one condition is
[Chorus]
Say you'll remember me
Standing in a nice dress
Staring at the sunset, babe
Red lips and rosy cheeks
Say you'll see me again
Even if it's just in your
Wildest dreams, ah-aah, haa
Wildest dreams, ah-aah, haa
[Verse 2]
I said, "No one has to know what we do"
His hands are in my hair, his clothes are in my room
And his voice is a familiar sound
Nothing lasts forever
But this is gettin' good now
[Pre-Chorus 2]
He's so tall and handsome as hell
He's so bad, but he does it so well
And when we've had our very last kiss
My last request, it is
[Chorus]
Say you'll remember me
Standing in a nice dress
Staring at the sunset, babe
Red lips and rosy cheeks
Say you'll see me again
Even if it's just in your
Wildest dreams, ah-aah haa (ah-aah haa)
Wildest dreams, ah-aah haa
[Bridge]
You'll see me in hindsight, tangled up with you all night
Burnin' it down
Someday when you leave me, I'd bet these memories
Follow you around
You'll see me in hindsight, tangled up with you all night
Burning (burning) it (it) down (down)
Someday when you leave me, I'll bet these memories
Follow (follow) you (you) around (around)
(Follow you around)
[Breakdown]
Say you'll remember me
Standing in a nice dress
Staring at the sunset, babe
Red lips and rosy cheeks
Say you'll see me again
Even if it's just pretend
[Chorus]
Say you'll remember me
Standing in a nice dress
Staring at the sunset, babe
Red lips and rosy cheeks
Say you'll see me again
Even if it's just in your (pretend, just pretend)
Wildest dreams, ah-aah, ha (ah-aah-aah-aah-aah-ha)
In your wildest dreams, ah-aah, ha
Even if it's just in your
Wildest dreams, ah-aah, ha
In your wildest dreams, ah-aah, ha