{
  "id": 9762242,
  "title": "From Taylor Swift to Bob Marley: How Babylon became one of music's great metaphors",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/25/from-taylor-swift-to-bob-marley-how-babylon-became-one-of-musics-9762242",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-25T11:40:12.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The National UAE",
    "slug": "the-national-uae",
    "url": "https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/music-stage/2026/09/25/from-taylor-swift-to-bob-marley-how-babylon-became-one-of-musics-great-metaphors/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In Taylor Swift's song Babylon, the protagonist grapples with a desire for something more. His small town feels confining, and he envies the neighbor's lawn and hand-me-down sweater from the mall. After leaving his hometown, he accumulates wealth and success, but ultimately feels emotionally drained. Swift employs Babylon to represent both the protagonist's achievements and his internal state of dissatisfaction, where fulfillment remains elusive. As he sings, \"You never knew that it was Babylon / Til it was gone,\" the song suggests that the protagonist has been chasing an unattainable ideal.\n\nWhile the term Babylon has been used in various ways across Western music, its origins lie in ancient Mesopotamia, a city known for its grand temples and monumental projects. Over time, Babylon has come to symbolize imperial arrogance, exile, oppression, decadence, ambition, and collapse. Other ancient cities, such as Rome and Athens, often convey more specific historical or cultural connotations, but Babylon's meaning remains more abstract. It can evoke mystery, mysticism, danger, longing, or brevity, making it a versatile metaphor for composers and songwriters.\n\nBabylon's significance is deeply rooted in history and mythology. Located about 85 km south of Baghdad in modern Iraq, the city was once a major center of Mesopotamia, famous for its temples and architectural marvels. Greek writers later magnified its reputation for size and wealth, while biblical accounts presented Babylon in a more negative light, influencing countless artists to depict it as a symbol of decadence, ruin, and divine punishment. Handel's 1745 oratorio Belshazzar uses biblical imagery to portray the city at the height of its power, only to fall into ruin.\n\nThe Melodians' 1970 hit Rivers of Babylon and Bob Marley's 1979 track Babylon System both recast Babylon in different contexts. For The Melodians, Babylon represents exile, while Marley uses it to criticize colonialism and economic exploitation. Lady Gaga's 2020 song Babylon from her album Chromatica, on the other hand, takes a more lighthearted approach, using the term to refer to gossip and chatter surrounding her public life. British singer-songwriter David Gray's hit Babylon takes a unique perspective, depicting the ancient city through the lens of a modern London night, where the protagonist experiences a mix of excitement, loneliness, and romantic regret.",
  "summary": "The man in Taylor Swift's Babylon spends most of the song wanting something else. His small town feels like a cage. The neighbour's lawn looks better. A hand-me-down sweater should have come from the mall. He eventually leaves, makes money, collects expensive watches and advances professionally, only to find himself emotionally spent. Swift uses Babylon to describe both the life her protagonist…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The National Business",
        "title": "From Taylor Swift to Bob Marley: How Babylon became one of music's great metaphors",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/25/from-taylor-swift-to-bob-marley-how-babylon-became-one-of-musics",
        "published": "2026-09-25T11:40:12.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}