The Meaning Behind Taylor And Ed's “The Joker And The Queen” Lyrics

Long-time friends and collaborators Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran have teamed up once again. On Feb. 11, the duo dropped a remix of Sheeran’s Equals track, “The Joker And The Queen.” The remix features Swift singing new lyrics on the second verse. The stars also released a music video for the song that includes two very familiar faces.

Sheeran originally dropped “The Joker And The Queen” as part of his fifth studio album in October of last year. His songs like “Bad Habits” and “Shivers” were released as singles, and fans had a feeling “The Joker And The Queen” would be next. This is thanks to easter eggs in his “Overpass Graffiti” music video. During the video, Sheeran appeared to reference his fans, the Sheerios, as “sleuths seeing the signs everywhere.” The singer was also spotted wearing a jacket with a joker and a queen on it and a “Taylor Swift” patch.

Finally, at the 2022 Brit Awards on Feb. 9, Sheeran confirmed he would be dropping a new version of “The Joker And The Queen” with Swift. As fans know, the two have teamed up several times throughout the years. They first collaborated on Swift’s Red single “Everything Has Changed” in 2012 before working together again on her Reputation track “End Game” in 2017 and her Red (Taylor’s Version) vault track “Run” in 2021.

Now, the duo has debuted a remix of “The Joker And The Queen” along with a music video for the song that features Ava Ames and Jack Lewis, who you’ll know as the actors who played younger versions of Swift and Sheeran in their 2013 “Everything Has Changed” music video.

The two are all grown up and getting ready to go to college in the music video for “The Joker And The Queen.” They take a trip down memory lane by looking at old photographs of themselves, which are screenshots from the “Everything Has Changed” music video.

So, what are Swift and Sheeran’s new “The Joker And The Queen” lyrics about? Just like the original, the remix tells a sweet love story about two people that learn to open up and be vulnerable with each other. “I've been played before, if you hadn't guessed / So I kept my cards close to my foolproof vest / But you called my bluff,” Swift sings in the second verse.

The song also mentions how the two lovers don’t care about each other’s wealth or status, and all that matters is that they have each other. “And I know you could fall for a thousand kings / And hearts that would give you a diamond ring,” Sheeran sings in the chorus. “When I fold, you see the best in me / The joker and the queen.”

Check out the full lyrics for “The Joker And The Queen” below via Genius.

Verse 1: Ed Sheeran

How was I to know? It's a crazy thing

I showed you my hand and you still let me win

And who was I to say that this was meant to be?

The road that was broken brought us together

Chorus: Ed Sheeran

And I know you could fall for a thousand kings

And hearts that would give you a diamond ring

When I fold, you see the best in me

The joker and the queen

Verse 2: Taylor Swift & Ed Sheeran

I've been played before, if you hadn't guessed

So I kept my cards close to my foolproof vest

But you called my bluff (But you called my bluff)

And saw through all my tells (And saw through all my tells)

And then you went all in

And we left together

Chorus: Taylor Swift & Ed Sheeran

And I know you think that what makes a king

Is gold, a palace, and diamond rings

When I fold, you see the best in mе

The joker and the queen

[Instrumental Break]

Chorus: Ed Sheeran & Taylor Swift

And I know you could fall for a thousand kings

And hеarts that would give you a diamond ring

When I folded, you saw the best in me

The joker and the queen

The joker and the queen

Sheeran’s = (Equals) album is available to stream on Spotify.