"Begin Again" is a song by Taylor Swift about moving on and starting fresh after a painful breakup. The song captures the experience of going on a first date after having your heart broken and the vulnerability that comes with opening yourself up to love again. Taylor Swift described it as being about "when you've gotten through a really bad relationship and you finally dust yourself off and go on that first date after a horrible breakup"
. It is widely speculated that the song references two men in Taylor's life: her brief romance with Conor Kennedy, who helped her move on, and her previous relationship with actor Jake Gyllenhaal, who is believed to be the "ex" mentioned in the song. However, Taylor Swift has never officially confirmed the specific individuals the song is about
. Additionally, "Begin Again" is the closing track on her album Red , paired as a thematic bookend with the opening track "State of Grace," which is about falling in love, while "Begin Again" is about starting over after love has been lost
