Music and lyrics
"Honey" is three minutes and one second long. [3] It is a country pop [4] and synth-pop ballad [5] with elements of R&B. [6] Its production incorporates a hip-hop and trap beat, [7] and a simple arrangement of bass, clarinet, banjo, flute, [8] [9] cascading piano notes, [10] and a Wurlitzer electronic piano in the background. [11] Rolling Stone's Maya Georgi opined that "Honey" displayed influences from Swift's past albums, including Speak Now on the banjo, 1989 on the hip-hop beat, and Midnights on the Wurlitzer piano. [11] John Wohlmacher of Beats Per Minute described the track as a pop song rooted in country songwriting. [12]
In the lyrics, Swift's narrator recounts that in the past, when someone else called her "honey" or "sweetheart", it was meant to be pet names with malicious intent and made her feel repulsive. [13] However, when her current lover calls her "honey", it makes her feel safe and content. Several media publications interpreted the lyrics to be influenced by Swift's romance with Kelce. [14] [15] [16]
