Taylor Swift & Sabrina Carpenter’s “The Life Of A Showgirl” Lyrics, Explained

Taylor Swift has embraced being a showgirl, for better or worse. On Oct. 3, the singer released her 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, which reunites her with collaborators Max Martin and Shellback for a rumination on fame, love, and her career. Nowhere is this clearer than on the title track, which features her friend and Eras Tour opening act, Sabrina Carpenter.

In “The Life of a Showgirl,” Swift tells the story of a showgirl named Kitty, who was constantly underestimated by critics but made a fan out of her. “They gave her the keys to this city, then they said she didn’t do it legitly,” she sings. (Yes, she made “legitly” a word.) But when she meets Kitty at the stage door, she receives a stern warning about what lies beyond the onstage glitz and glamour.

“The more you play, the more that you pay,” she sings on the chorus. “You’re softer than a kitten, so, you don’t know the life of a showgirl, babe, and you’re never gonna wanna.”

Carpenter comes in on the second half to tell Kitty’s backstory, imbued with some of her signature cheeky humor (aimed at men, of course). But at the end of her verse, in a Swiftian twist, Carpenter reveals herself to be a showgirl who followed in Kitty’s footsteps and has already seen the dark side of fame. “But that’s not what showgirls get,” she sings. “They leave us for dead.”

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Swift centers the narrative back on herself in the bridge, trading horror stories with Carpenter as she learns what it takes to be a showgirl. “I’m married to the hustle,” she sings. “Now I know the life of a showgirl, babe, and I’ll never know another.” And unlike her mentor Kitty, she has no regrets. “Wouldn’t have it any other way,” she concludes. “Thank you for the lovely bouquet.”

Taylor & Sabrina’s “The Life Of A Showgirl” Lyrics

Read the full lyrics to Swift and Carpenter’s collaboration below.

Her name was Kitty

Made her money being pretty and witty

They gave her the keys to this city

Then they said she didn’t do it legitly

I bought a ticket

She’s dancing in her garters and fishnets

50 in the cast, zero missteps

Looking back, I guess it was kismet

I waited by the stage door

Packed in with the autograph hounds

Barking her name

Then glowing like the end of a cigarette

Wow, she came out

I said, “You’re living my dream”

Then she said to me

Hey, thank you for the lovely bouquet

You’re sweeter than a peach

But you don’t know the life of a showgirl, babe

And you’re never, ever gonna

Wait, the more you play, the more that you pay

You’re softer than a kitten so

You don’t know the life of a showgirl, babe

And you’re never gonna wanna

She was a menace

The baby of the family in Lenox

Her father whored around like all men did

Her mother took pills and played tennis

So she waited by the stage door

As the club promoter arrived

She said, “I’d sell my soul to have a taste of a magnificent life,

that’s all mine”

But that’s not what showgirls get

They leave us for dead

Hey, thank you for the lovely bouquet

You’re sweeter than a peach

But you don’t know the life of a showgirl, babe

And you’re never, ever gonna

Wait, the more you play, the more that you pay

You’re softer than a kitten so

You don’t know the life of a showgirl, babe

And you’re never gonna wanna

I took her pearls of wisdom

Hung them from my neck

I paid my dues with every bruise

I knew what to expect

You wanna take a skate on the ice inside my veins

They ripped me off like false lashes

And then threw me away

And all of the headshots on the walls

Of the dance hall are of the bitches

Who wish I’d hurry up and die

But, I’m immortal now, baby dolls

I couldn’t if I tried, so I say

Thank you for the lovely bouquet

I’m married to the hustle

And now I know the life of a showgirl, babe

And I’ll never know another

I am hidden by the lipstick and lace

Sequins are forever and now I know the life of a showgirl, babe

Wouldn’t have it any other way

Thank you for the lovely bouquet

Hey Kitty

Now I make my money being pretty and witty

Thank you for the lovely bouquet

Thank you for an unforgettable night

We will see you next time

Give it up for the band, and the dancers

And of course, Sabrina

I love you, Taylor

That’s our show, we love you so much

Goodnight!