'You're on Your Own, Kid' is a Jess Mariano Song

I am convinced that when writing the song “You're on Your Own, Kid” Taylor Swift was sitting on her couch drinking coffee and watching Gilmore Girls, let me show you why.

Taylor Swift’s newest album Midnights is the journey of life put into words. There are moments of both depression and euphoria intertwined in such a way that listeners may flow seamlessly between each track. The song “You're on Your Own, Kid” is a song that describes Jess Mariano’s character in an accepting and reflective way. Taylor does this while both inhabiting and empathizing with Jess’s character.

Jess Mariano is one of Rory Gilmore’s many love interests. He represents two contradicting stereotypes at once. Jess outwardly expresses the characteristics of the motorbike-riding, black-clothes-wearing, gel-haired, “bad boy” we so often saw around the turn of the century in American tv such as Danny Zuko (Grease, 1978) and John Bender (The Breakfast Club, 1985). This is evident throughout the series as he moves through life with a cold sarcastic tone, disrespecting all authority figures. On the other hand, Jess’s literary intelligence and the comfort he is seen to find in books may also be reminiscent of the “loner”, bookworm characters also portrayed in American television towards the end of the 1900s and the beginning of the 2000s; for example, Charlie Kelmeckis (The Perks of Being a Wallflower, 2012) or Noah Calhoun (The Notebook, 2004). All these characters have one thing in common; something they lost or something they are sad about.

In the song “You're on Your Own, Kid”, the third and fourth lines are:

“I wait patiently, he’s gonna notice me

It’s okay, we’re the best of friends, anyway”

The idea that Jess and Rory are destined for each other is highlighted throughout the series. When Jess Mariano first meets Rory Gilmore [season 2, ep 5 [25:14]], she offers him the book Howl and other poems- by Allen Ginsberg. At the end of the same episode [season 2, ep 5 [42:30]], Jess runs into Rory and proceeds to give her the books she offered to him now annotated personally by Jess. This is one of the first moments in which we see the relationship between Jess and Rory blossom, the book plays a key role in their relationship as it is a very personal shared interest. At this time, Rory is in a relationship with Dean Forester and for that reason, Jess and Rory cannot be together, therefore, he “[waits] patiently” in the hope that “[she’s] gonna notice [him]”. They then become “best friends” even though there is still obvious chemistry between them.

Furthermore, Taylor states:

“I didn't choose this town, I dream of getting out

There’s just one who could make me stay”

The first of these two lines describe a common theme in Jess’s character. Jess “didn’t choose this town” but instead was forced to live in Star’s Hallow with his uncle due to both his father not being present and his mother being unfit to look after him. The town of star’s hallow revolves around the idea of a quaint and quirky American hamlet. Some may say that the town is overly idealistic or homely and this is one of the reasons that Jess “dream[s] of getting out”.

That being said, “there’s just one who could make [him] stay” and that “one” is Rory Gilmore. For instance, we see the evident dislike that Jess shows for all town events held by the community of star’s hallow, however, Jess shows up to both the basket auction and the dance marathon. In the basket auction, Jess made sure to win the date with Rory [season 2, ep 13 [9:09]] and in the dance marathon he tried his best to dance with her. These are just two examples of how Rory is the only thing making Jess stay in Star’s Hallow.

There are even references that could be made to specific moments in Jess’s life which were portrayed in Gilmore Girls. In [season 3, ep 5 [38:40]] Rory calls Jess to help her shut off the sprinkler system. This moment is important as it shows that Jess would always be the person who was there for Rory and that Jess would always be the first person that Rory would call. In the song “You're on Your Own, Kid” the eleventh line goes, “from sprinkler splashes...”. This is just one of the specific references made. Another is when Jess searches for the party for Rory [season]. He wades through crowds calling out for her just for her to tell him to leave when they finally meet. This is illustrated in the thirteenth and fourteenth lines:

“I searched the party [...]

Just to learn that you never cared”

Moreover, there are hints dropped along the lines of the song such as “I gave my blood, sweat, and tears for this” in line 29. These lyrics describe the deeper part of Jess Mariano’s character and how he feels and loves so strongly. His love for Rory was always so deep, even up until the last couple of minutes of “A Year In The Life”. He gave her everything but still they did not end up together.

Line 31, “Like I'd be saved by a perfect kiss” could represent the first kiss that Jess shared with Rory and how he thought that that could be the beginning of something but it was not. The perfect kiss never really saved him from the sadness he felt in Star’s Hallow or the sadness he felt about various aspects of his life including his family's situation.

Line 37, “Everything you lose is a step you take” is a summary of the many times when Jess’s losses actually benefited him. For instance, his mother practically leaving him allowed him to meet Rory in Star’s Hallow, and Jess had to make money all by himself without help allowed him to pursue his dream of becoming a writer.

Taking all this into consideration the most important part of the song is the chorus,

“You're on Your Own, Kid You always have been”

Jess was always on his own, to a certain extent, from the moment he was born. His father was never a part of his life even when Jess asked him for help at one of his most desperate times of need []. This absence from Jess’s life may even have been part of the reason for his cold exterior, a wall he put up to stop himself from getting hurt. We then see Jess leave Stars Hallow after letting down the two people looking out for him, Rory and Luke Danes. When he comes back, he tries his hardest to get things back to how they were but Rory is gone and so he becomes hopeless. In the final moment of the spin-off “A Year in the Life”. We see Jess looking through the window at Rory and her husband. He walks off with a rucksack of his belongings trying to find the place he belongs. At that moment we see how no matter what, Jess will always be on his own, no matter how hard he tries.

Jess was treated like a villain by everyone even after he was forced to leave his home at 17 because no one wanted him anymore. That is, everyone except for Rory, but after a while, even she left him. He has always been on his own and will forever continue to be. “You're on Your Own, Kid”, is not just a song about everyone who has ever been abandoned, it is a song both about and sang by Jess Mariano and the struggles that only he went through. Jess Mariano, sorry to say, you’re on your own, kid.