Taylor Swift remains deeply charmed by the memory of Jeff Lang. Following the release of the "Blank Space" singer's latest album, *The Life of a Showgirl*, fans have been abuzz with theories about whom "Ruin the Friendship"—a poignant track where she laments not expressing her true feelings for a childhood friend before his untimely passing—might be about. Now, Susan Lang, Jeff's mother, has come forward to share her belief that the song is a tribute to her late son.
"They were incredibly close friends," Susan recounted to *The Tennessean* in an interview published on October 10. "That kind of bond is rare these days. They spent a lot of time at her house, always laughing and joking with each other." Susan went on to express her profound gratitude and emotion at the thought that Taylor had penned a song in Jeff's honor. According to *The Express Tribune*, Jeff's obituary revealed that he passed away suddenly at the age of 21 on November 2, 2010, just days after the release of Taylor's album *Speak Now*. "After all this time, she hasn't forgotten him," Susan reflected. "I'm thankful she's keeping his memory alive."
In the heartfelt song, Taylor sings about the regret of not kissing someone when she had the opportunity in high school, only to later learn through her best friend, Abigail Anderson, that the friend had died. The lyrics poignantly capture her sentiments: "And it was not convenient, no / But your girlfriend was away / Should’ve kissed you anyway, hey," she sings. "When I left school, I lost track of you / Abigail called me with the bad news / Goodbye, and we’ll never know why." The 35-year-old artist then alludes to attending the subject's funeral, singing, "It was not convenient, no, / But I whispered at the grave / ‘Should’ve kissed you anyway.’"
This isn't the first time Taylor has publicly acknowledged her bond with Jeff. The Grammy winner paid tribute to him while accepting the Songwriter of the Year award at the 2010 BMI Country Awards, just days after attending his funeral. "It's been a really emotional week for me," she shared at the time. "Yesterday, I sang at the funeral of one of my best friends. He was 21, and I used to play my songs for him first. So, I would like to thank Jeff Lang."
