What an album! It is super obvious that Taylor Swift has really found her voice on this! This was the first album that I noticed had an E for explicit lyrics warning on it. I found out why in the first line of the first song. But then came ‘mad woman’ and I am not o.k., lol!
Here are my thoughts on each song, with the lyrics that stood out to me:
*I noticed that all the song titles were lowercase. Interesting.
1: the 1–First line, “I’m doing good, I’m on some new shit.” Ok! “And if you never bleed, you’re never gonna grow”, “In my defense, I have none”. Very chill vibe to this, very ‘it is what it is’.
2: cardigan—Comparing herself to a sweater, interesting! Kind of R & B and bluesy sounding. Chill vibe to this one too ,very adult and mature sounding, poetic lines, “…like a tattoo kiss”.
3: the last great american dynasty—gauche? Bitch Pack friends? Oh my! Story of a woman ruining a man, I love it! It was her! No fucks given! That’s awesome! **I read the book and who this song is really about, so she didn’t ruin the man but started living a truly adventurous life once her husband died.
4: exile (feat. Bon Iver)—His voice is first, interesting, 2 different perspectives, “You’re not my homeland anymore”
5: my tears ricochet—Oooh! “And if I’m dead to you, why are you at the wake?” Damn! “You know I didn’t want to have to haunt you” What is the word I’m looking for for this?! Just, damn! “You had to kill me, but it killed you…” Dark, but deep! Song #5 yo! (**The book says this is about her masters getting sold).
6: mirrorball—What end? Is he dying? Or are “they” saying her career is ending soon? Did they give up criticizing her and hating her and yet she’s still here doing her thing? (**Absolutely wrong! Lol! This is about the lockdown and being different versions of yourself to different people).
**I am SO not getting the meaning on a lot of these the first time, but I will definitely appreciate them more on the second listen.
7: seven—Aw, she peaked at 7, innocence of childhood, very folksy in the beginning. Oh… a friend in a bad home. Tragic turn to this. “Scream ferociously”, adults need to do that. Childhood best friend. Heartbreaking and sweet all at the same time.
8: august—A summer fling, romance? This is kind of like “Strawberry Wine”, but a little bit more mature, the crescendo, “To live for the hope of it all” (**Second song in the ‘cardigan’ trilogy).
9: this is me trying— I like the title already. “All of my cages were mental”. Damn! Does she regret things she’s said and done? I kind of like it. Very relatable.
10: illicit affairs—Oh! What is this one?! I don’t think this is literally about an affair. “A dwindling mercurial high” Wow! What does ‘mercurial’ even mean? “Don’t call me kid” What is this really about?! To the book! (**It really was just about an affair and was totally made up).
11: invisible string—Wait! I read something, some comments about this song. She was connecting it to someone and she referenced it or something and people disagreed with her. “Bad was the blood…” At least I recognize what that refers to. “American singer”—London again? Joe Alwyn? “Cold was the steel of my axe to bring” Oh wow! “Hell was the journey, but it brought me heaven”. I like the ‘invisible string’ concept.
12: mad woman—All I’m sayin’ is, THIS is the song. The anger I felt after what that one person did and said to me. I’m SO angry, or was. These are all the things I want to say to her, ESPECIALLY “fuck you forever”. The claws coming out, I have a voice now and goddamn I’m going to use it.
There was a very jaw-dropping reaction as I listened:
13: epiphany—Like church music almost. About D-Day? Veterans don’t talk about it, always wanted to write a poem about Vietnam for my Vietnam vet dad. Did it transition to a suicide attempt? (**I forgot this came out during Covid. This was about what the doctors went through during that time). Very powerful lyrics and matching music, POV of doctor, heartbreaking. Heart beat sound at the end.
14: betty—Ok I read about this being the 3rd song in the story trilogy on here, showing remorse, different tone to the F-bomb in this one, switch to his perspective in the middle (**Actually, it was from his perspective the whole time). Trying to make it right with her.
15: peace—She’ll give her best to him but she comes with baggage, “Would it be enough”.
16: hoax—“Screaming ‘give me a reason’”. She knows he’s deceitful but she still loves him and holds him despite her heartbreak (**The book says it’s about a variety of different circumstances).
17: the lakes (bonus track)—I read the book before I listened. “What are my words worth?” (Play on the poet’s name). “I don’t belong”—I want to do this too! Go somewhere out alone and way from everything and just live my life quietly.
I really liked this one. This is why I wanted to listen to the albums in chronological order. I wanted to hear how her music evolves and this one is definitely the next step in her evolution. I’m eager to see what the last three are like. Do they continue in this style? Or are they totally different? On to Evermore…
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