She did it once again ladies and gents. Taylor Swift recently released another musical masterpiece and it’s called ‘folklore’ – her 8th studio album. It is safe to say that I, nor did any of her fans, expect her to drop a new album out of the blue considering her previous album ‘Lover’ hasn’t even been a year old yet. But no one is complaining, that is for sure (I personally screamed with excitement and woke my boyfriend up from a nap so there’s that).
If I had to describe ‘folklore’ in a few words it would be: indie-influenced, nostalgic, haunting and beautifully written. It is the healed version of Taylor Swift (following her Reputation era) that allows us to re-enter her mind but also explore stories of ‘wild imagination, fantasy, history and memory’ (as she describes it herself) by focusing on different characters and perspectives (more on that later).
The album truly gives me a feeling of a fairy tale as every time I think of it, I think of Peter Pan and Tinker bell flying over and leaving fairy dust behind them. Some people, including me, thought ‘folklore’ would be a return to her roots. But it turned out to be quite the opposite. It is a departure to a place she’s never been before and I, for one, welcome this with open hands. So, I decided to share my thoughts with you and explore the album, track by track by giving you my thoughts on each song along with my favourite line/s from each one because if you didn’t know, Taylor Swift is all about leaving Easter eggs and giving lyrics a double meaning. And that’s basically the cherry on top for an English student and a Swiftie like me.
1. the 1
I think this song really sets off the feel for the rest of the album. It starts off with a melody that signifies a possible ballad until the beat kicks in softly and you understand that you are in for a new, thought-provoking and reflective ride. What I found particularly interesting is that the song was written from the perspective of someone else (which was later confirmed by one of her co-writers). This immediately piqued my interest because that meant other songs could also be about different characters and since Taylor’s storytelling is top notch, my excitement level went from 10 to 10,000.
Favourite line(s): And if you never bleed you’re never gonna grow / Roaring twenties, tossing pennies in a pool
2. cardigan
This is most certainly one of my top 5 favourites. It is a lyrical masterpiece. It’s about making mistakes, growing up and learning invaluable lessons. What’s more, this song confirmed my expectation mentioned above – that ‘folklore’ would show the perspectives of different characters by creating a cohesive storyline. ‘Cardigan’ is believed to be one of the three interlinked songs that explore the same ‘Teenage love triangle’ which we get to see from all three people’s perspectives. The characters involved appear to be called James, Betty and Inez and ‘cardigan’ tells the story from Betty’s perspective which is believed to be the girl James cheated on with Inez.
You can just imagine how excited the English student inside me was when listening to these songs trying to find lyrical clues. Great experience. Would highly recommend.
Favourite line(s): You drew stars around my scars / I knew you tried to change the ending Peter losing Wendy
3. the last great american dynasty
This is one of the songs I was most excited to listen to when Taylor released the album tracklist. The name of the song immediately grabbed my attention and I genuinely couldn’t wait to hear it. It turned out to be a complicated story about the people who used to live in Taylor’s house prior to her moving in. Unfortunately it’s not my favourite so far but considering there are dozens of songs left, I can’t complain.
Favourite line(s): They say she was seen on occasion, pacing the rocks, staring out at the midnight sea
4. exile (ft. Bon Iver)
When listening to the album for the first time this was definitely the song that really made me stop and think ‘The previous ones have been good but wow, this is something else’. ‘Exile’ is a soulful, raw and emotional song and it makes you want to be by yourself and peacefully contemplate your life in a cabin in the woods with a cup of tea in your hands. In the best way possible, I promise. On top of that, I have to say that Taylor and Bon’s voices work so incredibly well together. Once they start singing on top of one another you can’t help but get goosebumps and feel involved in the story, feeling every emotion they’re feeling. A beautiful, solid collaboration.
Favourite line(s): I think I’ve seen this film before, and I didn’t like the ending
5. my tears ricochet
One of the most delicate songs Taylor has ever written. Beautiful production and soft vocals. What makes this song even greater however is something that I mentioned in the beginning of this blog post. Namely, Taylor attaching double meanings to lyrics and ‘my tears ricochet’ is the perfect example. Even though the song initially appears to be about a breakup, many believe that this song is actually about the issues she experienced with Big Machine Records (BMR- her record company), which is believed to have taken over ownership of every song Taylor has ever created. This is because Taylor started having ownership over her music only after her 7th studio album, ‘Lover’, which is when she left the record company.
After looking at the lyrics more closely I have to say, this theory does appear to be pretty credible: “I didn’t have it in myself to go with grace, and you’re the hero flying around, saving face”, “You wear the same jewels that I gave you as you bury me”, “Cursing my name, wishing I stayed”, “And when you can’t sleep at night you hear my stolen lullabies” (pretty self-explanatory, that one). But of course, you are free to make your own conclusions.
Favourite line(s): We gather stones, never knowing what they’ll mean- some to throw away, some to make a diamond ring
6. mirrorball
One of my favourite songs from the album. It is hazy and beautiful with such delicate vocals. The song somehow carries a soft glow around it and every time I hear it I imagine a flower garden on an autumn afternoon, right after it has rained. Crisp air and a haze covering the garden with fairy lights visible in the distance. A 90s feel and a quiet murmur of friends chatting in a garden surrounded by flowers and crisp air.
Favourite line(s): You are not like the regulars, the masquerade revellers
7. seven
When I previously described the album as haunting, this is the song I had in mind. Even though it is a song about childhood and memories, it is also very soul-stirring, wistful and nostalgic at the same time. It also accounts for childhood experiences of those children you are not used to hearing about – “And I’ve been meaning to tell you, I think your house is haunted, your dad is always mad and that must be why, and I think you should come live with me, and we can be pirates then you won’t have to cry or hide in the closet”. It is a song that encompasses so much in only 3 minutes 29 seconds – one of them being what the album appears to be all about- “And just like a folk song, our love will be passed on” – namely, passing on the stories of real people, love and experiences.
Favourite line(s): Love you to the Moon and to Saturn
8. august
And so we have come back to the “Teenage love triangle”, this time seeing the story unfold from Inez’s point of view – “So much for summer love and saying “us” ‘Cause you weren’t mine to lose”. Alongside ‘mirrorball’, ‘august’ is one of my top picks from this album. It is a realisation of something that you never wanted to come to terms with and somehow that’s difficult and sorrowful and beautiful. If I had to describe the song itself, it is closest to pop out of any other song on the album. It is upbeat but also despairing at the same time making you feel nostalgic about the month of August even though it hasn’t arrived yet (the album was released in July).
Favourite line(s): Cancelled my plans just in case you’d call, back when I was living for the hope of it all
9. this is me trying
This song carries on the wistful feeling of its predecessors but seems to have an even sinister tone. Taylor outlined a few fictional storylines for the album one being built around the image of “a 17-year-old standing on a porch, learning to apologise.” And somehow this story really does seem to fit the feel of this song- the idea that when you’re a teenager and you make a mistake it really does seem like the end of the world because you haven’t yet experienced anything bigger that is worthy of comparison.
Favourite line(s): You’re a flashback in a film reel on the one screen in my town
10. illicit affairs
A carefully crafted, melancholic, beautiful breakup ballad. This song has growing power and I can confirm it is certainly growing on me too. The storytelling on this track is so strong that it clearly sets Taylor apart from other contemporary songwriters and further proves she is the best songwriter of our generation. Listening to the song and paying particular attention to the lyrics made me think back of her ‘Red’ days and the truly outstanding songwriting that we all saw in ‘All too well’. So yes, ‘illicit affairs’ has power. Real power.
Favourite line(s): Don’t call me “kid,” don’t call me “baby” look at this idiotic fool that you made me
11. invisible string
This song is right there next to ‘mirrorball’ and ‘august’ with my favourite tracks from the album. The acoustic guitar coupled with Taylor’s soft vocals create the perfect rendition of a song filled with Easter eggs and pointers to other tracks by Swift. “Bad was the blood of the song in the cab” seems to be a clear reference to 2015’s ‘Bad blood’ while “One single thread of gold / Tied me to you” feels tightly linked to her description of love in ‘Daylight’ (single from her ‘Lover’ album) and how she sees it wrapped up in a golden colour.
Favourite line(s): Hell was the journey but it brought me heaven
12. mad woman
This is the goth song of ‘folklore’. Just by the name of it, you can imagine the dark undertone of the song supported by Taylor’s clever use of lyrics- “And you’ll poke that bear ’til her claws come out and you find something to wrap your noose around”. It seems like the perfect way to show or represent the negative way the media has been trying to portray her over the years alongside her feud with the Kanye/Kim and of course, the issues with her record company. And although this song didn’t exactly reach my expectations (which were immediately set pretty high when I saw the song title for the first time) I do have to admit that ‘mad woman’ is an excellent way of turning her anger into power for which I can only admire her.
Favourite line(s): What did you think I’d say to that, does a scorpion sting when fighting back?
13. epiphany
This song is quite different to the rest as it makes makes clear references to war – (“Keep your helmet, keep your life, son. Just a flesh wound, here’s your rifle”) as well as the current ongoing pandemic – (“Something med school did not cover- someone’s daughter, someone’s mother holds your hand through plastic now). Therefore, this most certainly makes the song lyrically intriguing and particularly emotional for people that have gone through this. Taylor’s delivery of the lyrics make it hard to hold your tears sometimes, while giving you a new and fresh perspective into topics that most pop starts stay away from, which once again, can only make one admire Swift more.
Favourite line(s): Someone’s daughter, someone’s mother holds your hand through plastic now
14. betty
This is the song that closes the ‘Teenage love triangle” storyline. It is believed to be from the perspective of James, reaching out to Betty and asking for forgiveness. What makes this song even more charming is that it allows diehard Swifties to experience Taylor’s country roots once again after a six years hiatus. It somehow manages to bring back feelings from the ‘Speak now’ and ‘Fearless’ eras, imagining Taylor in her cowboy boots singing her heart out about teenage romance and the inevitable drama that comes along with it.
Favourite line(s): Slept next to her but I dreamt of you all summer long
15. peace
This is probably the one song from the album that I don’t have much to say about as I am not its biggest fan. However, I have to give credit where credit due and say that the songwriting is incredibly raw, honest and touching. There is a gentle guitar riff which makes me think of ‘the Archer’ from her ‘Lover’ album and it somehow gives me a feeling of closure and safety. It captures the fear and apprehension of feeling your loved one slip away, slowly coming to the end of an epic romance you once shared with them.
Favourite line(s): But I’m a fire and I’ll keep your brittle heart warm
16. hoax
I do hope Taylor isn’t going through an agonising breakup and from what other Swifties have discovered (they are basically FBI agents at this point), it’s unlikely that Taylor and Joe have separated. However, ‘hoax’ is so convincing that it makes me emotional and I end up getting goosebumps almost every time I listen to it. She also mentions the public shaming and criticism she had to endure for years during the Reputation era – “You knew it still hurts underneath my scars from when they pulled me apart, but what you did was just as dark.” So yeah, like I said – hurtful and heart-wrenching.
Favourite line: You knew the hero died so what’s the movie for?
Wow, this album has genuinely been a wild emotional rollercoaster for me and I can honestly say it is one of her best records yet. Beautiful, melancholic, dreamy and full of topics to contemplate on.
I hope you like the album just as much, and if not, I hope you’ve at least enjoyed my review on it.
Thank you for reading.
Speak soon,
– Dimi x
DaringWithDimi 