thoughts on folklore...

July 24, Friday, Taylor Swift decided to drop a surprise album (out of nowhere) called folklore. As expected, your girlie right here freaked out and spent an entire Friday morning waiting for this highly-anticipated album.

folklore did not disappoint. The general public regarded the album as something they've never heard from Taylor Swift before, but as a fan who've memorized all the chords and lyrics to her songs, this was just another but particularly improved side of Taylor's songwriting talent. It's time to bring her genius lyrical ability to the charts.

I've always known that I fell in love with Taylor's lyrics before her personality, and I'm proud of her letting out an entire album solely made and written for the purpose of storytelling. With this, I'm going to break down some of my favorite lyrics from each track and rate each song according to my own personal criteria.

1. the 1 - 8/10

Falling in love with the wrong person and writing about how everything would've been so good if we made it. This track nailed the bittersweet reality of a girl's "what if's".

"You know the greatest films of all time were never made"

"But we were something, don't you think so?

Roaring twenties, tossing pennies in the pool

And if my wishes came true

It would've been you"

"Persist and resist the temptation to ask you

If one thing had been different

Would everything be different today?"

2. cardigan - 8.5/10

Taylor mentioned that there was a trilogy going around some songs and fans believed cardigan is one of them. This was said to be in Betty's perspective about her relationship with James. As the title track goes, this song feels like being wrapped around the arms of your lover's cardigan as the fireflies sparkle the night.

"And when I felt like I was an old cardigan under someone's bed

You put me on and said I was your favorite"

"But I knew you'd linger like a tattoo kiss

I knew you'd haunt all of my what-ifs

The smell of smoke would hang around this long

'Cause I knew everything when I was young"

3. the last great American dynasty - 7.7/10

For everyone's information, Taylor Swift currently owns a mansion in Rhode Island which they called the "Holiday House". This song talks about the story of its previous owner, Rebekah Harkness and how a "middle-class divorcee" ended up in that lavish lifestyle.

"Bill was the heir to the Standard Oil name, and money
And the town said "How did a middle class divorcée do it?"

The wedding was charming, if a little gauche
There's only so far new money goes"

"There goes the maddest woman this town has ever seen

She had a marvelous time ruining everything"

"Rebekah gave up on the Rhode Island set forever

Flew in all the Bitch Pack friends from the city"

4. exile - 9/10

The Last Time (a track from RED) finally had its own brother. Definitely one of my favorite records especially with Bon Iver on it. As a usual Taylor Swift setup, it's from a perspective of lovers who are both leading their love into miscommunication, mistrust, and slowly, into exile.

"You were my town

Now I'm in exile seein' you out

I think I've seen this film before"

"Those eyes add insult to injury"

"I think I've seen this film before

And I didn't like the ending

I'm not your problem anymore

So who am I offending now?"

"So step right out

There is no amount

Of cryin' I can do for you"

5. my tears ricochet - 7/10

[coughs] Scooter [coughs] - JUST LET TAYLOR GET HER OLD RECORDS BACK!

"And if I'm on fire

You'll be made of ashes, too"

"And if I'm dead to you why are you at the wake?

Cursing my name

Wishing I stayed"

"And I still talk to you

When I'm screaming at the sky

And when you can't sleep at night

You hear my stolen lullabies"

6. mirrorball - 8/10

When the song first played, I'm immediately taken into this retro disco bar where I was dancing and pretending to be someone I am not. I've had those days, when I'd try to fit into the lives of friends who don't mirror my real self. But still it was fun trying to be someone else.

"I know they said the end is near

But I'm still on my tallest tiptoes

Spinning in my highest heels, love

Shining just for you"

"I've never been a natural

All I do is try, try, try"

7. seven - 9/10

Your childhood memories and long-lost friends are remembered once again with this song. I had flashbacks of my little friends whom I spent my childhood with. We don't talk anymore nor do we even remember each other's names, but I can still feel all that we did and how fun it was being with them. Nostalgia.

"Sweet tea in the summer

Cross your heart, won't tell no other

And though I can't recall your face

I still got love for you

Your braids like a pattern

Love you to the moon and to Saturn

Passed down like folk songs

The love lasts so long"

"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"

8. august - 9.5/10

Probably one of my top songs. Similarly linked to Getaway Car and Cruel Summer however, it's more of a soft, well-layered track filled with longing for the secret, summer love that was never ours. This is said to be the perspective of the Inez, the other woman between Betty and James.

"And I can see us twisted in bedsheets

August sipped away

Like a bottle of wine

'Cause you were never mine"

"Your back

Beneath the sun

Wishing I could write my name on it"

"Cancel plans just in case you'd call

And say "Meet me behind the mall"

So much for summer love, and saying "Us"

'Cause you weren't mine to lose"

9. this is me trying - 8.3/10

I love how wistful and anxious this track sounds. It's having the imagery of a rainy day, trying to convince someone that I did try all that I could but I'm sorry if it all went wrong. 

"Could've followed my fears all the way down

And maybe I don't quite know what to say

But I'm here in your doorway"

"I was so ahead of the curve, the curve became a sphere"

"Pourin' out my heart to a stranger

But I didn't pour the whiskey"

"It's hard to be anywhere these days

When all I want is you

You're a flashback in a film reel

On the one screen in my town"

10. illicit affairs - 9.1/10

Man, this song captured exactly what it feels like to be in an illegal relationship, consisting of hiding in the woods and trying not to fall harder for the wrong thing. The way this song builds up Taylor's tension and frustration in becoming a slave to an illicit affair.

"Take the road less traveled by

Tell yourself you can always stop

What started in beautiful rooms

Ends with meetings in parking lots"

"And that's the thing about illicit affairs

And clandestine meetings

And stolen stares"

"You showed me colors you know I can't see with anyone else"

11. invisible string - 9.7/10

What I adore with this song was how she played along with the words, comparing each fact to her relationship with Joe Alwyn. Despite having reputation and Lover, I haven't had enough with Taylor's love songs about Joe. Plus, I'm a huge sucker for the concept of 'soulmates' and believing in a string that ties them both since the beginning.

"And isn't it just so pretty to think

All along there was some

Invisible string

Tying you to me?"

"Time

Mystical time

Cutting me open, then healing me fine"

"Hell was the journey but it brought me heaven"

12. mad woman - 6.5/10

This has to be my least favorite since I've heard quite enough of Taylor's bitterness and rage to all her traitors. But nonetheless, the highlight belongs to how women are always blamed for how they react, never with who caused her that reaction.

"And you'll poke that bear till her claws come out
And you find something to wrap your noose around
And there's nothing like a mad woman"

"And women like hunting witches, too
Doing your dirtiest work for you
It's obvious that wanting me dead has really brought you two together"

13. epiphany - 7.7/10

It took me a while to find the beauty in this song, but to more listens, I came to appreciate how it was dedicated to the feeling of grief and loss, especially in hopeless times like where we are now.

"Holds your hand through plastic now
Doc, I think she's crashin' out
And some things you just can't speak about"

"Only twenty minutes to sleep
But you dream of some epiphany
Just one single glimpse of relief
To make some sense of what you've seen"

14. betty - 8.2/10

Reminds me so much of the Fearless era. With the harmonica blended, it made me miss Taylor's country songs. This is the last part of the trilogy under James' perspective. But this made me scream "Leave him, Betty!", it's ridiculous. No, James, you can't have Betty back after hooking up with another woman.

"I'm only seventeen
I don't know anything but I know I miss you"

"Those days turned into nights
Slept next to her but
I dreamt of you all summer long"

"Betty, right now is the last time
I can dream about what happens when you see my face again
The only thing I wanna do
Is make it up to you"

15. peace - 9.3/10

The songwriting here is unbelievable. It's the feeling of questioning if you're enough for someone, convincing them that you can give them anything except for peace, gripping their hands for the fear of losing them. This is Taylor Swift becoming vulnerable in our eyes.

"But I'm a fire and I'll keep your brittle heart warm
If your cascade ocean wave blues come
All these people think love's for show
But I would die for you in secret"

"Would it be enough
If I could never give you peace?"

"Give you the silence that only comes when two people understand each other
Family that I chose now that I see your brother as my brother
Is it enough?"

16. hoax - 9/10

Haunting vocals and piano instrumental. This even made me ask if Taylor and Joe are still together. She was implying the heart-wrenching pain of realizing that someone actually has the capacity to an hurt you that bad and wondering if that love is nothing but a hoax.

"Screaming, "Give me a reason"
Your faithless love's the only hoax
I believe in"

"You knew you won, so what's the point of keeping score?
You knew it still hurts underneath my scars"

"You knew the hero died, so what's the movie for"

Total average score: 8.4

Who would've thought that Taylor would give us a quarantine gift of stories and nostalgia. I can't wait for my physical album copy to arrive!

Also, here's my quick one take on the 1, recorded as I finish this review. <33

the 1 - anne marjorie