#the same 3 people from folklore and evermore

[lovemetsumu]

baby, can’t you see? ; miya atsumu x f!reader

˚₊ ⸝⸝ ⟶ tags: bestfriend!atsumu, sfw, one-sided pining, fluff, unrequited love, hurt, slight(?) angst, slow burn(?), not happy ending (room for part two), lots of unsaid feelings, regret, reader is an airhead, pre-time skip to post-time skip, contains manga spoilers.

˚₊ ⸝⸝ ⟶ word count: 1.5k+

˚₊ ⸝⸝ ⟶ notes: been listening to taylor swift’s folklore and evermore a lot lately that i got so motivated and inspired to write again after three(?) years so this fic is dedicated to her <3

you’ve always seen him as your best friend. you and atsumu go way back to when you were in high school. the two of you were classmates, being coincidentally placed in the same section in your last year at inarizaki. you were sat next to him as you both have surnames starting with the same letter (because, of course, your professor wanted you to be alphabetically arranged), and eventually becoming best friends with him and his circle of friends (mainly his twin brother and suna, and the inarizaki men’s volleyball team).

he always wants you to come along when the group goes out together (with you being a massive lazy person preferring to go home). he’d be dramatic about it. he’ll make that stupid face with a pout, fake-cry, and would plead—beg even, and told you, “how ‘bout this, i’ll go with ya to your house and leave that damned bike of yours, then come ride with me. i have plenty of space here in front for ya, hmm?”, then you think about it.

you didn’t seem to notice how atsumu held his breath in that moment as his nails dug through his palms, raking his brain for lost prayers and thought, ‘please, please, please, say yes.’ atsumu looks at you in suspense waiting for your answer, ‘just this one time,’ he follows. though that’s not true. he’d beg for you to come every single time if he’ll have to.

seconds go by, then a minute or two, and you finally said, “fine, but i don’t want to hear you complaining that you’re tired ‘tsumu.” his grin broke out and his arms were suddenly around you—spinning you—like a scene straight out of a movie. atsumu puts you down and ruffles your hair, “c’mon, what’cha waiting for?” while wearing the brightest smile you’ve ever seen on him.

time flies when you’re having fun, people say, because the sky is dark and stars are out and atsumu told your friends he would bring you home and for them to go on without the both of you. so for now, it’s just you and him riding through the country lanes.

the night is quiet, calming, and serene, neither the two of you talked as you pass the plains of hyogo illuminated under moonlight. you were tired, exhausted, choosing to rest in between his arms as your back pressed against his chest, and atsumu thanks the heavens that you’re tired, because if you weren’t, then you would notice how fast his heart is beating, how his breath trembles, and how his lips slightly quiver—all of that from just being close in proximity with you. so when atsumu finally got home he went straight to his room and laid on his bed. he closed his eyes and hoped, wished, and prayed that he could forever live in that perfect moment in time.

but then you’ve always seen him as your best friend, even now when he’s a pro-player for the MSBY black jackals. atsumu invited you to an after-game party the team would throw when they won, and besides, his teammates were dying to meet the girl atsumu was always talking about.

“ya’ ready to come in?” atsumu asked, waiting for you to nod before he opened the door to bokuto’s penthouse—the host for tonight.

“don’t shake omi-kun’s hand, he’s a germaphobe and would leave you hanging,” he tells you as you both navigated the crowd with his hands placed at your back—not wanting you to get strayed from him. he leans in again towards your ear so that the music wouldn’t drown out his words, “ignore both hinata and bokuto when they’re trying to pull you in to their antics,” he pulls away and you laugh.

“you’re mean ‘tsumu,” you say as you lightly slap his arm.

“i’m serious,” he stated before he finally spots them at the second floor railings above the mezzanine. he guided you up the stairs to where his teammates were and introduces you as his best friend, trying not to frown at the word because it reminded him of his place in your life. though, he knows it’s his fault for being too scared to confess, scared you don’t feel the same, but at same time scared that you like him too because if the two of you ever got in a relationship and break up, he’ll lose you forever, so he continues to choose the path in which you’ll always be with him.

atsumu stayed by your side for the entirety of the party. he would always make sure to include you in the conversations and in the photographs being taken. he’d notice when you were being quiet and would ask if you’re tired and would want to call it a night. you shake your head and smile, and he’d put his arms over your shoulder and pulls you towards him, making sure you’re comfortable and never feeling left out.

and after the party atsumu made sure to bring you home safely to your apartment. he walks you up to your door; the both of you drunkenly laughing in the late hours of the night as you recall highlights of earlier’s event. you reach your steps and he stands right in front of you at your apartment door. atsumu stills for a second, eyes hazy with a lopsided smile, “what?” you ask dragging the word, and he just shakes his head and pulls you in for a tight embrace. atsumu kisses your forehead—like he always does when parting ways with you—and his lips linger a little, breathing you in at the same time. ‘she smells so good’ that’s what he thought. you were filling him in every sense that he almost says those three words, thinking this is the perfect time while you’re there in his arms. but you spoke out, “take care when you drive home ‘tsumu,” so he steps back and smiles, “i will.”

you come inside and close your door just as he starts his car engine. atsumu sighs frustratedly and runs his hands through his hair, wondering when will he ever have the courage to tell you face-to-face, so instead he honked his horn three times before driving—signifying the unsaid words that hang from his lips.

and after all that you’ve always seen him as your best friend. even when he pulls up at your office building post-practice on valentines day. he told you through text that he wants to eat at osamu’s onigiri miya, ‘my treat’, he said and would fetch you after work.

you got in his car and sat at the passenger seat, making yourself comfortable as you greeted him in all smiles, “happy valentines!” you say and he returned your greeting, “yer’ gifts in the console,” he said while driving, and as expected, it was your favorite starbucks drink. he would buy that for you every valentines day since the day you met him, ‘casual gift’, that’s what he always told you. but then he’d buy you a thousand roses if the circumstances were different.

“like clockwork ‘tsumu,” you smiled and kissed him on the cheek, “and that’s my gift for you.”

he lets out a chuckle as an attempt to cover up the change in his tone, how hard his grip was on the steering wheel, how his vision seems to blur, or how everything ceased to exist except for the ghost of your lips on his skin. you do this every damn valentine’s after he gives you your drink. he thought he came prepared, but no, because he realized it’ll always hit him like the first time.

and when he was finally eating osamu’s famous onigiri he steals a look at you, thinking that he wouldn’t spend valentines day any other way, though it will be a million times better if this isn’t just casual.

but something changed that day and it strikes you without warning as you laid in bed—sleep not dawning even when it’s way past twelve. you ask yourself, ‘have i only seen him as my best friend?’ you thought about everything atsumu has ever done for you, how he treats you differently compared to other people, how his eyes light up brighter for you, smiles wider for you, and his mood seems happier for you. his lingering hugs, longing stares, hell, his ‘casual’ gifts holds all the answers.

so now gone are the days when you’ve only seen atsumu as your best friend, eight years after you first met him. you’re in the crowd of his game—japan vs argentina—with atsumu playing for the national olympic team. he’s a monster in court and you’re left blown away for every set or serve that he does, and even with all of that, he never fails to spot you amidst the thousands of people watching him. so when the game was finally over you ran to him and he picked you right up and spun you around—just like when you were back in high school.

“i’m so proud of you ‘tsumu,” you whispered.

“i wouldn’t be here without ya’.”

but you couldn’t prepare yourself for the ache that would come a week after as he introduces you to a girl, “we just started dating,” he said. atsumu has never told you about a girl before and him presenting her before you means that this really might be something. you put up a smile, though it doesn’t reach your eyes—your heart feeling like it’s being ripped a million little times.

‘are we just meant to best friends?’, you ask yourself, wishing you had realized earlier back in time how atsumu felt, silently mourning what the two of you could’ve been.

© lovemetsumu

#atsumu miya #miya atsumu #atsumu x reader #miya atsumu x reader #atsumu miya x reader #atsumu imagines #atsumu x you #atsumu angst #haikyuu fanfiction #haikyuu imagines #haikyuu x reader #haikyuu! #miya atsumu x you #atsumu x female reader #atsumu fic #atsumu fluff #miya atsumu oneshot

[foxes-that-run]

2020 Haylor Timeline

Timeline Tag, or years 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024.

21 January - Andrea treated for brain tumor and chemo

29 January - Harry shoots the watermelon sugar MV in Malibu. The director later says “The production process was fast! We shot in a location in Malibu. It was a private beach at this amazing house. Harry actually owns a watermelon farm in a secret location that we can’t disclose. So the day before the shoot we went with our whole crew, make-up artists, set decorators, focus pullers you name it! We all rolled up our sleeves, got stuck in and did the biggest harvest anyone in the USA has ever seen!”

31 January - Miss Americana documentary released.

2 February - Harry at Glenne Christiaansen's (Jeff's GF) birthday in Los Angeles. Huge whale cake that gets on his face.

14 February - Harry played Two Ghosts on Radio 2, the only time since 2018, anniversary of Style MV release. He also covered Joni Mitchell Big Yellow Taxi.  Taylor also in London for NME awards, Joe goes with her. She says hello to every one there including Matty Healy. Harry is robbed at knifepoint.

18 February - Harry at Brit awards, went to same after party as Kendall

23 February - Harry's Tiny Desk Concert recorded in LA, the Lover CD Is in the background. Taylor was there in October.

24 February - Taylor and Joe in London for his birthday, arrived under umbrellas carrying a dictionary, Ed laughing.

26 February - Harry on today show in colour block cardigan. Xander watches with Jeff rumour he then visited Xander Ritz in phlli.

28 February - Harry's Sirius XM Secret Session for Fine Line. Harry tells a story about wawa with Xander. Seen with Xander in ny

2 March - Harry's last pre-pandemic show is at the Bowery Ballroom. Replaces the Beachwood cafe with Bowery ballroom in falling.

5 March - When Howard Stern asked Harry about marriage his response was "People’s relationships are different now, everyone’s open 👀 and people have different things."

13 March - US Travel ban (except UK), California Shelter in place orders. 17 March UK Travel ban. 16 March Taylor posts asking fans to cancel plans and stay home, shares photo so Meredith

17 March UK travel ban

18 March - Harry driving in La with Xander

27 March - Harry releases “at home with Harry styles” pandemic playlist with Zane Lowe. ‘This will be our year’ is #13, 27 songs. Includes blue nile, later mentioned on TTPD

March - June Taylor and Harry stuck in LA for 3 months. Harry told Zane Lowe he was in LA, stayed home for 6 weeks then booked and went to Shangri-la studio to record. LNT, Daylight, keep driving and Sushi. (24 Mins)

4 April - Harry seen riding a motorcycle beside Kendall Jenner and Fai Khadra.

5 April Harry seen in la and again

17 April - 2020 Lover Fest tour postponed to 2021, later cancelled. Told Zane Folklore started then. Joe IG photo of Benjamin

18 April - Taylor soon you'll get better

29 April - Joe instagram photos

19 May Taylor releases City of Lover

25 May - date Too Much Sauce leak recorded. Still in LA

31 May - Taylor records video in Long Pond about home studio. Joe school thing

9 July - Harry Styles Sleep story

18 July - Harry back in uk, drove to Italy and back he talks about this in the Zane interview. Driving moustache photo in HH CD

20 July folklore announced 17 hours before its release. William Bowery is credited for Exile and Betty. Released on 1D's 10 year anniversary. In the Zane interview, Taylor says they continued working on Evermore.

31 July - Harry driving tractor in Italy

13 August - Harry followed Yan Yan on IG and liked some posts

17 August Harry in Studio in Bath. Recorded Daylight, Sushi, Keep Driving and Late night talking in this period.

3 September - Taylor posts about iHeartAwards from home

? September - Long Pond was recorded with Joe as WB and Tis the Damn Season written, Doretha already written.

11 September, Olivia Wilde met and cast Harry in Don't worry Darling, filming began October.

16 September - Taylor performed Betty in person at ACM awards in Nashville.

18 September Harry in London

22 September - Harry driving in La filming golden

27 September Harry in LA

13 November - Harry on cover of Vogue, after this the Peace ring only appeared occasionally.

12 November Deux Moi posts that a “one direction heartthrob” and “a list singer” used the same private chef

25 November long pond sessions on Disney + Joe announced as William Bowery

26 November Harry returns to la to film DWD, California maybe written here

11 December evermore, taylor’s zane lowe interview, at 49:34 she pauses a lot and struggles to talk about Joe being William Bowery.

19 December Harry jingle ball seems flat

30 December - 7 photos of Joe and Taylor thought to be taken 31 December 2016 hack/leak. Only 7 photos?? She is wearing a pink wig while he shaves.

Continue to 2021

#haylor #Youtube #haylor timeline #2020

[pinkorchidsinspring]

Don’t blame me for what you made me do.

Isn’t it fascinating the almost blantantly jaded breathy pointing she does to us -the audience? The same people that make her money? The same people that keep her at the top?

But we all know we don’t keep Taylor at the top. Taylor keeps Taylor at the top. Taylor hides away the deepest most true parts of herself just so she stays on top. Because her team believed the public would demantle her if she comes out. Or if she even admits that any of her songs are about a woman. Let alone more than one.

Taylor has admitted many times that when she writes songs she knows how they’re gonna be preformed, and she can envision the music video while writing them. Taylor knew she was gonna point directly at the fans during the “don’t blame me” performance, at The Eras Tour- the tour of her past eras, experiences, emotions, and obstacles.

Taylor will go down in the history books, not only as one of the few female artists that has made the switch from country to pop, but as an artist that did everything to make her fans happy. Even if it means sacrificing her happiness in the process.

I mean Taylor even wrote a song about it! In one of her most vulnerable “fantastical” (otherwise known as stories about her real life but she can’t say that) eras. It’s all right in front of us. Evermore brought us some of the most sad break up songs of the sister albums, and happiness is one of them.

I see this for what it is

She sees the relationship for what it is.

But now I'm right down in it, all the years I've given

All the years she’s given? Not lost, she chose to give them up.

Is just shit we're dividin' up

All the hiding and effort means nothing now that it’s over.

Showed you all of my hiding spots

All the places away from the public eye where she could be herself without fear.

I was dancing when the music stopped

She thought everything was fine, and that the partner was perfectly okay with her hiding for her reputation.

And in the disbelief, I can't face reinvention

She can’t face the idea that her partner was so done with her hiding that they left. She cannot find it in herself to do what she did from 1989 to Reputation, or from Lover to Folklore. She can’t simply gloss over the pain she’s in, and not explain why. She cannot go from in love to sad, jaded songs again. She can

barely find it in herself to lie again.

I haven't met the new me yet

She hasn’t met the new her, the single her, the out her. She still hasn’t met the her that Miss Americana was supposed to out.

I can't make it go away by making you a villain

She can’t vilify her partner for not wanting to hide anymore. It’s not fair.

I guess it's the price I paid for seven years in Heaven

Happiness was the last song written for evermore, only a week before it’s release on January 7th, 2021. Most likely started in 2020, and finished New Year’s Eve/day. Written in 2020. 2020 - 7 = 2013

Which supermodel did she meet that year?

And I pulled your body into mine

Every goddamn night, now I get fake niceties

She had her for a while, every single day of those 7 years, and then in this break up era of their relationship in 2020, she only gets surface level attention. The “how are you?”, “What’re you doing right now?”. As if Taylor wasn’t sleeping next to her for 7 years.

No one teaches you what to do

When a good man hurts you

Karlie was a truly good one, but once again Taylor uses “man” instead of the truth.

And you know you hurt him, too

Taylor knows that she hurt karlie, and she just reinforces that by using a male pronoun instead of a female pronoun. By hiding instead of telling the truth.

By keeping the fans and her reputation happy whilst sacrificing her love for this person and in tandem sacrificing her own happiness.

My other song analysis’ if you’re interested <3 they’re not as sad promise :)

#im sorry my posts are so long #i have a point to make #thx for reading #taylor swift #gay icons #gaylor swift #blondie #kaylor #tay tay #gaylor #karlie kloss #happiness #evermore #reputation #lover #1989 #2013 #Spotify #I do think they’re together now tho fs #also I’m so sorry to break your soul w this lyric breakdown #lyrics #lyric debunk #eras tour #the eras tour #Pinkorchidsinspringposts

[taylorrepdetective]

I'm kinda confused about the timeline, was this album supposed to be out before Midnights?

My impression is that the songs were conceived of and written around the same time. But I imagine there also was work done on this album last year. Midnights was mostly done in 2021 based reports from Aaron and Taylor, between early March and December (including at least some of the 3 am edition.) Now Taylor said TTPD is “a secret she’s been keeping for 2 years”, which takes us to early 2022. But 2 years can be approximate. No way to know at this time if there are songs from 2021 and 2022, or more recent additions, but I’d guess definitely more recent additions, post toe breakup. But I think the main concept of the album is supposed to be what was going on in 2021-early 2022, so to me I think it can be looked at a lot like folklore and evermore as sister albums written in the same headspace. One was supposedly “midnights from throughout her life” while this one will be ?? (Probably presented as reality at the time.) Or it could even be like reputation and lover, as two sides of the same coin, with the love songs from midnights being the good times and sad/angry songs being the bad times. I believe TTPD will be presented/interpreted as the slow breakdown of their relationship (while they were getting engaged, spending romantic vacations in Tahiti and Cornwall, having dinner often with many friends in London and nyc, and kissing in the Caribbean, etc.) as foreshadowed in You’re Losing Me. Which, people who actually think about the timeline should use to come to an understanding that there is no way for us to know what goes on in Taylor’s life or even in any relationship outside our own. But instead, they will just become more fervent that they understand it all better now and not learn anything. And there will be some surprises and songs not about love and heartbreak. Meanwhile the true meanings and timings of most of the songs will never actually be known, but those of us who don’t believe the public narrative will come up with our own equally not right fan fictions. Because ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?

[miss-andromeda]

Andi and Don Headcanons

Inspired by the amazing @kikithedreamerwriter! Thank you for the brilliant idea 🩷

----------

(P.S. Andi's face claim is Maddy Kendzior, in case you were wondering who this is 😊)

Note: Most, if not all, of these do not take place in the established universe of the show, this is purely for fun. Most are goofy and chaotic, but regardless, do reflect on their relationship. 

Both Andi and Don are huge fans of Stranger Things - and they often quote lines to each other for the fun of it, like “I am on a curiosity voyage, and I need my paddles to travel,” “You know that means you suck, right?”, “Mornings are for coffee and contemplation,” and calling each other mouthbreathers to make fun of each other. 

That being said, Andi’s favorite characters are Max (she finds it funny that her voice and Max’s are the same - if you know, you know 😌), Eleven (she audibly cheered when she heard “I dump your ass” in season 3,) Robin, Dustin, and Erica 

Donnie’s are Dustin, Nancy (mostly because she reminds him so much of Andi,) Max, Will, and Joyce (he’s a diehard Jopper shipper)

They have clashing music tastes - and will often debate what music is better. Donnie’s tastes are eclectic, ranging from classical music to hip-hop and hard rock. Andi is more focused; she loves indie and alternative pop and rock. They’ll have literal debates analyzing every detail of what they listen to - like the history of the genres, important figures, and how significant it’s been to the musical landscape. More often than not, though, the other boys and April will side with Andi, purely because Donnie’s tastes are so left-field. 

Their relationship is a mix of two different dynamics; the overly sweet couple that makes you wonder if they’re “goals” or are just annoying, and the sarcastic couple that can/will be mean to those around them - except to each other.

Andi’s personality type is ISTJ-T (Turbulent Logistician), while Donnie’s is ISFJ-T (Turbulent Defender)

It’s canon that they’re both extremely intelligent - and while it’s not often, they would sometimes have competitions and debates to see who is smarter. So far, they’re tied in debates (they’ve both won 3 each,) but Donnie is winning in terms of competitions, as he’s won 7 while Andi’s only won 5.

They often do nerdy things like read together and stargaze, but one of their best memories was raising a group of butterflies together - they were named Cornelius, Meredith and Oliver. And yes, both of them teared up when they were let go into the world.

Both of them are not morning people in the slightest. Unless the two of them have their preferred drinks immediately after going into the kitchen (Donnie his cup of coffee and Andi her tea,) they will scowl at anyone who tries to talk to them or groan at any questions asked of them.

(Because it's me,) Donnie would be a casual Swiftie - not a diehard fan, but likes the singles, and some songs off each album (though he absolutely adores folklore and evermore, and seven, the lakes, peace, ivy and coney island (especially when Andi learns the lyrics and duets with him) are his favorite songs.

To follow up, he's converting Andi into a Swiftie as well - her favorite albums at the moment are Red and Midnights, and her favorite songs from each are State of Grace and Paris (though she relates the most to I Almost Do and You're On Your Own, Kid)

They are fiercely protective of each other - and will likely kill anyone who messes with their partner. Andi’s more frequent in resorting to such measures, but when Donnie’s pushed that far, he’s more dangerous.

They have considered hacking into a national database - and threatened to do so on many occasions.

It’s rare that the two of them get into a fight, but on the off chance that it does happen, it’d be quiet, but intense - lots of glaring (mostly from Andi) and teary eyes. One of three instances will happen, depending on who was at fault.

If Andi was the one who was wrong, it’ll take a while for her to apologize - her stubbornness is cranked up to 11 in a fight. But eventually, she’ll trudge over and apologize, putting her arms around Donnie and explaining why she got so upset. 

If Donnie was at fault, he’ll grovel at her feet - begging for her forgiveness and doing everything he can to tell her that he was wrong for hurting her and that he’ll do anything to make it up to her. 

If both of them were at fault, Andi would request that the two of them just stay away from each other, and as much as it would hurt Donnie, he would reluctantly agree. They’d spend upward of a week away from each other - and then when the distance gets to be too much for them, one of them will text the other and whoever received the message will book it to where the other person is - either Andi’s apartment or the lab in the lair. 

Playing off that desperation of seeing each other, they can be quite clingy with each other. Donnie is more clingy naturally, but when Andi goes through something traumatic (which, spoiler alert, will happen in her story…multiple times,) she will cling to him like she’s gonna lose him if she lets go. 

Overall, while their relationship has a smidge of fairy-tale wonder to it, they have an undying love for each other that’s as real as anything - regardless of what (or who) tries to break it.

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Once again, this is just for fun! As always, if you'd like to join my taglist, feel free to message me or send me an ask. Thanks again to @kikithedreamerwriter for the idea - and your permission to do my own list 🩷💜

@tinkabelle19 @m1dnyt3-w0lf @happymoonangel @eveandtheturtles @raphsmuneca @jasminarts01 @thelaundrybitch @android-cap-007

#all's fair in love and science #tmnt 2012 #oc andi rhodes #donatello #headcanons #this is just for fun man

[nefertiti-fooling-fellow]

A Study of Good Omens and Taylor Swift Lyrics

AKA: These are the songs/lyrics from Taylor Swift songs that I connect to Good Omens (in honors of 1989 (Taylor’s Version))!!

1. YOU ARE IN LOVE (1989)

Hands down my favorite Taylor Swift song EVER.

Here are some lyrics that I think fits the Ineffable Spouses:

One look, dark room

Meant just for you

I mean…Aziphale and Crowley having to communicate through glances and touch because they can never really say they truly mean through the ages?

Time moved too fast

You play it back

Crowley literally STOPPING TIME because Aziraphale threatens to stop speaking to him!!! Simp behavior!!

You're my best friend

THEY. ARE. BEST. FRIENDS.

And you understand now why they lost their minds and fought the wars

And why I've spent my whole life tryin' to put it into words

To me, it makes sense that they wouldn’t really have a good grasp of individual love quite yet at the beginning. Angels like Aziraphale are obligated to love ALL of God’s creation, but that’s a very distant kind of love. Crowley, a demon, whose very job description details that pure love is something he cannot feel.

But as they spend more time around humans, they finally realize the quiet companionship they feel around each other is LOVE. They find love in each other, in the simple pleasures of the human world around them.

(Am I reading into this too much?? Who knows! I’m having fun, I hope you’re having fun, let’s continue)

2. Dancing With Our Hands Tied (Reputation)

I loved you in secret

Self-explanatory.

Deep blue, but you painted me golden

I think this line relates to both of them, especially recalling the Job minisode in S2E2. They were both lonely, both struggling with their faith in their respective sides but found common ground and a sense of belonging with each other!!!

I loved you in spite of

Deep fears that the world would divide us

I think this is self-explanatory again but it just needed to be said, such a good lyric.

Yeah, we were dancing

And I had a bad feeling

But we were dancing

This lyric reminds me of their Arrangement. I see a lot of people on here describing the rituals that Aziraphale and Crowley form over the years as an intricate “dance” around one another and I wholeheartedly agree.

Even though they don’t really think of each other as “hereditary enemies” (case in point: “foul fiend! After you,” from Season 1, Aziraphale stopping mid-smiting in S2E2 when he recognizes Crowley, “I trust you,” in S2E4, the Arrangement, etc…) they still dance the same lines of arguing that they are on different sides and therefore inherently different because their hands were tied (metaphorically) by their respective loyalty to Heaven or Hell.

3. Wildest Dreams (1989)

This song feels to me like it’s from Aziraphale’s point of view, if we were to relate it to the Husbands.

Exhibit A:

I thought Heaven can't help me now

Nothing lasts forever

Yeah…sounds familiar?

He's so tall and handsome as hell

I just think that this is how Aziraphale would pine over Crowley in his mind, it’s very…Austen, he would write this in his diary with a glitter pen.

I said, "No one has to know what we do"

Did someone say the Arrangement? Unlikely alliance??? Perchance.

4. Peace (folklore)

If Wildest Dreams is Aziraphale’s pining moment, then Peace is Crowley’s.

All these people think love's for show

But I would die for you in secret

Angels in heaven has no concept of love, they believe Crowley wholeheartedly when he says “you have to wait a few days and see,” and even Crowley himself thinks that love is equivalent to sheltering under the rain and sharing one sweet, perfect kiss.

But that’s not why we, the watchers, recognize that Crowley loves Aziraphale, we see that when he walks through consecrated ground and saves Aziraphale’s book!! Crowley cares!! He would do anything to make sure Aziraphale’s safe!! And that’s love!!

The devil's in the details, but you got a friend in me

THEY. ARE. FRIENDS.

5. Right Where You Left Me (evermore)

Season 2, Episode 6. Yeah.

#good omens #aziraphale #crowley #aziracrow #good omens 2 #ineffable husbands #ineffable divorce #taylor swift #lyrics #this is my longest post ever #this took me like an hour to make #I swear I have hobbies #I’m sure there’s more that I missed #tell me in the replies/tag #some more that I can’t be bothered to analyze rn #this is me trying is Aziraphale #he’s also mirrorball #Crowley is hoax and the archer #they’re also timeless (from the vault)

[sheikitoff]

breath of the wild as evermore

if you’re up on your taylor swift lore, you know folklore and evermore are considered “sister albums” - both written and recorded during the pandemic, released five months apart, with a shared “cinematic universe” of sorts, and both characterized by taylor as getting lost in the woods (artistically) and staying there for a while. all of that is true, but if folklore is a lush forest in summer or high fall, evermore is a forest in late winter - the trees are bare, the world is quieter, and all around are signs of death and decay; yet even still, peeking out from the snow are hints of life returning, of nature in all its persistence gearing up to bloom again.

like MM, BOTW is a game about dealing with the apocalypse, but while in MM that apocalypse is imminent, in BOTW it’s a few generations past, still in living memory for some (like the zora) but for the most part the formative shadow under which the people of the world were raised and which society is just starting to emerge from. (this is a real sidebar, but i’ve always thought MM and BOTW were the zelda games most visibly influenced by ff7; in MM, with the moon hanging over the world, akin to meteor in disc 3; in BOTW, i see the final shot of midgar’s ruins overtaken by nature in every corner of hyrule.) but botw isn’t evermore just because it’s a sister to mm/folklore. evermore is an album of aching grief, not just for things lost but for potentials never realized, for “could-have-beens” that never were, for longing after that which was once in your reach but no longer is; “we could just ride around / and the road not taken looks real good now.” i think the champions’ fates are among the most haunting of any zelda characters; they were all brilliant and talented, in their primes, leaders in their communities, brave and true with full lives ahead of them, and they all died horribly, trapped and alone. whether or not mipha’s feelings for link were requited or not, she’ll never know, and link will never have the chance to respond one way or another; “i guess i’ll never know / and you’ll go on with the show”.

evermore is also an album about figuring out who you are (or are going to be) after a loss: “and in the disbelief / i can’t face reinvention/ i haven’t met the new me yet.” in botw, this theme is prevalent on both an individual and a societal level; link spends the game both learning who he was before and who he is now, through finding old memories and through making new ones, and likewise hyrule is rebuilding itself, trying to figure out what it’s going to become, but that future kingdom hasn’t quite taken shape yet (nor have it’s tears- sorry for the pun, i’ll stop now). “there is happiness / past the blood and bruise / past the curses and cries / beyond the terror in the nightfall.” yet people are relentless in their persistence, their determination to keep going, to create life out of a wasteland of death; and through the tarreytown quests the game makes you a party to this, makes you and link engage with the way humanity refuses to be stamped out. “oh, i can’t / stop you putting roots in my dreamland / my house of stone, your ivy grows / and now i’m covered in you.”

here’s the part where i say, full disclosure: i played BOTW in the weeks before and months after my grandmother’s death, and for me that game is inextricably tied to my grief. on evermore, taylor has a song grieving her grandmother (see “marjorie”, pack tissues). i don’t believe that’s why i think evermore is BOTW, and i think i’ve proven that here, but it’s be naive of me to think there’s no connection going on in my subconscious because of that.

another difference between MM/folklore and BOTW/evermore is in the pacing; even though both albums are roughly the same length, folklore feels very tightly paced, extremely sonically coherent, with one clear central vision. evermore is a bit more meandering, more experimental, more willing to sit in silence and sadness and watch the frozen landscape for a while. it still plays with different characters and fictional storylines (and like in MM, link/the player spends a lot of BOTW in the role of observer), but they’re not as interwoven as those on folklore; likewise, in BOTW the characters are spread far and wide across hyrule instead of largely gathered in clocktown, their lives are far less intertwined, and while the NPCs do all have scheduled trajectories of sorts they’re far less strict or significant than those of MM. (also of note; while in folklore, the “teenage love triangle” of songs - cardigan, august, and betty, each from the point of view of a different character from the same love triangle - has resolution, a degree of closure, and some real catharsis on “betty”, the evermore equivalent, ‘tis the damn season and dorothea, have no resolution or closure or catharsis of any kind. unfulfilled, just like the champions’ lives and potential.)

all of these themes and ideas are also summed up within one BOTW character: zelda. unfulfilled potential is the name of the game with her, as she’s constantly told she’s a failure for her inability to unlock her powers, while also being shut off from all her research, her potential as a scholar and any potential discoveries her passion could have led her to, and any lives that knowledge might have saved. (in age of calamity, we learn that zelda’s research into technology could and would have been able to save at least some lives, but the canon of that game is questionable, and regardless BOTW zelda doesn’t know any of that because it never happened; she’s just left with the possibility that maybe she could have uncovered something, but no certainty.) zelda’s grief goes without saying, as we see her breaking down in flashbacks, and her longing - for her powers, to be a scholar, to not be a princess, to be free of the burden of prophecy - is everywhere. (not to mention, the game opens with link hearing zelda’s voice but unable to reach her; whether you interpret their relationship as romantic or not, the whole game is framed with a longing for something you can’t reach). and the persistence of hyrule in surviving and rebuilding despite the calamity is reflected in zelda’s persistence in holding ganon at bay for a whole century; and, in the “true ending” scene you get for unlocking all the memories, we see her already making plans for hyrule, for where to go next and how to move forward.

there’s a lot more i could say, but i’ll end with the final track of evermore, fittingly named “evermore”, which i think sums up the themes of this game so well: “and i couldn’t be sure / but i had a feeling so peculiar / this pain wouldn’t be for / evermore.”

addendum: ah, crap, i meant to write something about the champion’s abilities as representation for still feeling the presence of loved ones after they’ve passed, and “if i didn’t know better / i’d think you were still around / i know better / but i still feel you all around”… ah well, it’s long enough as it is

#breath of the wild #botw #taylor swift #zelda #evermore #legend of zelda

[whiskeyswifty]

ok yeah re: your tags this is what i figured and i wonder if people keep phrasing it like that On Purpose to pretend midnights isn't a flop or just cause swifties think very strictly in terms of Album Eras (ha). but at the same time i kind of wasn't sure cause i still can't seem to grasp exactly How hard tickets were to get and How expensive they are cause like my brain kind of finds it hard to believe that THAT many people payed THAT much when they weren't fans ? but a good concert is a good concert haha i guess i just don't have the Concert Goer mindset

lmaoooooo i can't imagine midnights has that many diehard fans that they would bother with that kind of retconning. i'd venture to say that that person just didn't really understand how we got here. i just made a little sub-post with this article that details a lot of it really well if you want to be certain that i'm not just talking out my ass lol.

i know it sounds crazy when you look at before and afters like that, but I think you're forgetting that in the lead up to the tour, she had been feeding the content beast for YEARS while subsequently withholding a tour. for good reasons i mean we had a pandemic, but she kept the content faucet going. not just any old content though, content that did several crucial things.

1. folklore/evermore DRASTICALLY broadened her fanbase. everyone on here i'm sure can tell you how they had friends or family who had never cared much for taylor before, but folklore/evermore was a HUGE success, ESPECIALLY among the 30+ crowd at the time. it was incredibly mature, both in it's subject matter but also in it's soundscape and genre, and so she collected that new group of new fans whom she had never been able to reach before. (there are also many twitter threads of these new fans exploring her back catalog for the first time and so i mean there's a spike right there to her old work)

2. the re-releases of both fearless and red reignited the fervor for those albums in fans that might not have been into her more recent stuff. maybe they aged out or they just didn't care for the newer pop-oriented fare, who knows. either way, it turned her into something extremely powerful which is a NOSTALGIA artist, at least in the eyes of these fans turned casual listeners. nostalgia is a powerful drug, so she collected these reanimated fans as well, and then created an ENTIRE tour around that nostalgia.

3. in general, i'm sure you've seen articles and news stories about how concerts are difficult to get tickets to in general post-pandemic, which is not exclusive to her. she has several outside factors but that general fact is true across all the tours we've seen post 2021. people were cooped up in their houses, separated from all the communal aspects of life, even if they didn't like those aspects. going to big public events have become commodities in and of themselves because of the hunger we had for it that we had to bottle for so long, fizzing and building until finally it pops when we enter a stadium again. it's seeing your favorite artist in person, sure, that's part of it, but what's become MORE important post-pandemic is the pilgrimage aspect of assembling with your fellow acolytes and experiencing the euphoria of that communal release. you can take the friendship bracelet phenomenon which is a complete fan invention, born out of this hunger for human connection and interaction among like minded people in a shared space. swifties couldn't WAIT to see other swifties and feel that human community in person for the first time in years. so we can add this factor as well, how by penning us all until we grew ravenous with hunger for human interaction, the pandemic made concert going one of the most gourmet michelin star meals currently available to the human population.

Add this all together, and throw in a new album yes which is in comparison to the other factors a mere bundle of twigs on the now soaring flame. but it counts! it all counts. it's this collective intersection of priming an audience both unintentionally/unwillingly and also verrrry intentionally that caused her ticket demands to be as gargantuan as they were, and still are. it was a genius marketing move, making this tour appealing to every single person who ever liked taylor ever, in combination with her on the upswing in public favor (which we know will have a down swing but we're on the up right now). and it's also subsequently CRAZY to point to midnights as the all encompassing reason for this ladkjakldfjlksdfj. i know the mold is usually to chapterize her life in albums, that's true, but this breaks the mould. even calling this the midnights era is ludicrous. It's the Eras Tour Era if anything, and we will be in it for another YEAR at least. insane to think about.

and as far as having a concert goers mindset, i don't know if i have that either, it takes a lot for me to go to a concert. but on top of ALL of this lead up, she delivers one hell of a show. worth going again if you can, imo.

[potatocrab]

listen, I know I’m not on here a lot but I needed a place to info dump my experience at the Eras Tour so here goes (and many apologies if this isn’t your thing)

OKAY SO I actually live in Arizona (Era-zona) and was stupidly lucky to get tickets to opening night(s) on 3/17 and 3/18; here are my feelings and photos (I guess spoilers if you don’t want to see / hear about the tour) 

my seats on night one were 400 level side stage view so I just vibed and took the majority of my (200+) photos on night 2, where I was sitting in the lower bowl. this is my PSA that if you are going to concerts where you aren’t going to be “at barricade” or front row, invest in a good digital camera. As “good” as iPhones are, nothing will beat a camera with a super-duper zoom, you will leave with photos that look like they were taken from five feet away 

FOR STARTERS, Gayle and Paramore were amazing. I grew up listening to and going to Paramore shows so I was super stoked to see them again IN A STADIUM. Despite what social media might tell you, the crowd was really receptive to Paramore on both nights, and Hayley is a freaking master of the stage 

NOW, MISS TAYLOR put on a THREE HOUR SET and believe me when I say it is a visually stunning, highly produced show. I can’t wait for the BTS to confirm her and her team planned this for years. Her work/effort shows and really cements her place as a PERFORMER in her PRIME. Between the light up bracelets making patterns to specific songs to the light up stage responding to her footsteps to the pre-recorded visuals on the mainstage screen... UGH

an attempt to organize my thoughts / reactions (followed by a photo dump):

the overwhelming realization half-way into cruel summer that I was one of the first (of 70,000 people) to hear it live and would hear so many more newly live songs that evening

THE FACT she had different colored outfits between night one and two made me so excited 

me feeling silly for thinking she’d play different songs from different eras like OF COURSE each era/album gets it’s own mini-set, DUH 

SHOCKED she only played one song off Speak Now (Enchanted)

the songs she chose for evermore? EXCUSE ME? MARJORIE?!! Taylor chose emotional violence by having it on the regular set list; I was speechless 

same for folklore; playing august into illicit affairs? EMOTIONAL DAMAGE

so there’s going to be a ‘surprise song’ played acoustically every night on tour. AWESOME. What does she play night one? MIRRORBALL (we were blessed) 

THEN on night two, realizing it isn’t just the acoustic song that is the surprise song but the piano is too! STATE OF GRACE? - big emotions, especially when she softly said “sing with me” before the bridge

the audience collectively gasping when she DIVES INTO THE STAGE and ‘swims’ back to the main stage?!?!?!

VIGILANTE SHIT CABARET INSPIRED CHAIR DANCE?  

AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION HIGHLIGHTS: 

all too well 10 min : FUCK THE PATRIARCHY 

the man: (when everyone believes you) WHATS THAT LIKE?!

delicate: 123 LETS GO BITCH

champagne problems: WHAT A SHAME SHE’S FUCKED IN THE HEAD

cruel summer: HE LOOKS UP GRINNING LIKE A DEVIL

almost every bridge of every song had the audience scream singing, tbh 

#taylor swift #eras tour #i may never recover from this #eras tour spoilers #long post #long photo post

[succyobsessions]

My Fav MLM Ships + Taylor Swift Songs

1. Harringrove—Steve x Billy (Stranger Things)

False God— Lover

“We were crazy to think

Crazy to think that this could work

Remember how I said I'd die for you?”

“And I can't talk to you when you're like this

Staring out the window like I'm not your favorite town”

“But we might just get away with it

Religion's in your lips

Even if it's a false god

We'd still worship”

“I know heaven's a thing

I go there when you touch me

Honey hell is when I fight with you

But we can patch it up good

Make confessions and we're begging for forgiveness”

“And you can't talk to me when I'm like this

Daring you to leave me just so I can try and scare you”

2. Gallavich—Ian x Mickey (Shameless)

Call It What You Want— Reputation

“Nobody's heard from me for months

I'm doing better than I ever was

'Cause

My baby's fit like a daydream

Walking with his head down

I'm the one he's walking to

So call it what you want, yeah

Call it what you want to”

“All my flowers grew back as thorns

Windows boarded up after the storm

He built a fire just to keep me warm”

“And I know I make the same mistakes every time

Bridges burn, I never learn, at least I did one thing right

I did one thing right

I'm laughing with my lover, making forts under covers

Trust him like a brother, yeah, you know I did one thing right”

3. Philkas—Philip x Lukas (Eyewitness)

Out Of The Woods— 1989

“You took a Polaroid of us

Then discovered

(Then discovered)

The rest of the world was black and white

But we were in screaming color”

“Remember when you hit the brakes too soon?

Twenty stitches in a hospital room

When you started crying, baby, I did too

But when the sun came up, I was looking at you”

“Remember when we couldn't take the heat?

I walked out, I said ‘I'm setting you free’

But the monsters turned out to be just trees

When the sun came up you were looking at me”

4. Evak—Even x Isak (Skam)

Everything Has Changed— Red

“And all I've seen

Since eighteen hours ago

Is green eyes and freckles and your smile

In the back of my mind making me feel like

I just wanna know you better, know you better, know you better now”

“Cause all I know is we said, ‘Hello’

And your eyes look like comin' home

All I know is a simple name

And everything has changed”

“And all my walls

Stood tall painted blue

But I'll take 'em down, take 'em down

And open up the door for you”

5. Ennis x Jack (Brokeback Mountain)

Cowboy Like Me— Evermore

“And you asked me to dance

But I said, ‘Dancing is a dangerous game’

Oh, I thought

This is gonna be one of those things

Now I know

I'm never gonna love again”

“You're a cowboy like me

Never wanted love

Just a fancy car

Now I'm waiting by the phone

Like I'm sitting in an airport bar”

“Now you hang from my lips

Like the Gardens of Babylon

With your boots beneath my bed

Forever is the sweetest con”

6. Tyrus—TJ x Cyrus (Andi Mack)

Ours— Speak Now

“Seems like there's always someone who disapproves

They'll judge it like they know about me and you

And the verdict comes from those with nothing else to do

The jury's out, but my choice is you”

“And it's not theirs to speculate

If it's wrong, and your hands are tough

But they are where mine belong”

“So don't you worry your pretty, little mind

People throw rocks at things that shine

And life makes love look hard”

“The stakes are high, the water's rough

But this love is ours”

7. Merthur—Merlin x Arthur (Merlin)

Seven— Folklore

“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've been meaning to tell you

I think your house is haunted

Your dad is always mad and that must be why”

“And just like a folk song

Our love will be passed on”

“Please picture me

In the weeds

Before I learned civility

I used to scream ferociously

Any time I wanted”

————

Click Here For My Fav Sapphic Ships + Taylor Swift Songs

#saved the best for last #merthur breaks my heart every time #merthur #merlin x arthur #merlin #harringrove #billy x steve #i don’t want to hear it #leave me and my fellow harringrove shippers ALONE #gallavich #ian x mickey #shameless #philkas #lukas x philip #eyewitness #these two also cause me immense pain I love them so much #evak #isak x even #skam #ennis x jack #brokeback mountain #I can’t even think about this fucking movie right now moving on #god bless Taylor Swift for her ridiculously versatile and inventive lyricism #where would fanfic writers be without her #mlm ships #taylor swift lyrics #tyrus #tj x cyrus #andi mack

[texas-hates-taxes-too]

RvB characters and what taylor swift albums I think they'd like

I know people generally don't like TS but I dont care anymore 😭

Carolina: I just really think she would be a Folklore girlie. Although she doesn't quite relate to it, there's something about Seven that makes her want to cry. She listens to Mad Woman on repeat but her actual favourite is Hoax

Church: pretends his favourite is Reputation but really it is Midnights. He's also quite partial to Debut. Favourite song is Karma. He gets really annoyed when he hears people dissing Dear Reader but refuses to say anything.

Wash: everyone expects Wash to like Reputation, but his actual favourite is Speak Now. He has good taste, Speak Now has no skips. His favourite is Better Than Revenge, but he also really likes Innocent

Sarge: OBVIOUSLY his favourite album is Red. He refuses to listen to anything else. The only song from another album he has heard is Maroon and only bc Simmons literally begged him to listen to it

Simmons: 100% evermore fan. He tried to get into folklore too but just wasn't as into it. Favourite song is Tolerate It. No Body, No Crime is also a guilty pleasure

Grif: 1989!! Also really likes Folklore and it lowkey bothers Simmons bc occasionally grif will offhandedly mention the Themes™ and Simmons hates that Grif knows more about something than him. Grifs favorite song is Out of the Woods

Donut: everyone expects his favourite to be Lover but HE is the real reputation girlie. He does love Lover too though. He can't choose a favourite song bc he loves them all equally but maybe if he had to choose? Don't Blame Me

Caboose: Lover boy <3 He isn't actually very good at knowing what album each song is from so if asked he'll just say he likes all of them. It just happens to work out that the ones he listens to the most are Lover songs. His favourite is Its Nice to Have a Friend

Lopez: Debut. No explanation he just likes that one.

Doc: incapable of picking a favourite, he loves all the albums the same

Tex: she never listened to any of the albums after Debut and Fearless. Favourite song is Picture to Burn. She refuses to sing the updated lyrics

Tucker: I almost forgot him. He says he doesn't like any of the albums but really it's bc he's the biggest fan out of all of them and he doesn't want to accidentally admit this so he just pretends to not know any of the songs. Slipped up one time when when carolina caught him humming The Lakes

#rvb #red vs blue #taylor swift #Felix listens to the stolen version of Red and all 27 Anti-Hero remixes

[dontlikeadam]

Folklore

My personal scoring system. 0-10 on how related to Matty and the situation I believe it is. 0= not at all, 10= totally fits

These albums (Folklore and Evermore) were sold to us as being about random stories she made up when she was in lockdown. Just random ideas and plots she had. Some from movies, tv shows, other peoples lives. We later found out they all seemed to be significantly more personal.

The One (8/10)

"I'm doing good, I'm on some new shit" worded as if alluding to new drugs concept

"roaring 20's, tossing pennie's in the pool" They were in their 20's the first round.

"never leaving well enough alone" common saying, also Chevelle song that was sort of emo-adjacent, also just also her never letting this go

"You meet some women on the internet and take her home" him sliding into DM's

"Rose flowing with your chosen family" - drinking wine with his friends

Used on Era's to replace "Invisible String"

--------

Cardigan (10/10)

The main song. The one she mouthed is about Matty.

"When you're young they assume you know nothing" people thinking you know nothing about love, or anything when you are young- as they were

"But I knew you, dancing in your Levi's, drunk under the street light" Matty had a street light in his show.

"Sensual politics" - The 1975's "hyper sexualized political tryst?"

"Stepping on the last train. Marked me like a bloodstain"

"A friend to all is a friend to none" a note about him keeping only a few close friends instead of a lot of friends?

"Chase-two girls, lose the one"

"But I knew you playing hide-and-seek and giving me your weekends" playing games

"I knew you tried to change the ending, Peter losing Wendy" Peter Pan and and her song Peter

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

"The smell of smoke would hang around this long"

"I knew you'd miss me once the thrill expired and you'd be standing in my front porch light"

-------

The Last Great American Dynasty (4/10)

Plot is technically about Rebekah and the Rhode Island House that Taylor owns.

The train link with "Rebekah rode up on the afternoon train, it was sunny"

"The doctor had told him to settle down" Matty and his multiple theatrics on being sick.

"Free of women with madness and their men and bad habits, and then it was bought by me" Another women with madness and boys with bad habits.

---------

Exile (feat. Bon Iver) (5/10)

William Bowery (Joe Alwyn? written song. Controversy on its own.

A personal favorite song. About an old partner, who has moved on and you keep running into them.

Always watching each other, always almost ready to fight for each other.

"Second, third an hundredth chances. Those eyes at insult to injury"

"You were my crown, now I'm in exile see you out" Reference to his and her crowns or just that he was her king.

"You never gave a warning sign, I gave so many signs"

"I think I've seen this film before, and I didn't like the ending"

-----

My Tears Ricochet (5/10)

Another favorite of mine. Song is just loaded with amazing metaphors for a relationship gone wrong. Nothing overtly linked to Matty. Supposed to be related to her old label and getting her songs back.

"Cause I loved you, I swear I loved you, till my dying day"

"I didn't have it in my self to go with grace"

"And If I'm dead to you, why are you at the wake, cursing my name, wishing I'd stay, look at how my tears ricochet"

"We gather stones, never knowing what they mean, some to throw, some to make a diamond ring"

"And I can go anywhere I want, just not home" I'm free now, but I don't have you (my home)

"You had to kill me, but it killed you just the same"

-----

Mirrorball (3/10)

Possibly a song about her trying to be whatever her fans want her to be. She wants to lead the circus. She wants to make sure her fans are still entertained, no matter what she has to portray.

"I can change everything about me to fit in"

"I'm still trying everything to get you to laugh at me"

"I've never been a natural, All I do is try, try, try, I'm still on that trapeze"

"I'm still trying everything, to keep you looking at me"

-----

Seven (4/10)

Seven was sort of portrayed as one of the characters in her little story line for this album. Sort of a younger/ teen character.

"I was high in the sky, with Pennsylvania under me" her being from PA, but also Matty mentioning PA in his speech during tour, possibly alluding to Taylor.

"and though I can't recall your face, I still have love for you"

"Your braids like a pattern" - braids reference

----

August (7/10)

As a surprise song on tour, played with Getaway Car and The Other Side of The Door.

Another character thought to be in the plot of the album. Young/ teen.

Oddly just feel like it's fits Matty/ an on again off again relationship that feels like young love.

"I can see us lost in the memory, august slipped away to a moment in time"

"I can see us twisted in bed sheets, August slipped away, like a bottle of wine, cause you were never mine".

"Your back, beneath the sun, wishing I could write my name on it"

"I remember thinking I had you"

"Back when we were still changing for the better, wanting was enough, for me it was enough, to live for the hope of it all"

"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"

--------

"This is Me Trying" (7/10)

Always assumed to be Matty. In her explanation she had said its written from the perspective of someone struggling with addiction and how hard that could be. Could also be about Taylor if she does have an issue with alcohol as she alluded to on TTPD. That was not something we were aware of. We also do not any past of her going to therapy, I believe she has actually denied it.

"I just wanted you to know, that this is me trying"

"They told me all my cages were mental, so I got wasted like all my potential"

"and my words shoot to kill when I'm mad, I have a lot of regrets about that"

"pouring out my heart to a stranger, but I didn't pour the whisky"

"Its hard to be anywhere these days, when all I want is you"

"You're a flashback on a film reel, on the one screen in my town, and I just wanted you to know, that this is me trying"

---------

Illicit Affairs (9/10)

About a VERY secret affair.

"Take the road less travelled by" poetry reference

"What started in beautiful rooms, ends with meetings in parking lots"

"leave the perfume on the shelf, that you picked out just for him. So you leave no trace behind, like you don't even exist"

"take the words for what they are, a dwindling mercurial high. A drug that only worked, the first few hundreds time"

"You showed me colors you know I can't see with anyone else" possibly back to the reference to blue.

"You taught me a secret language that I can't speak with anyone else, and you know damn well, I would ruin myself a million little times"

--------

Invisible Sting (1/10)

Joe - details of him working at the yogurt shop. The Lakes.

The song she switched out for The 1 on Era's tour after the breakup was announced.

"Time. Wonderous time. Gave me the blues and then, purple-pink skies" Blue could be referring back to Matty to stick to the blue theme

---------

Mad Woman (1/10)

Overall just about how people do not like mad women, even if they caused her to lash out.

"The master of spin, has a couple side flings, good wives always know"

-------

Epiphany (0/10)

Led to believe it is about her grandfather. Being medical, a dong that gets me every time. I hardly can ever listen to it.

"something med-school did not cover. Someone's daughter, Someone's mother, holds your hand through plastic now. Doc I think she's crashing out, and some things you just can't speak about"

"Just a single glimpse of relief to make some sense of what you've seen"

--------

Betty (8/10)

Always thought to be another young character in the plot. One of the young lovers.

Summer fling. Young love. Star-crossed lovers.

Now seems very Matty coded. Which is weird, because it's a William Bowery written song. Which is an entire controversy of its own, regarding if that is Joe Alwyn or multiple people.

"Betty one time I was riding on my skateboard when I passed your house, it's like I couldn't breathe"

"The worst thing that I ever did, was what I did to you"

"I was walking home on broken cobblestones, just thinking of you when she pulled up. Like a figment of my worst intentions, She said 'James, get in, let's drive" Having him stolen right away from you in front of your eyes.

"Slept next to her, but I dreamt of you all summer long"

"Will you kiss me on the porch in front of all your stupid friends?" Question? and kissing in front of his friends?

"Will it be just like I dreamed it? Will I patch your broken wings?"

"Standing in your cardigan" Cardigan

"Stopped at a streetlight, you know I miss you" referring back to the street light in The 1?

Peace (6/10):

Overall a song about her level of fame, and the fact that being with her is so hard. She has spoken at length on this song. Always assumed to be about Joe. Now I am just confused.

"Our coming of age has come and gone"

"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"

"The devils in the details, but you got a friend in me. Would it be enough if, I could never give you peace".

"I talk shit with my friends, it's like I'm wasting your honor"

"Swing with you for the fences, sit with you in the trenched. Give you my wild, give you a child. 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" - Joe had two brothers. Matty obviously has one.

"But there's ROBBERS to the East. Clowns to the West"

Hoax: (7/10)

"My only one. My smoking gun, My eclipsed sun. This has broken me down"

"Your faithless love's the only hoax I believe in" being with other people during the entire back and forth.

"You know I left a part of me back in New York. You knew the hero died, so what's the movie for?" NYC reference, movie plot.

"Dont want no other shade of BLUE, but you. No other sadness in the world would do"

"My best laid plan, you sleight of hand" She has everything planned out, he has tricks and deception that keep messing it up.

"I am ash to your fire" She keeps getting burned

The Lakes (Deluxe Version)

Sang in Chicago right before the break up.

Always thought to be Joe.

"I'm not cut our for all these cynical clones, these hunters with cell phones. Take me to the Lakes where all the poets went to die. I don't belong and, my beloved neither do you"

"Those Windermere peaks look like a perfect place to cry. I'm setting off, but not without my muse"

"What should be over, Burrowed under my skin. IN heart' stopping waves of hurt"

"With my calamitous love and insurmountable grief" always feeling like her love is about to die?

#taylor swift #matty healy

[chuuuvi]

Alright I’ve avoided saying anything about the new Taylor album but I think I’ve spent enough time thinking about it now to give my opinion. As a lifelong fan of her music TTPD has been the weirdest experience of any album of hers for me.

First listen was just basic front to back while doing some nonograms and my immediate thought was that this is the worst thing she’s ever released. Like I for real had to take a break to go listen to some 1989 to double check that I don’t just dislike her music as a whole now. (False alarm 1989 is still one of my favorite albums of all time). I spent some time trying to figure out what wasn’t working for me. Most obvious was that the songs feel really dull and samey? They aren’t fun pop songs but they also aren’t the beautiful folksy ballads of folklore/evermore. They felt like they went on forever but also didn’t go anywhere.

All that to say that I was really fucking bored. Thats not enough to make me give up on an album though. I made that mistake with folklore and I wasn’t about to do it again. (I found folklore kind of dull at first listen and just wrote it off as “not for me” before coming back months later and finding a real appreciation for it) What was more concerning is the writing though. I had already seen people joking about the lyrics on this album before I listened and yeah it’s not great. It feels at times like someone doing a parody of Taylor Swift’s writing style. Some of these lyrics are undeniably cringe and thats coming from someone who can withstand a lot of cringe. It’s truly bizarre to listen to because I do think she’s a talented songwriter and she has proved that in past projects but it rarely shines through here.

I was feeling really negative about this album and overall just kind of bummed out that we got a new album from literally my most listened to artist of all time and I didn’t enjoy it with the exception of like 3 songs: Down Bad, Clara Bow, and, the immediate standout for me, I Look In People’s Windows. Heres where things take a turn though. I get a call from my dad (shout out to him! He’s the best ever and I love him) and he was telling me that he listened to the album and wanted to share our thoughts. In case you’re interested his favorites are Fortnight and So High School. I felt kind of bad because I wanted to be excited but I couldn’t give him more than lukewarm opinions on anything.

He then asked me if I could explain to him what certain songs were about with my swiftie knowledge and that kind of perked me up because I realized that I hadn’t done an in depth look into the lyrics yet. I had only listened to it very passively. I basically told him that and said I’d get on it and I could answer any questions he had the next time he called. So with that I went headfirst into listen number 2! I was ready to go with genius lyrics open, taking notes, checking twitter and tumblr and googling stuff. I built a case for my interpretation of every song to present to my dad. And the thing is I was having an absolute blast. It was a complete turnaround from my depressing first listen. I felt like a detective and I spent almost all night on this. I went to work the next day on like 4 hours of sleep but I felt nothing but pure joy and excitement.

I had to ask myself though.. is this a good way to engage with music? Is it possible to say you enjoyed a piece of art if you can only find that enjoyment through picking apart the personal life of the artist? The fun I’m getting from this isn’t the fun I feel when listening to good music it’s the fun I feel from watching reality tv. I mean yes I also have felt the same satisfaction from other Taylor Swift albums but it’s a secondary feeling. Like for example my favorite song of hers is All Too Well 10 Minute Version. I think that song being autobiographical gives it a lot of power but I think it would still be a masterpiece if the whole story was entirely unrelated to Taylor’s real personal life. On the other hand I think most of the songs The Tortured Poets Department would be entirely uninteresting to me if it wasn’t for the clues into her personal life and feelings.

And that brings us to my subsequent listens. This has just been me listening to it in my regular life. In the car, at work when I was away from the counter doing some pricing, at home doing laundry, etc. I haven’t been able to feel the joy I felt during my deep dive into the lyrics again but I also haven’t felt the misery of my first listen either. Theres still more skips than the average TS album but a lot of the songs have grown on me especially after going in depth into the lyrics. The cringe lyrics are immediately obvious but after going line by line like I did I realized that theres still plenty of lyrics that feel like the old Taylor Swift I’ve loved for so long. After all the emotional ups and downs I’ve landed at a fairly neutral position. It’s not a very good album as a whole but I’ve made my peace with that. It’s not as bad as some people are saying it is either. In the end I’m moving my favorites to a playlist and the rest I will not be going out of my way to listen to again. If you are considering listening to TTPD and haven’t yet.. you would probably have a better time with one of her other albums instead. I’d recommend 1989!

#cyn talking #music review #taylor swift #sorry swifties I promise I’m one of you

[ohdorothea]

Hey so ages ago I re-ranked my favourite songs from Midnights and evermore and did a little write up for each album alongside that! (I have also tagged those posts and this with #album rankings so they are all in one place) Then I got distracted and forgot to continue to do the other Taylor albums like I had planned but I finally got round to doing folklore so here is my current ranking and some more thoughts under the cut <3

folklore ranking

1. hoax

2. my tears ricochet

3. the 1

4. exile

5. seven

6. cardigan

7. august

8. this is me trying

9. illicit affairs

10. peace

11. betty

12. mirrorball

13. epiphany

14. mad woman

15. the last great american dynasty

16. the lakes

17. invisible string

Folklore!!!! It’s one of the richest and most fascinating Taylor albums in my opinion. I have talked about this a lot but I’m so interested in the way Taylor presents/markets her albums and I am particularly obsessed with the contradictions between how she sells her work vs what the content of the work says. She announced folklore as her first entirely fictional album, you know, like a liar (affectionate).

Honestly when I think of folklore now I always think of ‘I want to tell this story without having to be in it’ thanks to this wonderful web weave by @youmeetyourself . I really think that line sums up what folklore is to me. It also brings me back to Debut, where a lot of the work was very inspired by other peoples stories/fictional stories, and I love how both albums use storytelling as a way of processing big emotions.

Ranking folklore is always really difficult because the quality is so so high, it becomes more about my personal favourites rather than quality. Hoax is my number 1 for life I think, it’s one of my favourite Taylor songs in general. I love how it communicates so much with so little. I also am forever fascinated by the connection between hoax and the 1, how they were written the same day and bookend the album so perfectly.

When I first listened one of the things that first stood out to me was that it’s the first Taylor album to end tragically, in darkness, in the midst of grief. Every other album (in my opinion) ends with either hopefulness for the future or joy in the present, or both! Whereas hoax as the closer for folklore is pretty fucking bleak. There is no joy or even hope, just a resigned desperation to stay in a situation (or with a person?) that has caused her immense pain, but she doesn’t want anything else, so she stays.

And then the deluxe album ending with the lakes is also so sad to me. I totally understand the interpretation of it being a romantic song but for me it’s a song about death and depression and hopelessness. It pay be in a prettier package than hoax but for me both songs are dealing with really difficult emotions that don’t resolve by the the end of the songs.

#album rankings #kelly says things

[tillidontneedfantasy]

A Track-by-Track Breakdown of Taylor Swift’s 10th Studio Album: ‘Midnights’

You would expect by the time a pop star has spent over 15 years in the spotlight that they would run out of steam. But on her 10th studio album, Midnights, Taylor Swift is as energized as ever. Even more impressive, the debut numbers are the biggest of her career yet, landing on a whopping 1.578 million, 1.1 million of those in pure album sales alone. These first week numbers are even larger than that of 1989, which is a huge feat.

Many pieces factor into success like what we’re seeing in this case. One is Swift’s exceptional marketing skills. Her dedicated fans will come out in droves to purchase her art, and the mysterious buzz that centered around the album intrigued the public to tune in. The star’s highly acclaimed releases of folklore (2021’s album of the year) and evermore (a 2022 album of the year nominee) during the pandemic certainly brought in a ton of new fans who perhaps overlooked her sharp lyricism before. But Taylor wants you to know that despite her magical stay in the forest and woodlands, she is in fact still bejeweled, and ready to remind everyone how much her shine still shimmers as a pop titan.

Presented as a loose concept album, Midnights centers on 13 sleepless nights throughout Taylor’s life (plus 7 songs on the “3am edition” that also fit the theme). Surely as she has been re-recording her albums as Taylor’s Versions, old feelings and memories have come to the surface that she is revisiting from a new perspective. Midnights still showcases Swift’s unmatched lyrical ability while taking us on a Jack Antonoff led synth journey.

1. Lavender Haze “All they keep asking me is if I’m gonna be your bride,” Swift laments on the opening track “Lavender Haze.” Which is funny because she spent 2019’s Lover with a bridge of wedding vows and a song about marrying her boyfriend of 6 years now, actor Joe Alwyn, with paper rings. But it is also an astute observation on how the world sees women, as she rejects “the 1950s shit they want from me.” She doesn’t want to follow anyone else’s wishes or timelines, or answer anyone’s questions, she just wants to stay staring at the ceiling with her partner, immersed in the lavender haze (a saying she caught from an episode of Mad Men). She knows that’s where she’s safest, because she’s “damned if I do give a damn what people say.” As an opening track, it delivers sonically and melodically, even in its smaller moments (the little “yeah oh yeah”s in the pre chorus are addictive), it’s a grand number.  Best lyric: “I’m damned if I do give a damn what people say.”

2. Maroon The title track of Swift’s project Red is placed at track two. So it’s no surprise that Swift placed a song with red shade as its title in the same spot. “Maroon” details all the little scarlet moments throughout the ups and downs of a relationship, some examples including wine, hickeys, the sky, and rust. The first verse shows the relationship at its peak, “laughing with my feet in your lap, like you were my closest friend,” and the second verse juxtaposes it with its breakdown, “sobbing with your head in your hands, ain’t that the way shit always ends?” The final chorus on the track holds some of Taylor’s most interesting (and sensual) vocal delivery to date, her lower register extremely impressive and underrated. Best lyric: “The rust that grew between telephones.”

3. Anti-Hero Do you remember in 2012 when everyone and their father would make jokes that Taylor Swift should write a song called “Maybe I’m The Problem” as a response to her breakup songs? Well, ten years later, she gave them something very close to what they asked. “It’s me. Hi. I’m the problem, it’s me,” she sings in the chorus of the lead single “Anti-Hero” (though not released prior to the album), which Swift claims to be one of her favorite songs she’s ever written. On folklore and evermore, Taylor sang about mental health struggles without explicitly saying that she was the subject of those songs. However, here, it is clearly autobiographical without question. As a fan, to hear her so blatantly say “my depression” in a song was both jarring and relatable. The track lays out her intrusive thoughts about herself, her maladaptive behaviors, ignoring people or pushing loved ones away instead of letting them in. While she sings “I’ll stare directly at the sun, but never in the mirror,” the song shows how much her music is safe haven for her to sneak a glance at her reflection.  Best lyric: “Did you hear my covert narcissism I disguise as altruism, like some kind of congressman?”

4. Snow On The Beach (ft. Lana Del Rey) The dreamy “Snow On The Beach” is a romantic love ballad in which Swift is mesmerized by the fact that the person she wants actually wants her back. She can’t quite believe their love, and she’s afraid if she speaks of it, she’ll find out it was an illusion all along. Throughout Swift’s music, and especially in this song, she uses light to describe her partner, singing “I’ve never seen someone lit from within, blurring out my periphery.” While Lana Del Rey, someone Swift hails as one of her musical idols, mostly singing background vocals might seem like an odd choice, just like seeing snow on the beach, it’s “weird, but fucking beautiful.” Best lyric: “Flying in a dream, stars by the pocketful.”

5. You’re On Your Own, Kid “You’re On Your Own, Kid” is a journey through Swift’s life and career thus far. The song starts by detailing an unrequited love, which leads her to writing songs in her room and playing them in the parking lot, eventually running away and pursuing her dream of becoming a star. And although her dreams aren’t rare, her success surely is. But even at the height of her success, no longer sitting by herself at the lunch table at junior high, she still found herself alone. “I hosted parties and starved my body, like I’d be saved by a perfect kiss / The jokes weren’t funny, I took the money, my friends from home don’t know what to say.” She was degraded by the public and degraded herself. And just as things got better, her life’s work that she put her blood, sweat, and tears into was sold out from under her. But the Taylor’s Versions have been able to give her some solace, “Everything you lose is a step you take.” She ends the song on a hopeful note, reminding herself that she doesn’t have to be afraid; she’s always been on her own and she’s always made it through, and she always will. And the listener can resonate too. We’re all truly on our own at the end of the day, but we’ve gotten this far; we can keep going. Best lyric: “I hosted parties and starved my body, like I’d be saved by a perfect kiss.”

6. Midnight Rain On “Midnight Rain,” Taylor highlights the differences between the life she could’ve had and the life she pursued. “He wanted it comfortable, I wanted that pain / he wanted a bride, I was making my own name,” she (and a distorted voice) sings in the chorus. That life of a small-town girl is far away now, and not one she ever truly wanted, but one she sometimes sneaks a peak at through postcards and time portals and wonders what it might be like. Similar to “Lavender Haze,” this track establishes Swift’s aversion to societal standards, and her embracement of constantly changing and evolving, as evident through her music and career to date. It’s a real catchy ear worm, and after a few listens you really learn to love that voice distortion. Best lyric: “He wanted it comfortable, I wanted that pain.”

7. Question…? While Taylor leaves many hints as to what or who some of her songs might be about, “Question…?” Has one of her most obvious clues to date, as the song starts with a sampling of her song “Out of the Woods” from 1989, a song famously known to be about her relationship with Harry Styles. Not only is there the sample, but also lyrical parallels. “The rest of the world was black and white / but we were in screaming color,” she sings on “Out of the Woods.” On “Question…?” She says, “I don’t remember who I was before you painted all my nights a color I’ve searched for since.” One could assume while going back and rerecording 1989, she may have reflected on the relationship, with questions popping up. While it seems as if Swift knows the answers to these questions already, she still wants to ask them and get the confirmation and closure she’s searching for, a very relatable feeling. Just like in life, though, she doesn’t get any explicit answers in the song, but maybe she doesn’t need them anymore, anyway. Best lyric: “Does it feel like everything’s just like second best after that meteor strike?”

8. Vigilante Shit When listing the things that kept Taylor up at night, serving as inspiration for this album, one thing she cites is plotting revenge. In the revenge fantasy “Vigilante Shit,” Swift tips off the FBI about her enemy (presumably Sc**ter Br**n) and his “white collar crimes,” and assists his ex-wife in winning their divorce. “I don’t start shit, but I can tell you how it ends,” she croons. Which, historically, is true. Swift has rarely been the instigator of a feud or fight, but when she’s targeted, she comes back on top every time. After all, karma is her boyfriend. Best lyric: “Ladies always rise above, ladies know what people want / someone sweet, and kind, and fun / the lady simply had enough.”

9. Bejeweled “Bejeweled” is an exciting and fun pop song about letting go of the people and things that drag you down and allowing yourself to shimmer again. We can surmise that “Bejeweled” represents a night during a dead-end relationship where she finally prioritized herself again and learned she can still shine on her own right. In a radio interview, Swift said that “Bejeweled” mirrored her re-entrance into the pop landscape after her folk escapades, and that she had to pump herself back up into believing that she could still do it. The track itself proves that Swift stills rules without competition. Best lyric: “And when I meet the band, they ask, ‘Do you have a man?’ I could still say, ‘I don’t remember.’”

10. Labyrinth One of the few ballads on the standard edition, “Labyrinth” tracks Taylor’s thought process as she realizes she’s falling in love again, despite all of her fears after being burned in the past. She laments her pain and acknowledges her worries. The progression from “uh oh,” to “oh no,” to “oh,” before the line “I’m falling in love,” shows her trepidation turned to acceptance, due to the length’s this person would go to just to make her smile. While there are some synth sounds that seem slightly out of place, overall it is a song anyone who is learning to open up their hearts after being hurt can relate to. Best lyric: “Break up, break free, break through, break down.”

11. Karma “Ask me why so many fade, but I’m still here,” she sings on “Karma.” The answer? One could be her incredible talent and hard work ethic. But an additional answer is because her and karma vibe like that. In this catchy pop hit, Taylor reaps the rewards of staying true to who she is while karma takes down her enemies who never keep their side of the street clean. She knows karma is on her side, and she can relax trusting that it’ll do its thing. And so far, it has served her well. In the most Taylor Swift™ fashion of all time, she compares karma to a cat purring in her lap because it loves her. And it is! It does! Best lyric: “Karma’s a relaxing thought / aren’t you envious that for you it’s not?”

12. Sweet Nothing Co-penned by William Bowery aka Joe Alwyn, “Sweet Nothing” is a love song from Swift to Alwyn. She discusses all the negative things going on around her and the way people push and shove to get a piece of her, while her partner is just in the kitchen humming, asking nothing of her, just loving her as she is. We get a brief peak into their dynamic in the truly sweet lyric, “On the way home, I wrote a poem / you say, ‘what a mind,’ this happens all the time.” To be loved for your mind rather than your status is a gift for someone like Swift. I’m sure the poems are lovely. Best lyric: “Outside, they’re push and shoving, you’re in the kitchen humming / all that you ever wanted from me was sweet nothing.”

13. Mastermind A word that has been weaponized against Taylor over the years is “calculated.” On “Mastermind,” the standard edition’s closing track, she owns the claim, singing, “I’m only cryptic and Machiavellian cuz I care.” “Mastermind” is Taylor’s confession to her partner that she masterminded their entire relationship from the first night he saw her. She confides in him in one of her most personal lyrics yet, singing, “No one wanted to play with me as a little kid / so I've been scheming like a criminal ever since / to make them love me and make it seem effortless.” She thought no one could love her unless she tricked them into it. But upon her confession, his smile proves her wrong, because he knew the entire time that she thought she was masterminding their relationship, but in reality he went along with it because he wanted her too, schemes and all. She finally found her effortless love. Best lyric: “No one wanted to play with me as a little kid / so I've been scheming like a criminal ever since / to make them love me and make it seem effortless.”

3am Tracks

14. The Great War On the first 3am track, Taylor teams back up with her other folklore & evermore collaborator, Aaron Dessner of The National. “The Great War” seems to be about a fight in a relationship, and Swift’s difficulty bouncing back from it. She lays out her lack of trust from past relationships and how that has interfered with reconciliation efforts, as she sings, “And maybe it’s the past that’s talking, screaming from a crypt / telling me to punish you for things you never did.” But despite some of these maladaptive behaviors, her partner still reached for her hand, trying to make things right. And they did it, they survived, and that survival brought back her faith.  Best lyric: “You drew up some good faith treaties / I drew curtains closed, drank my poison all alone.”

15. Bigger Than The Whole Sky “Bigger Than The Whole Sky” is a song about loss. Although the loss of exactly what is unclear, the grief is palpable. She searches for what might have caused such a tragedy, wondering if she was at fault. There are so many questions in grief to which we never receive answers. This song has resonated with many fans online, relating it to their own personal experiences of miscarriages, deaths, and pet losses.  Best lyric: “Every single thing I touch becomes sick with sadness.”

16. Paris In this fun pop song, Taylor compares the view of her partner to that of the city of Paris. She’s so in love that she might stop breathing, that she doesn't care about her friends’ gossip or what’s on the news. She’s transported into a world of romance where nothing else matters, where alleyways appear and cheap wine tastes like champagne. It’s the excitement of completely falling into someone as the rest of the world fades away. Best lyric: “I wanna brainwash you into loving me forever.”

17. High Infidelity “High Infidelity” is an intriguing track, produced by Aaron Dessner, about the end of an unhappy relationship. We can presume that she is referring to her ex, the DJ known as Calvin Harris, her previous long-term boyfriend before meeting her current partner, with lyrics like “put on your records and regret me” and “put on your headphones and burn my city.” In the song, Swift is implying that there was some type of infidelity, whether physical or emotional only is not quite clear, but either way she admits, “I bent the truth too far tonight,” and asks, “do I really have to tell you how he brought me back to life?” But she didn’t think it would matter much to him, and is surprised by his sense of betrayal and hurt, but not particularly remorseful. Best lyric: “You know there’s many different ways that you can kill the one you love / the slowest way is never loving them enough.”

18. Glitch Another Antonoff produced track written alongside Sam Dew and Mark Anthony Spears, “Glitch,” is one of the sexier tracks on the album. The concept is that Taylor can’t quite fathom how this love of hers has worked out for 2,190 days (that’s 6 years, if you didn’t know) and counting when all she’s been used to is situation-ships and dudes who give nothing. So if it’s lasted this long, it’s gotta be a glitch in the system, right? Best lyric: “And I’m not even sorry / nights are so starry, blood moonlit.”

19. Would’ve Could’ve Should’ve While “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve” is arguably one of the best tracks on all of Midnights, everything Swift does is for a reason. When you listen to the song, it becomes quite evident why she put it at track 19. “And I damn sure never would’ve danced with the devil at 19,” she sings. As an avid fan, you immediately hear the echoing of the best song on her third album Speak Now, “Dear John,” which has the lyric, “don’t you think 19’s too young to be played by your dark twisted games when I loved you so?” And it becomes clear what she’s discussing: the power dynamic in her relationship when she was 19 with John Mayer, who was 32 at the time (Swift’s current age). One could assume rerecording Speak Now (which Swift has highly hinted at being the next rerelease) brought up some old feelings. “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve,” is a powerful track filled with intense regret. She describes him as a “promising grown man,” putting a spin on the monicker often given in defense of younger men who abuse women. She likens the relationship to religion: “you’re a crisis of my faith,” “all I used to do was pray,” “gone along with the righteous.” This was a man that she idolized, and the fall from his pedestal crushed her in irreparable ways. “Give me back my girlhood, it was mine first,” she pleads with a heart wrenching ache in her voice. It’s hard to listen to this song without feeling pain for her, especially as she ups the octave for the outro, making the regret feel more urgent, more palpable. Best lyric: “God rest my soul, I miss who I used to be / the tomb won’t close, stained-glass windows in my mind / I regret you all the time.”

20. Dear Reader The 3am edition closing track is “Dear Reader,” a letter to her listeners. She gives advice about avoiding traps, starting over, keeping secrets, and aiming for the devil. But she also gives the caveat, “Never take advice from someone who’s falling apart,” supposedly referring to herself. But the best advice comes from those who have fallen, who have experience, who feel a range of emotions quite like Swift does. That’s why she is so popular; because people can relate to her words and they keep them close to their hearts. “You should find another guiding light,” she suggests. But this sign can’t stop me because I can’t read! Best lyric: “You don’t have to answer just cuz they asked you.”

Target Deluxe Edition

Hits Different The Target Deluxe Edition exclusive song “Hits Different” marks the return of Swift, Dessner, and Antonoff all together. The song feels very vintage Swift, almost like it could’ve been a recent “From The Vault” track. “Hits Different” is about a breakup that is much harder to get over than any other she’s experienced. She hears their song everywhere, she stops receiving invitations because she can’t stop slurring his name when she’s out with friends, she cries over a hat. She’s so far gone in this breakup that she thinks people are coming to take her away. Anyone who has experienced a tough breakup could probably find a lyric in this song to which they can relate. But even without being able to relate, it’s a fun, funny, enjoyable track served as a nice treat for loyal fans who actually go out and buy CDs these days. Best lyric: “I pictured you with other girls, in love / then threw up on the street.”

---

In conclusion, 16 years into her career, you best believe Taylor Swift is definitely still bejeweled, and on Midnights she shimmers more than she ever has, even when touching on long-gone relationships and peering into old wounds, being more vulnerable than she has on projects past. Each album and era seems like her peak, yet she continues to outdo herself in multiple ways. With more Taylor’s Versions on the horizon, hopefully Swift will continue to gain inspiration in various ways as a result of revisiting her old work. But if she doesn’t, we know she’s always got some tricks up her sleeve.

DISCLAIMER - REVIEWER’S BIAS: Taylor Swift is the mother I never had, she is the sister everybody would want, she is the friend that everybody deserves. I don’t know a better person.

#midnights #album review #taylor swift #lavender haze #maroon #anti-hero #snow on the beach #lana del rey #you're on your own kid #yoyok #midnight rain #question...? #question #vigilante shit #bejeweled #labyrinth #karma #sweet nothing #mastermind #the great war #bigger than the whole sky #paris #high infidelity #glitch #would've could've should've #wouldve couldve shouldve #dear reader #hits different

[cosettepontmercys]

So I noticed how she changed her profile pic in the morning and thought it was mostly nothing. I didn't really keep up with the website codes or Red herring or anything and thought the only thing that would happen is an outfit hinting at rep...which was mostly true. I never thought she would announce anything at the Grammys! I was happy to see her win the category and when she announced it..I was really shocked and confused?Lol I mean..new album? Instead of rep? The title that was longer than most of her album names? Then the announcement/photo prologue she posted. It might have been more shocking than Midnights but that time I was so shocked I cried lol. I don't think it was more shocking..it just left me like what??? I honestly don't know how I feel about the album title or aesthetics yet but I think it could match my earlier prediction of a mix between Folklore and Red with maybe Midnights. If she is performing it on tour, I think it will be more acoustic and that would fit with a breakup album. I think it fit that a little bit but then it still feels like Folklore to me. It also reminds me of Dead Poets Society lol and I've seen other theories on the theme and choosing her career as a poet. But then there is the other side that says it's black and white like Rep and will be the other side of that with like the anger and revenge side. That's not what I thought at all so now i don't know! I guess the cover leaned into that how it only shows half of her face like 1989 or rep but i'm not crazy about the cover either..like it didn't fit with the title at all. However I guess I would love a mix of all three since rep red and folklore are my fav albums. What do you think? I hope you have a great week! 🩷

i was actually at powerpoint night with some friends and my phone started blowing up so i went and looked and i was shocked that there was a new album. — i'm putting my thoughts under the cut! 🤍

i've been seeing a lot of non-swifties criticize her for announcing it at the grammys, since the grammys is a black tie event / a more ~ professional ~ one, and every video i see of the crowd is a little 😵‍💫 . i think there were some things about the grammys that i've seen that just make me feel a bit 😵‍💫 about that entire night. like her pulling up lana on stage, and the way she interacted with boygenius... i just feel a bit 😵‍💫 overall haha.

i've saw something about how it's labeled as synth-pop, which is interesting, since it doesn't match the album art at all, but was talking to friends about how the same thing happened with midnights (labeled as rock originally, marketed as a 70s aesthetic) and how evermore was originally also labeled as synth-pop. so i guess that doesn't really matter.

i think it might sound a bit like midnights 3 am + folklore / evermore, but i feel like taylor always manages to surprise me in terms of sound / lyrics ! have you seen the theory about how rep was more black than white, and this is like the opposite? i'm surprised she dropped the track list so early — i guess to build anticipation? i like the album cover and the album art at the back, and i'm curious about the "i love you, it's ruining my life" line and what that's a song lyric from!

i don't really know how i feel about this album; i keep alternating between being excited and also just being annoyed at all the ~ swiftie discourse ~ i've been seeing and how a lot of people seem determined to perform a public autopsy on her relationship with joe alwyn. which just ... makes me feel weird? like obviously taylor's a singer/songwriter that draws on a lot of her personal experiences! that's normal! but also the way swifties talk about joe is just ... a bit odd, in my opinion! like we're taylor fans, i get it, we don't want taylor to be upset, etc. but i also think that the way people talk about joe like he's the worst person on earth is a bit weird when his biggest crime (as far as i know) is ... getting complacent in a relationship? like when jake gyllennhaal and john mayer are ... right there? i just ... sigh!

i think i'm most excited for the songs: clara bow, the alchemy, the manuscript, i can do it with a broken heart, but daddy i love him, and so long london though! what about you?

#post: answered #🩷 anon