To say this album, 1989, is the best thing Taylor Swift’s ever created would be a complete understatement. No matter your opinion on her personal life—we get it, she goes on a lot of dates—this album will impress you. It is so radically different from the “typical Taylor Swift,”,and proves her versatility and worth in the music industry. After listening to each song over and over (as one does), we were able to articulate the lesson to be learned from the lyrics of each of the 13 (of course) tracks. Congrats, Tay… you’ve slayed us, again.
1. “Welcome To New York” – Inspiration is all around.
What better way is there to start a new chapter than to move to a new city? Tay clearly saw the truth in this, and found inspiration in our home city, New York. Granted, she’s in a penthouse in Tribeca and we’re in dorms in the Bronx but hey—it could be worse. This song reminds us to seek inspiration in this incredible city; because in the end, we all came here to find something more. Let’s take a page from Taylor’s book on this one and enjoy the craziness that is NYC, no matter what borough! Welcome to New York, Tay! xoxo, the BX.
Favorite lyric(s): “It’s a new soundtrack, I could dance to this beat forevermore”
2. “Blank Space” – Live in the moment.
Blank Space is basically Taylor’s way of bringing #YOLO back, in a way only she can. It taught us to live without fear of the future, and to take advantage of every opportunity being young gives us. Taylor may be the queen of dating in the mind of the media, but she’s right. No matter how low the low is when it ends, the high you get from love is what makes it all worth it.
Favorite lyric(s): “Screaming, crying, perfect storms” & “Cause we’re young and we’re reckless, we’ll take this way too far” & “You can tell me when it’s over if the high was worth the pain”
3.”Style” – Love never goes out of style.
Besides the fact that we learned we could love Harry Styles more than we already did… “Style” taught us that love is always in fashion. Taylor characterizes Harry (come on…it’s obvious) in a way no fan fiction ever could. She talks about the things that she wears that he likes – more jealous of Tay than ever TBH. Anyways, we are always a sucker for T Swift songs about people we are already familiar with, and this one is no exception. It taught us that when love is good, it’s not a fad, it’s in it for the long run.
Favorite lyric(s): “You got that James Dean, daydream look in your eye”
4.”Out Of The Woods” – If you love something, let it go.
Behind the incredible beat of “Out Of The Woods” is a lesson I think we can all relate to—knowing when to let go. It taught us that we can look back fondly on experiences without wanting to go back. It also taught us that letting go can be freeing, and it doesn’t have to be a tragic end.
Favorite lyric(s): “I walked out, I said, ‘I’m setting you free'”
5. “All You Had To Do Was Stay”- Know when to draw the line.
Yet again, behind another bumpin’ beat is the fifth lesson Queen T taught us on 1989. In “All You Had To Do Was Stay”, Taylor taught us not to let someone continuously break you and put you back together, all because they can’t decide what they want. When you get involved with someone who is noncommittal, you have put yourself first, and not allow yourself to be a pawn in their game.
Favorite lyric(s): “Then why’d you have to go and lock me out when I let you in? Stay, hey, now you want it, but now it’s just too late”
6. “Shake It Off” – Don’t let others define you.
Whether its being played on a jukebox in a bar in the Bronx (true story), or on radio stations across the nation, “Shake It Off” is undoubtedly one of Taylor’s most relatable songs EVER. Basically, Tay Tay is telling us to forget the haters and define ourselves. No matter what people say about you, you just gotta shake it off and keep doin’ you. Semi-unrelated side note… It’s got one of the most killer rap sections in pop music, #JustSayin.
Favorite lyric(s): “But I keep cruisin’, can’t stop, won’t stop grooving” & “You coulda been getting down… to THIS. SICK. BEAT.” (We are though, Taylor.)
7.”I Wish You Would” – Be straightforward with people you care about.
Unsaid feelings are the worst kind of feelings, and can lead to a lot of unnecessary confusion. In “I Wish You Would,” Taylor taught us to never leave things with unsaid feelings, and to not assume how someone in your life is feeling. You can never be sure unless everything is put out there, so be honest!
Favorite lyric(s): “I wish you would come back, I wish I never hung up the phone like I did”
8. “Bad Blood” – Backstabbers gon’ stab, stab, stab… (Was that corny??? #WWTSD)
“Bad Blood” is easily one of the standouts on 1989 because of how insanely different it is from anything Taylor’s ever done. It taught us not to do people wrong, and if someone does you wrong, let them reap the guilt. Whether it’s a guy or a girlfriend, don’t let people walk all over you, and let them deal with their own conscience if you decide to not forgive them.
Favorite lyric(s): “Band-aids don’t fix bullet holes, you say sorry just for show” & “If you love like that, blood runs cold”
9.”Wildest Dreams” – If things are ending, let them.
With this one, Taylor talks about the end of a relationship, not in a crazy, angry, angst-filled way (#TBT to “Better Than Revenge,” good times…) but in a mature, reflective way. She taught us that when things are ending, be comforted in knowing that both parties will have fond memories of the times spent together. It also taught us to not fear the future without someone, because the memories will live on.
Favorite lyric(s): “Say you’ll see me again, even if it’s just in your wildest dreams” & “He’s so tall and handsome as hell” – Where can I get one, Tay?
10. “How You Get The Girl” – Honesty is the best policy.
In “How You Get The Girl”, Taylor sets the scene on how “getting the girl” works. She taught us that if you wanna get the girl (or guy), tell them everything. Express your feelings, and hope it’s everything they’ve ever wanted to hear. Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable, because it just might pay off.
Favorite lyric(s): “And that’s how it works, it’s how you get the girl” & “Broke your heart, I’ll put it back together, I want you forever and ever”
11. “This Love” – Love doesn’t come easy, but if it’s worth it; work for it.
Taylor takes a turn for the mellow in this song, talking about a love that comes and goes like the tide. She taught us that if it is the real deal, it’ll come back to you. She also taught us that keeping love isn’t easy, but it’ll be worth it in the end.
Favorite lyric(s): “This love is good, this love is bad, this love is a life back from the dead. These hands had to let it go free and this love came back to me.”
12. “I Know Places” – There will always be people looking for the bad in you, you just gotta run.
This song is one of the best on the album, if you ask me. It has such a sick beat (coulda been gettin down to it during the rap section in Shake It Off, am I right?) and is much darker than the T Swift we are used to. It taught us that there are always going to be people who are looking to exploit your faults, but when you find someone you can “run” with, no one else will even phase you.
Favorite lyric(s): “They are the hunters, we are the foxes… and we run” & “They take their shots but we’re bulletproof, and you know for me it’s always you”
13. “Clean” – Get out of toxic relationships, no matter how difficult it may seem.
Whether its friendship or dating advice, we all know who the go-to-girl is… (it’s Taylor Swift, if you’re new here). She’s got some of the best friends around—Selena Gomez, Lena Dunham, Karlie Kloss—but I’m sure, as we all have, Tay’s had her fair share of toxic relationships. This song taught us that although it can be hard, but ending any relationship that is a day-to-day struggle is liberating, and can open your eyes to things you couldn’t see before.
Favorite lyric(s): “Rain came pouring down, when I was drowning—that’s when I could finally breathe” & “Just because you’re clean, don’t mean you don’t miss it”
Album – 1989 – Taylor Swift, Big Machine Records :http:// smarturl.it/TS1989