I’ve been a fan of Taylor Swift for more than half my life. Whether you’re a fan or not, it’s hard to deny that she’s written some of the most memorable and relatable songs of our generation. Her ability to put seemingly indescribable feelings into lyrics that resonate with her listeners is something I’ve always admired about her songwriting.
What’s even more impressive is the fact that Swift manages to compose songs about the specifics of her own life while also making them deeply relatable to her fans.
Many pop artists release songs that feel relatable because of their vague lyrics. Of course, this is a strategic choice, as vague lyrics tend to capture universal feelings rather than including personal details about the writer’s life. Think about “What Makes You Beautiful,” by One Direction – the lyrics are simple enough that they can be applied to anyone. In contrast, Swift believes that “the more true and honest and real [the writing is], the better.” She’s described how she loves to include personal details in her songs, such as the places she’s been and the times of year that events took place. This sets her apart from other artists in our generation.
During her career as a songwriter, Swift has always brought such details and themes to her music. One of the tracks that best exemplifies this idea is fan-fav, “All Too Well.” It’s a breakup song, which Swift is well-known for; however, rather than exploring universal feelings of heartbreak and loss, this song recounts moments in the relationship when she is having trouble letting go. She goes into specifics, recalling looking through old pictures with her ex while his mother told the stories behind them. The song explains that the reason the breakup hurts so much is because she remembers all of the experiences they shared. In this way, “All Too Well” is much more than a breakup song – it’s an ode to a lost love. Although this song illustrates her intimate writing style most clearly, there are countless other examples of Swift creating memoirs through her music, including the songs “Fifteen” and “Dear John,” both of which directly mention the people she is writing about.
In her most recent album release, folklore, Swift took a new approach to her songwriting. She explained in a statement, posted on the album’s release date, that while writing folklore, she found herself “writing about or from the perspective of people [she’s] never met, people [she’s] known, or those [she wishes she] hadn’t.” This is largely how the album’s title came about. Rather than intimately exploring her own life through this album, she focused on fiction and the hazy line between fantasy and reality. Although she maintains the basic elements of her classic writing style, folklore shows Swift’s growth as a songwriter as she composes songs from an entirely different range of perspectives.
One of my favorite ways in which Swift plays with fiction in folklore is in a trio of intertwining songs: “cardigan,” “august,” and “betty” each follow the same story about a high school love triangle, but each track is from a different person’s perspective. Swift includes specific imagery in each of the songs that allows listeners to connect them. For example, in both “august” and “betty,” the respective narrators recall the meeting that eventually led to the beginning of an affair. Further, “cardigan” and “betty” share references to an apology for the affair taking place. I especially love that each song in this trio has a distinct tone and understanding of the situation. The narrators often contradict each other, which truly makes them feel like three separate accounts of the same story.
Swift also immortalizes history in this album. Written during quarantine, folklore contains a direct reference to the coronavirus pandemic in “epiphany.” In this track, she compares the trauma and loss of soldiers and veterans to the way that medical professionals are currently fighting a war against COVID-19. While the large majority of her discography is a collection of her own experiences, this is one of the first times Swift has used her music to speak out about a situation that is bigger than herself or any of her fans.
These are just a few of the many reasons why folklore has found its way to being my favorite Taylor Swift album. I have always appreciated Swift’s authenticity as an artist and how many of her songs are written as if they are journal entries – vulnerability is something that I’ve always admired from songwriters. Because intimate writing has become so characteristic of her music, seeing Swift explore songwriting in new ways has been refreshing.
Folklore has shown that even after being in the music industry for over a decade, releasing eight studio albums, and crossing over into multiple genres, Swift is still finding new ways to improve her craft. It makes me hopeful there is even more to come in her future releases. I imagine that although her next albums may not be as inspired by storytelling and fantasy, she will continue implementing unique perspectives in her music. Folklore has made me realize that Taylor Swift will always have something new up her sleeve, and her growth as an artist is far from over.