As a die-hard Swiftie, Oct. 3rd, the release date of Taylor Swift’s new album, was more of a national holiday than a regular Thursday. After listening to the album on repeat more times than I would like to admit, I stand by my opinion that Swift never misses.
Similar to many of her albums, there has been a slew of negative reactions following the release; I will, however, accept no hate in this department. I thought the album was a masterpiece, but there were a few songs that grabbed my heart more than others. Here are my top five songs from the newly released album, The Life of a Showgirl.
The Fate of Ophelia
The first on the album and first in my rankings, The Fate of Ophelia, is truly a literary and lyrical masterpiece. As an English major, the literary references in this song had me sobbing. I read Hamlet in my senior year of high school, and it still stands as my favorite Shakespearean play. Implementing this already beautiful literary work into a modern love song is genius.
The Fate of Ophelia music video was also a huge success in my books. From the references to Marilyn Monroe to Elizabeth Taylor to tiny easter eggs for her fans to search for, there was nothing Taylor left out. Swift encapsulates the songs visually in a way I’ve never seen before.
Opalite
As a jewelry fanatic, I have always loved opals. Intertwining this beautiful stone into a love song about her fiancé and his birthstone may be the romantic gesture of the century. My standards have certainly been raised.
Along with the heart-warming meaning and insanely intentional lyrics, Opalite is also accompanied by an upbeat melody that is perfect for jamming to in your car. Personally, it will be on repeat on my Spotify for the next months, as will the majority of the album.
Father Figure
Upon first listen, Father Figure was not high on my list of favorites. After listening to the album on repeat for the past weeks, I now have such a deep appreciation for the song and its meaning.
If you are not familiar with the concept of Taylor’s Version, the meaning of this song might have gone right over your head. At the end of May this past year, Swift announced that she had finally purchased her masters — the albums that originally were owned by Shamrock Capital. This song embodies the relationship Swift has had with Scooter Braun and her finally taking back her music.
Beyond the true meaning, Father Figure also truly illustrates Swift’s feminist beliefs and how she has climbed her way to the top of the music industry; talk about girlboss.
Elizabeth Taylor
Taylor Swift has openly discussed her love and her own likeness to Elizabeth Taylor. In a song from her Reputation album, …Ready For It?, Swift also mentions Taylor, as well as drawing inspiration from Taylor’s looks in the Wildest Dreams music video, a song from her album 1989.
In the song Elizabeth Taylor, Swift appears to be having a conversation with Taylor, asking her if her relationship will last and expressing her fear of losing her greatest love. Lucky for Swift, she would later be proposed to by her now fiancé, Travis Kelce, after the album was released. Looks like she didn’t need to confide in her muse, Elizabeth Taylor, after all.
The significance of the song is quite endearing, but the melody and intensity also make it a hit. A very soulful track, the song is best listened to at an ear-piercing volume.
Eldest Daughter
Many are aware of the internet craze about eldest daughter syndrome. An eldest daughter herself, Swift captures the true feelings of being the firstborn daughter. As an eldest daughter myself, this song hit a little too close to home (talk about teary-eyed).
A tad more melancholy than the rest of the album (excluding Ruin the Friendship), Eldest Daughter illustrates the innate need that eldest daughters have to be responsible, independent, and, inevitably, perfect. Swift never misses at making her audience feel seen as well as heard.
Final Penny
Loved by all, but still somehow hated by many, Taylor Swift is a constant topic in today’s discourse. Whether you love her or hate her, it’s hard to deny that Swift isn’t doing the most when it comes to her music. As you go on with your day, I leave you with my favorite lyric and new favorite advice directly from The Life of a Showgirl: “Life is a song, it ends when it ends. You move on.”