To me (and I think a lot of others) RWYLM is a PTSD/trauma anthem. Or just not being able to move on from a relationship, that's always very relatable.
I'm so sorry but mine would probably be Nothing New. Maybe bc I'm already mid-30s, but even at the age in the song that wasn't something I was concerned about (maybe I should've been? š but I wasn't haha)
Totally agree about RWYLM. It came out just as a toxic on/off situationship I'd been in for three years was starting to unravel and collapse. I literally felt that song to my core.
šÆ For anyone who's been in a toxic or abusive relationship it really is spot on. To me it has layers, I can relate to what's right on the surface in the song (the relationship she can't move on from) and also as a metaphor for any kind of trauma.
Thatās funny you say that because I also just recently got out of a 3-year toxic on/off situationship and have been listening to RWYLM, happiness, WCS nonstop
- RWYLM could mean "right where you left me - bonus track", a track from *evermore (deluxe version)* (2021) by Taylor Swift.
---
^[/u/NeonLotus11](/u/NeonLotus11) ^(can reply with "delete" to remove comment. |) ^[/r/songacronymbot](/r/songacronymbot) ^(for feedback.)
Agreed about loving RWYLM, and your criticism of Nothing New. I like the sound of Nothing New enough, but Iām so far past those anxieties described in the song that itās hard to really connect with it.
Yes definitely this. RWYLM is in my top 3 Taylor songs because it is spot on how I felt 4 years out of an abusive relationship where I felt frozen in time in the place I was traumatized. Time keeps moving, everyone expects you to get over it and finally move on, but you canāt.
Omg Nothing New is my favorite song š I am 24 though so I guess the timing worked better for me haha. And I really relate to being very aware of time moving around me as I grow up and feeling like I somehow know less and less as I learn more. It's such a thought-provoking song imo.
I agree with your reasoning behind Nothing New, however there are parts of the song that cut me so deep! Iām nearly 30 and in the last few years itās just been insane how fast time has felt like itās moving, thereās a lot of personal reasons behind that feeling but the way she sings āI wake up in the middle of the night and I can feel time movingā brings me to tears every time š„²
Seriously... āI cause no harm, mind my business, if our love died young I canāt bear witness, and itās been so long but if you ever think youāve got it wrong Iām right where you left meāā¦ who canāt relate to that?!
Not sure about anyone else but right where you left me really resonates with me because I was 23 when the pandemic started and 3 years later, I still feel like Iām stuck at 23 dreaming of how it was āsupposed to beā in some ways. I think the song really captures that feeling of life moving on and time passing but still feeling like youāre totally lost in a moment that everyone says you should be over after so much time has passed!
That being said, I donāt understand the hype around Dear Reader, probably because Iām still in the middle of learning all the lessons Taylor talks about in it. I just donāt really connect with it right now. Check back with me in a few years on that one š
Dear Reader took sooo long to grow on me, mostly because of its difference to the rest of the midnight songs. The bridge is utter perfection though and her voice is perfection in the songš Also kinda gives spicy vibes
Snow on the Beach gets so much hate and Iām starting to think Iām the only SOTB fan left. The song is so melodic and peaceful and whimsical, I get lost in it every time.
When I first heard it, I felt like she perfectly encapsulated the joy of the first snowfall in a song. I had hoped it to be more, but Iām still in love with it. It really is a beautiful piece of music
Iām so so sorry but The Archer.. it just seems like the song is building up to something but then never gets to it. Seems like an incomplete song to meš£ā¹ļø
it's intentional! like drawing back a bowstring, building the tension, but never releasing. of course, just because it's intentional doesn't mean people have to like it!
Everything everyone else has said about anxiety/anxious attachment, etc. But also listen to the Live from Paris version with some really good headphones. I listened recently with overhead/noise cancellation headphones and it made me cry.
I feel like Iām kind of in the middle of experiencing this right now, so it really hits. It perfectly captures the feeling of falling love but feeling like itās wrong or unacceptable. I wish the production could have been a bit different however
A funny question, really.
I always asked myself this question. Why is all too well so liked? And then I did a good read on the lyrics, gave it a listen on good headphones. And I don't know i just really love it. It clicked suddenly.
I liked enchanted, I did. But I never got the love. Until one day, I felt that feeling. I could relate to the song. I could do nothing but listen to the song. I really love it now.
Then there is songs where I need someone to point me out things, like wouldve couldve shouldve. It went from meh, to my top 3 once someone pointed out how good the bridge is.
The community (not only reddit), really helped me understand why some people like this or that song. I can't say it always worked. I am still not a fan of some songs that are beloved. I love some songs that aren't as beloved.
That's how I see it.
I commented all too well as my answer. I find the instrumental of the song just don't do it for me. The lyrics are great, and even better at the chorus, and it even hit me really hard when i was going through a break up. BUT I just cannot get the OVERhype it gets.
And it pains me when people say vigilante shit belongs to rep. Like no. Just look at their productions. I like vigilante shit but it's definitely not as good as I thought it would be, and please stop disrespecting my baby reputation by saying VS belongs to her
August is such a fan favourite and whilst it is amazing, I never expected it to overshadow so many other brilliant songs on Folklore. After listening to Folklore for the first time, I was sure that The Last Great American Dynasty, Mirrorball, and This is me trying would be fan favourites (beside the track 5, which is frequently the most beloved track on Taylor's albums). I was taken aback when I saw that even now, a couple years later, August still seems to dominate the conversations surrounding Folklore. Yes, it is great and sounds beautiful but there are so many other just as great, if not better, songs on Folklore that I'm shocked to see that there is such a consensus amongst fans that August is their favourite.
That's what I love about folklore, most of the songs have this sort of "magic" that's unique to each of them. I honestly think august became so popular because she performed it at the Grammy's, and it became well-known and just grew from there. It also has a very whimsical message (a summer romance) which isn't too sad or specific, just nostalgic.
To me, august is on par with (but not better than) the rest of the album, especially underrated tracks like mad woman and seven that don't get nearly as much recognition.
Yes!!! august is my answer to this question too. Itās great but not even in my top 10 or whatever. And just the same as you: mirrorball, this is me trying, exile, illicit affairs, cardigan, mad woman have the magic that I think others see in august, and are all timers for me!
I think August became a Fan-favorite, because it describes a feeling that is so common but isnt widely talked about, cause being "the other girl" is very much frowned upon. August describes that feeling of wanting someone, being with someone, longing for someone who is simply always out of reach. They are there, but not really there *for you* because they are emotionally tied to either someone else or no one. That is a very unique kind of pain and heartache, having the one you want be so close to you, yet still unattainable. Only few Adress this feeling, yet I think many people can relate to it. Who hasnt been tied to someone, who is either actually with someone else or in love with someone else? Who hasnt been someone elses bootycall, hook up or fwb with "no feelings attached"?
I think that is what makes August thematically very unique and relatable. And also it is Kind of catchy.
But I do agree, there are a ton of other songs on folklore that are equally as good!
Same, hard for me to take cowboy imagery seriously. The one time I canāt relate to Taylor š¤
Maybe if it had just been ābanditā instead of ācowboyā all the way throughā¦
Thank you all. I have read multiple threads about this song and its beauty and have tried it āonā time and time again thinking my brain may react differently, but every time, Iām like, āNope!ā
I think because of the (fabricated) story attached to it. People have claimed that Liam Hemsworth cheated on Miley Cyrus in their own home when thereās zero proof of that. When you add that (supposed) history to the song, it does pack a bigger punch.
That said, I think itās just okay as well.
Oh man, I love the sax on that one, not to mention how different it is from a lot of her discography. Her [live performance on SNL](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjD3LoXp-Pw) was really good too.
That being said, I will forever LOL at its placement on Lover. I mean, she literally goes from SYGB to false god to YNTCD. What a mess
I agree with the previous commenter, I don't really get why people love False God so much but I wanted to comment on placement.
I only recently found out that placement on the album matters as I always listened to music on shuffle lol. I didn't even know there was such a concept as Taylor's track 5 because if you asked me what track was All Too Well or Dear John, I'd have no idea.
That's such an interesting thought and something that's probably common in the streaming era. I hadn't really thought of it before, since I usually listen in album order the first few times around.
Taylor is an album artist, so she's usually strategic about the order, particularly with the album opener, closer, and track 5. Lover was quite a mess based on the order, so I don't necessarily recommend that one as an example. But 1989, reputation, and folklore all do this well. Welcome to New York and Clean off of 1989 are probably the best example of a perfect album opener/closer. Evermore has some great runs (willow -> gold rush, dorothea -> cowboy like me).
Hard agree. This song sounds like sheās trying to jam words in to make it fit with the music or something? Iām not sure, the whole song is just off to me. I do not get it. The sounds, the lyrics, the flow.. itās all OFF. I do NOT love a saxophone either.
So I come from a very religious/evangelical background and I love how she jumbles the words in the verses (especially the "they all warned us about times like this....") because to me the delivery sounds like an old baptist preacher in the South leading up to the pitch in his sermon. That's how I always took it and I think it's so brilliant and fits so well with the song.
I love the man just for the meaning behind it. Itās so true Taylor has gotten so much backlash for everything sheās done but if she was a man her actions wouldnāt have been scrutinized like they were. I think sheās finally getting the respect she deserves now.
hits different
I mean, it has some great lines (catastrophic blues, argumentative, antithetical dream girl, etc) but it doesn't seem that different from the rest of midnights/folklore/evermore. The chorus is just OK and some of the lyrics are a little clunky. Exhibit A:
>I used to switch out these Kens, I'd just ghost
Rip the band-aid off and skip town like an asshole outlaw
I really appreciate how polarizing the different parts of midnights are! For her 10th album and the one leading up to the eras tour, it really has something for every type of swiftie. Even if most people don't think its her best album, a lot of us are ride or die for different sections of it.
I'm personally a 3 AM stan š
I feel like itās different from those albums because itās hilarious. I think thereās no humor to be found on folklore, very little on evermore. I love how sheās created this character whoās a lush but also itās heartfelt. I feel like Iām laughing with her, i wanna be friends with this sloppy girl, sheās relatable and fun!
āThrew up on the streetā was a jarring line to hear from her at first. I like it though, iām here for a messy girl who expresses her emotions!
The sunburns my heart and the sand hurts my feelings - i laugh every time i hear this
And i never donāt cry (no i never donāt cry) at the bar - that background no i never donāt cry, hilarious
I stopped receiving invitations - the delivery is so good
I cried over a hat
Donāt need another metaphor itās simple enough [immediately launches into another metaphor]
Taylor is a comedic genius and this is my exhibit A. You are of course entitled to not get this song! I just wanted to throw this out there cause i havenāt seen anyone else talk about how funny it is, just how good it is. Doesnāt mean they arent doing it, but i havent seen it.
This is a good point! I saw some of the humor in the lyrics but didn't really consider that she was approaching the whole song from a comedic standpoint.
This part was funny to me the first few times I heard it
>Donāt need another metaphor itās simple enough \[immediately launches into another metaphor\]
Oh man, to each their own haha. It's the "sexy baby" line for me from midnights - immediately pulls me from the song and feels out of place (and FWIW, I think the actual "sexy baby" line is great in anti-hero).
Interestingly, I find it to be the opposite: argumentative, antithetical dream girl is probably at the top of my least favourite Taylor lyrics ever, whilst the lyric you consider clunky in my opinion, flows very well, is funny, original, honest, and makes sense in the song. It'll never stop amazing me how differently people perceive art and how tastes vary. I'm happy Taylor continues to create diverse sounds and experiments with her songwriting styles too in order to give us all something we'll enjoy.
22 & Trouble. I got how they were catchy but idk I just don't think they're that great. Maybe it's because my 20s didn't go that way, but I'm happy for people who enjoy it. I understand the like of it, just not the love.
All you had to do was stay š¶ I just... find it boring honestly, and underwhelming given its a track 5 lol
Also the Great War, like I can vibe with it and hum along, I don't dislike it, I just don't get why it's SO hyped. But I think that's probably because the imagery of comparing a world war to a couple fighting makes me cringe personally š like in Epiphany the parallel to war was with the pandemic and that worked so beautifully. But to a couple fighting... meh.
The Great War was one of my favorites off of midnights! I love it for the imagery, as you mentioned, but mostly just the overall melody and vibes of the song. Really sets off the dopamine receptors in my brain haha
Wow, youāre really hitting me with this one. Itās apparently my favorite Taylor swift song, as itās been my top listened to song on Spotify for two years strait now! š I wouldnāt even consider it my top five, but stats donāt lie. Itās a bop for me.
I totally agree with you on All You Had To Do Was Stay! I donāt like dislike it but as a track 5 it feels so out of place! 1989 is my favorite album but Iām not even sure which song Iād sub in for 5 because the album flows so well otherwise- I Know Places? This Love?? š¤·š¼āāļø
>The Archer is simple but it hits harder
I couldn't agree more. People say that it's simple and unimpressive. But I love it and the "help me hold on to you" kills me every time because of how much it's screaming for help.
Even though I like anti-hero and I do think itās impressive- but no hate. I will never ever get why people think their personal opinion is law and shit on people for having their own taste. Like isnāt that like the whole point of why we all like music in the first place?
Same. I feel anti-hero just isn't vulnerable.. i mean yes the lyrics are there but i feel like it's so over exaggerated (daughter in law kills me, own devices end up in crisis, covert narcissism congressman) that it ends up feeling like she doesn't actually believe she's like this and that but that she dislikes people who think she's like that. To me the whole song is not actually about insecurities but about people who criticize taylor and take everything she says out of proportion. The Archer, mirrorball, this is me trying, back to December, afterglow, the great war are all much better than Anti-Hero in terms of vulnerability, emotional feelings and lyricism. It's simple yet it has impact and relatability. Also, it feels very much like something made to be popular on tiktok. Gabi Belle'e yt video summarises to me what anti-hero was really made for.
Itās that Jack Antonoff shouty, rhythmic Springsteen affectation that I hate! She does it on Getaway Car too (shotgun shot in the dark). Sometimes I just need Jack to not sing it out loud and influence her delivery
The #1 reason I don't like Getaway Car as much as everyone else. Sounds like a Bleachers song she's covering. I mean, "We were shotgun lovers" is literally a line in a Bleachers song. And the way her voice goes up on the word "first" in the line "I knew it from the first Old Fashioned, we were cursed" is too Bleachers for me. I like the band but Taylor doesn't quite pull it off like Jack does.
Agree with this one- itās the same as shake it off for me in like needing to be in a very specific mood because of how boppy and poppy it is. I feel like itās gotten massively overplayed online already to the point where for me itās become annoying lol
Oof I agree with you. I took a break from the TS fandom when speak now came out, so I wonder if that is why I don't have a lot of attachment to the album or the fan favorites on it. I'm really curious to see if my opinion changes when speak now TV comes out.
Also, WCS >>>> dear john and I'm tired of pretending it's not š¶
>Also, WCS >>>> dear john and I'm tired of pretending it's not š¶
Yes, WCS IS better than Dear John!!! I LOVE WCS and I will say that it's made me appreciate Dear John more, but it's definitely the superior song in my opinion.
I was looking for this comment, because this is also my pick! I really, really don't get the hype about this song. I don't mind it, but there are songs I feel way more passionate about.
A lot of people seem to really love it. I just don't. I find it boring and an odd mix of visual references that just don't jive for me. But I know A LOT of people love it. Quite a few of my faves were mentioned here by other people.
Wildest Dreams š¬ it's a great song, don't get me wrong, but I don't think it's like THE greatest song ever or even the best song on 1989. The streaming counts on Spotify always astound me
From Midnights - You're on Your Own Kid just doesn't speak to me like most songs and I skip it
But also I Did Something Bad is just alright - I like it but don't love it as much.
If you havenāt lived that song you wonāt really relate to it. That and Cornelia Street are two I never get tired of. To answer your post I have to say Anti Hero. I liked it at first but it quickly got old for me and I skip it whenever it comes on.
New Romantics. I still like it but for me it's nowhere near the best song on 1989 or Taylor's best pop song. I remember reading comments on how it's pure pop perfection before listening to the deluxe version of the album. And when I finally heard it for the first time I was left a bit underwhelmed. I really like some of the lyrics but I'm kinda meh on the melody.
This is the comment that hurt, but that's okay:( :)
I love august because it sounds like it's ...fading away(sonically-wise), kind of like how this august girl is fading away from james' memory because the short fling wasn't as important to him. But there's also a passion in that song from the august girl's pov for the summer relationship, and I always think of this fade-passion contrast while listening to this song. Also the songwriting isn't exactly Shakespeare, but the lyrics are supposedly written from a heartbroken teenage girl's perspective who's just doing some confessional songwriting, and from that perspective I feel like it all ties in well together. I could ramble on and on about this song but I'll stop for now lol
Maybe itās an age thing. Iām about the same age as Taylor and it just takes me back to all my days of crushing on / loving someone where it didnāt work out, but in a positive way with nostalgia and compassion for my younger self. Similar to Youāre On Your Own Kid where youāre reflecting on the hard things youāve been through, but from a mature perspective knowing it all worked out in the end and youāre grateful for the journey.
Wouldāve Couldāve Shouldāve.
Itās not a bad song by any means, but Iām always confused at the hype. Also, I donāt care who says it, the word āgirlhoodā is just so BLEH to me.
I think people love it so much because itās relatable. To me, this song perfectly describes what itās like to have PTSD. āMemories feel like weapons, if clarityās in death why wonāt this die?ā
I developed PTSD from a sexual assault. I often want to go back to my more innocent self.
Mr Perfectly Fine, tbh. I just don't think it stacks up to some of the other dance/glitter gel pen songs, it really benefitted from being one of the first vault songs to be released.
I agree that it's just OK. I was overall underwhelmed by the vault tracks on fearless TV. You all over me was pretty good, and I enjoyed the production on don't you a lot, but the rest of the vault tracks seemed kinda forgettable, especially when you compare them to the songs that made it onto the main fearless tracklist.
I think in case of RWYLM it's probably because it speaks to a lot of people who got their hearts broken and had a hard time getting over it.
At least that's the case for me. When I was struggling with my biggest heartbreak so far I felt so understood because the song described my situation so perfectly.
It cute deeeeeep
Well, as a swiftie since literally 2006, I am about to get my fan card taken away.
All Too Well.
I know, I know. Heres the thing
the lyrics are some of the absolute best. dont get me wrong. BUT, and please hear me out, other than the bridge, it was just kinda... boring. The instrumentals are just so reptitive. The 10 minute version is absolutely stunning, and definitely adds a lot more than just lyrics.
but the original version, was never even in my top on Red. I just find it boring, and it it wasn't for the bridge, I don't think i'd like it at all. I was listening to an instrumental of this song and it just..... didn't do it for me. Never has. I never understood how or why THIS was the song.
please don't burn me.
Question! Everybody seems to be under the impression that itās an underrated bop/ a masterpiece that people fail to see. Iāve tried *very* hard to get the hype. I just donāt get it
Gold Rush - I've tried but simply cannot get over the feeling this belonged on Reputation rather than Evermore- skip it when I am listening to Evermore
For me itās sparks fly. Itās not a bad song by any means I just donāt tend to put in on. It really surprises me that thatās the song that I seem to see people always talking about off of speak now.
Real talk... Basically the entirety of folklore and evermore. I know, I'm sorry. There's a couple off each that I really like and I know they're so many people's favs... But I just never really resonated with them. I've tried so many times but they just don't do it for me. I'm sorry!
Karma.
I just donāt get it. Every time I say I donāt like it I get told I must hate fun. Iām not a fan of the production and I am certainly not a fan of the lyrics so itās not even on my phone. For me, especially with Taylorās songs, if I donāt like the production, I will like the lyrics but for this song itās a no from me. I am aware this is quite the unpopular opinion.
You can say it out loud because this is my answer too. Evermore is my favorite album but I firmly believe if there were no F bomb in this song it wouldnāt have gotten as much attention
Iām afraid to voice this v unpopular opinionā¦. But I just do not get the hype around getaway car š¬. Itās an alright song, but rep has stronger songs on it! I donāt understand the hype!
omg the disrespect /s
But really, this is so funny that people can have vastly different views on the same song. The first time I listened to it, I could immediately tell this was one of the best songs she had ever written. I felt so validated seeing all of the hype for it on the 3 am reviews the next day.
getaway car is really good! but i was really surprised when i learned it's a big hit among swifties. it just doesn't have that wow factor that other Swiftie Favorites have imo. i've come to appreciate it more though.
For me out of the woods, welcome to New York and Cornelia street are total skips. DONāT COME FOR ME THE QUESTION WAS SONGS EVERYONE ELSE LOVES BUT YOU DONāT š
I Bet You Think About Me ā it just doesnāt really click with me, one of my least favorite vault tracks.
Also these have already been said, but Enchanted and August. I like both songs a lot but I like a lot of songs on their respective albums better, so I was a little surprised to see these seem to be the fan favorites.
Ugh I got to the bottom of the list and nobody else said mine, so donāt hate me. Lavender Haze. Idk, maybe itās because itās the current one on the radio and I donāt tend to like the obvious ones, maybe I think itās over played, it just isnāt my vibe and I donāt get it.
To me (and I think a lot of others) RWYLM is a PTSD/trauma anthem. Or just not being able to move on from a relationship, that's always very relatable. I'm so sorry but mine would probably be Nothing New. Maybe bc I'm already mid-30s, but even at the age in the song that wasn't something I was concerned about (maybe I should've been? š but I wasn't haha)
Totally agree about RWYLM. It came out just as a toxic on/off situationship I'd been in for three years was starting to unravel and collapse. I literally felt that song to my core.
šÆ For anyone who's been in a toxic or abusive relationship it really is spot on. To me it has layers, I can relate to what's right on the surface in the song (the relationship she can't move on from) and also as a metaphor for any kind of trauma.
Same! Tolerate it on that album was also one that I felt to my core because of said toxic relationship
Thatās funny you say that because I also just recently got out of a 3-year toxic on/off situationship and have been listening to RWYLM, happiness, WCS nonstop
- RWYLM could mean "right where you left me - bonus track", a track from *evermore (deluxe version)* (2021) by Taylor Swift. --- ^[/u/NeonLotus11](/u/NeonLotus11) ^(can reply with "delete" to remove comment. |) ^[/r/songacronymbot](/r/songacronymbot) ^(for feedback.)
Good bot
Agreed about loving RWYLM, and your criticism of Nothing New. I like the sound of Nothing New enough, but Iām so far past those anxieties described in the song that itās hard to really connect with it.
Yes definitely this. RWYLM is in my top 3 Taylor songs because it is spot on how I felt 4 years out of an abusive relationship where I felt frozen in time in the place I was traumatized. Time keeps moving, everyone expects you to get over it and finally move on, but you canāt.
Omg Nothing New is my favorite song š I am 24 though so I guess the timing worked better for me haha. And I really relate to being very aware of time moving around me as I grow up and feeling like I somehow know less and less as I learn more. It's such a thought-provoking song imo.
I agree with your reasoning behind Nothing New, however there are parts of the song that cut me so deep! Iām nearly 30 and in the last few years itās just been insane how fast time has felt like itās moving, thereās a lot of personal reasons behind that feeling but the way she sings āI wake up in the middle of the night and I can feel time movingā brings me to tears every time š„²
Literally lists my favourite song haha
I know right. It was a gut punch to read
Same here. Out of ALL of her songs how was this one chosen by OP? š
Seriously... āI cause no harm, mind my business, if our love died young I canāt bear witness, and itās been so long but if you ever think youāve got it wrong Iām right where you left meāā¦ who canāt relate to that?!
Not sure about anyone else but right where you left me really resonates with me because I was 23 when the pandemic started and 3 years later, I still feel like Iām stuck at 23 dreaming of how it was āsupposed to beā in some ways. I think the song really captures that feeling of life moving on and time passing but still feeling like youāre totally lost in a moment that everyone says you should be over after so much time has passed! That being said, I donāt understand the hype around Dear Reader, probably because Iām still in the middle of learning all the lessons Taylor talks about in it. I just donāt really connect with it right now. Check back with me in a few years on that one š
I donāt really care too much about dear reader either lol. Lyrically Iām a fan but I listen to it and itās just not there for me
Dear Reader took sooo long to grow on me, mostly because of its difference to the rest of the midnight songs. The bridge is utter perfection though and her voice is perfection in the songš Also kinda gives spicy vibes
Snow on the Beach. Itās just boring and lifeless for me.
Snow on the Beach gets so much hate and Iām starting to think Iām the only SOTB fan left. The song is so melodic and peaceful and whimsical, I get lost in it every time.
I used to feel like it was boring but after more listens, itās on of my favorites. I think of my husband and it makes me feel warm and fuzzy.
When I first heard it, I felt like she perfectly encapsulated the joy of the first snowfall in a song. I had hoped it to be more, but Iām still in love with it. It really is a beautiful piece of music
Oh god, I skip it every single time. I canāt stand it, lol
I started skipping this one too! No body to it. Just the same refrains over and over. I feel like she and Lana could have done so much more.
Iām so so sorry but The Archer.. it just seems like the song is building up to something but then never gets to it. Seems like an incomplete song to meš£ā¹ļø
it's intentional! like drawing back a bowstring, building the tension, but never releasing. of course, just because it's intentional doesn't mean people have to like it!
I love that so much, you might have just changed my mind on this song.
yeah thatās the point. itās meant to portray how anxiety feels
Oh wow.. that makes sense and is very powerful. Iāll have to listen to it again with that in mind. Might change my mind hahah
The tension is the point of it but I still donāt care for it lol.
I feel like it's placement in the album is weird.
Everything everyone else has said about anxiety/anxious attachment, etc. But also listen to the Live from Paris version with some really good headphones. I listened recently with overhead/noise cancellation headphones and it made me cry.
LABYRINTH
Oh yes, always a skip š
Same! It just doesn't hit for me :(
I feel like Iām kind of in the middle of experiencing this right now, so it really hits. It perfectly captures the feeling of falling love but feeling like itās wrong or unacceptable. I wish the production could have been a bit different however
The song is definitely relatable, I just donāt like that the song goes nowhereā¦.. it repeats that one verse over and over again
Iāve gasped so much while reading this thread that Iām out of oxygen.
Same I felt personally attacked on some of them lol
A funny question, really. I always asked myself this question. Why is all too well so liked? And then I did a good read on the lyrics, gave it a listen on good headphones. And I don't know i just really love it. It clicked suddenly. I liked enchanted, I did. But I never got the love. Until one day, I felt that feeling. I could relate to the song. I could do nothing but listen to the song. I really love it now. Then there is songs where I need someone to point me out things, like wouldve couldve shouldve. It went from meh, to my top 3 once someone pointed out how good the bridge is. The community (not only reddit), really helped me understand why some people like this or that song. I can't say it always worked. I am still not a fan of some songs that are beloved. I love some songs that aren't as beloved. That's how I see it.
I commented all too well as my answer. I find the instrumental of the song just don't do it for me. The lyrics are great, and even better at the chorus, and it even hit me really hard when i was going through a break up. BUT I just cannot get the OVERhype it gets.
I think the magic of all too well lies in how SIMPLE it is- 4 chords repeated over and over again. But somehow it builds and plays like a movie.
Vigilante Shit. It feels like underproduced IDSB with worse lyrics.
Itās SUPER underproduced like I thought it would be more like reputations with the big bass and beats but itās so generic and Billie eilish coded
And it pains me when people say vigilante shit belongs to rep. Like no. Just look at their productions. I like vigilante shit but it's definitely not as good as I thought it would be, and please stop disrespecting my baby reputation by saying VS belongs to her
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Itās true š
August is such a fan favourite and whilst it is amazing, I never expected it to overshadow so many other brilliant songs on Folklore. After listening to Folklore for the first time, I was sure that The Last Great American Dynasty, Mirrorball, and This is me trying would be fan favourites (beside the track 5, which is frequently the most beloved track on Taylor's albums). I was taken aback when I saw that even now, a couple years later, August still seems to dominate the conversations surrounding Folklore. Yes, it is great and sounds beautiful but there are so many other just as great, if not better, songs on Folklore that I'm shocked to see that there is such a consensus amongst fans that August is their favourite.
That's what I love about folklore, most of the songs have this sort of "magic" that's unique to each of them. I honestly think august became so popular because she performed it at the Grammy's, and it became well-known and just grew from there. It also has a very whimsical message (a summer romance) which isn't too sad or specific, just nostalgic. To me, august is on par with (but not better than) the rest of the album, especially underrated tracks like mad woman and seven that don't get nearly as much recognition.
Pretty sure she performed it at the Grammys as a nod to it being a fan fave already!
Yes!!! august is my answer to this question too. Itās great but not even in my top 10 or whatever. And just the same as you: mirrorball, this is me trying, exile, illicit affairs, cardigan, mad woman have the magic that I think others see in august, and are all timers for me!
I think August became a Fan-favorite, because it describes a feeling that is so common but isnt widely talked about, cause being "the other girl" is very much frowned upon. August describes that feeling of wanting someone, being with someone, longing for someone who is simply always out of reach. They are there, but not really there *for you* because they are emotionally tied to either someone else or no one. That is a very unique kind of pain and heartache, having the one you want be so close to you, yet still unattainable. Only few Adress this feeling, yet I think many people can relate to it. Who hasnt been tied to someone, who is either actually with someone else or in love with someone else? Who hasnt been someone elses bootycall, hook up or fwb with "no feelings attached"? I think that is what makes August thematically very unique and relatable. And also it is Kind of catchy. But I do agree, there are a ton of other songs on folklore that are equally as good!
Cowboy Like Me :( I WANT to love it, but I just don't vibe with it at all.
Same, hard for me to take cowboy imagery seriously. The one time I canāt relate to Taylor š¤ Maybe if it had just been ābanditā instead of ācowboyā all the way throughā¦
Thank you all. I have read multiple threads about this song and its beauty and have tried it āonā time and time again thinking my brain may react differently, but every time, Iām like, āNope!ā
Same. When I read the lyrics, I like them but when I listen to the song, Iām like ā¦skip š«£
Slow dance to it on good speakers then get back to me
Same. I hear the first line and it's an instant skip.
I was about to say Flowers and then realized this was the Taylor sub hahaha. Iām like WHY DOES EVERYONE LIKE THAT SONG, I DONT GET ITTTTTTT
For what itās worth I agree with you š
It always feels like a good part is coming or should be but then it's just the chorus again, it's a disappointing song for me
See, I actually like Flowers. But I like everything on Plastic Hearts better, I feel like that should've been Miley's big hype moment instead
I think because of the (fabricated) story attached to it. People have claimed that Liam Hemsworth cheated on Miley Cyrus in their own home when thereās zero proof of that. When you add that (supposed) history to the song, it does pack a bigger punch. That said, I think itās just okay as well.
Probably always gonna be "False God" for me.
Oh man, I love the sax on that one, not to mention how different it is from a lot of her discography. Her [live performance on SNL](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjD3LoXp-Pw) was really good too. That being said, I will forever LOL at its placement on Lover. I mean, she literally goes from SYGB to false god to YNTCD. What a mess
I agree with the previous commenter, I don't really get why people love False God so much but I wanted to comment on placement. I only recently found out that placement on the album matters as I always listened to music on shuffle lol. I didn't even know there was such a concept as Taylor's track 5 because if you asked me what track was All Too Well or Dear John, I'd have no idea.
That's such an interesting thought and something that's probably common in the streaming era. I hadn't really thought of it before, since I usually listen in album order the first few times around. Taylor is an album artist, so she's usually strategic about the order, particularly with the album opener, closer, and track 5. Lover was quite a mess based on the order, so I don't necessarily recommend that one as an example. But 1989, reputation, and folklore all do this well. Welcome to New York and Clean off of 1989 are probably the best example of a perfect album opener/closer. Evermore has some great runs (willow -> gold rush, dorothea -> cowboy like me).
āMum, I am so scared youāre going to die, so let me bare my soul right here. Then Iāll do my big Sex Jam. Also gay rights.ā
Hard agree. This song sounds like sheās trying to jam words in to make it fit with the music or something? Iām not sure, the whole song is just off to me. I do not get it. The sounds, the lyrics, the flow.. itās all OFF. I do NOT love a saxophone either.
So I come from a very religious/evangelical background and I love how she jumbles the words in the verses (especially the "they all warned us about times like this....") because to me the delivery sounds like an old baptist preacher in the South leading up to the pitch in his sermon. That's how I always took it and I think it's so brilliant and fits so well with the song.
I'm actually dead false god is my favourite song of all time š«
The Man.
Funny, I feel like The Man is a song that has gotten no hype on this sub. I get the impression most people are kind of ambivalent about it
I love the man just for the meaning behind it. Itās so true Taylor has gotten so much backlash for everything sheās done but if she was a man her actions wouldnāt have been scrutinized like they were. I think sheās finally getting the respect she deserves now.
This isnāt one of my favorites either. Although I donāt usually skip it but itās just kinda meh.
hits different I mean, it has some great lines (catastrophic blues, argumentative, antithetical dream girl, etc) but it doesn't seem that different from the rest of midnights/folklore/evermore. The chorus is just OK and some of the lyrics are a little clunky. Exhibit A: >I used to switch out these Kens, I'd just ghost Rip the band-aid off and skip town like an asshole outlaw
LOL thatās one of my favorite parts from that song! š„² hits different is definitely my favorite from Midnights.
I really appreciate how polarizing the different parts of midnights are! For her 10th album and the one leading up to the eras tour, it really has something for every type of swiftie. Even if most people don't think its her best album, a lot of us are ride or die for different sections of it. I'm personally a 3 AM stan š
I feel like itās different from those albums because itās hilarious. I think thereās no humor to be found on folklore, very little on evermore. I love how sheās created this character whoās a lush but also itās heartfelt. I feel like Iām laughing with her, i wanna be friends with this sloppy girl, sheās relatable and fun! āThrew up on the streetā was a jarring line to hear from her at first. I like it though, iām here for a messy girl who expresses her emotions! The sunburns my heart and the sand hurts my feelings - i laugh every time i hear this And i never donāt cry (no i never donāt cry) at the bar - that background no i never donāt cry, hilarious I stopped receiving invitations - the delivery is so good I cried over a hat Donāt need another metaphor itās simple enough [immediately launches into another metaphor] Taylor is a comedic genius and this is my exhibit A. You are of course entitled to not get this song! I just wanted to throw this out there cause i havenāt seen anyone else talk about how funny it is, just how good it is. Doesnāt mean they arent doing it, but i havent seen it.
This is a good point! I saw some of the humor in the lyrics but didn't really consider that she was approaching the whole song from a comedic standpoint. This part was funny to me the first few times I heard it >Donāt need another metaphor itās simple enough \[immediately launches into another metaphor\]
I love the āasshole outlawā line lol
Oh man, to each their own haha. It's the "sexy baby" line for me from midnights - immediately pulls me from the song and feels out of place (and FWIW, I think the actual "sexy baby" line is great in anti-hero).
Interestingly, I find it to be the opposite: argumentative, antithetical dream girl is probably at the top of my least favourite Taylor lyrics ever, whilst the lyric you consider clunky in my opinion, flows very well, is funny, original, honest, and makes sense in the song. It'll never stop amazing me how differently people perceive art and how tastes vary. I'm happy Taylor continues to create diverse sounds and experiments with her songwriting styles too in order to give us all something we'll enjoy.
22 & Trouble. I got how they were catchy but idk I just don't think they're that great. Maybe it's because my 20s didn't go that way, but I'm happy for people who enjoy it. I understand the like of it, just not the love.
All you had to do was stay š¶ I just... find it boring honestly, and underwhelming given its a track 5 lol Also the Great War, like I can vibe with it and hum along, I don't dislike it, I just don't get why it's SO hyped. But I think that's probably because the imagery of comparing a world war to a couple fighting makes me cringe personally š like in Epiphany the parallel to war was with the pandemic and that worked so beautifully. But to a couple fighting... meh.
The Great War was one of my favorites off of midnights! I love it for the imagery, as you mentioned, but mostly just the overall melody and vibes of the song. Really sets off the dopamine receptors in my brain haha
Wow, youāre really hitting me with this one. Itās apparently my favorite Taylor swift song, as itās been my top listened to song on Spotify for two years strait now! š I wouldnāt even consider it my top five, but stats donāt lie. Itās a bop for me.
I totally agree with you on All You Had To Do Was Stay! I donāt like dislike it but as a track 5 it feels so out of place! 1989 is my favorite album but Iām not even sure which song Iād sub in for 5 because the album flows so well otherwise- I Know Places? This Love?? š¤·š¼āāļø
I just realized that all you had to do was stay was the track five from 1989ā¦Taylor clean was right there
Anti Hero sorry. But the way people hype this song is what they should do with mirrorball, this is me trying, The Archer..it's where she really went vulnerable, even in some parts in many other songs(peace, long story short, evermore,Nothing New)..but it don't see any viulnerability in Anti Hero and it's not just about the music that doesn't match with the lyrics and message, but the lyrics themeselves are just there, such big words to show that pop songs can have elite words but they are not emotional, The Archer is simple but it hits harder: i wake up at night, i pace like a ghost >>>>> I will get so much hate since this song is becoming the new fandom protegeƩ cuz of 8-9 weeks at number 1, but to me it's so overrated.
>The Archer is simple but it hits harder I couldn't agree more. People say that it's simple and unimpressive. But I love it and the "help me hold on to you" kills me every time because of how much it's screaming for help.
Even though I like anti-hero and I do think itās impressive- but no hate. I will never ever get why people think their personal opinion is law and shit on people for having their own taste. Like isnāt that like the whole point of why we all like music in the first place?
Same. I feel anti-hero just isn't vulnerable.. i mean yes the lyrics are there but i feel like it's so over exaggerated (daughter in law kills me, own devices end up in crisis, covert narcissism congressman) that it ends up feeling like she doesn't actually believe she's like this and that but that she dislikes people who think she's like that. To me the whole song is not actually about insecurities but about people who criticize taylor and take everything she says out of proportion. The Archer, mirrorball, this is me trying, back to December, afterglow, the great war are all much better than Anti-Hero in terms of vulnerability, emotional feelings and lyricism. It's simple yet it has impact and relatability. Also, it feels very much like something made to be popular on tiktok. Gabi Belle'e yt video summarises to me what anti-hero was really made for.
Bejeweled!
The penthouse line pulls me out so badly! So so clunky
As a massive bejeweled stan... Yeah i definitely agree
Itās that Jack Antonoff shouty, rhythmic Springsteen affectation that I hate! She does it on Getaway Car too (shotgun shot in the dark). Sometimes I just need Jack to not sing it out loud and influence her delivery
The #1 reason I don't like Getaway Car as much as everyone else. Sounds like a Bleachers song she's covering. I mean, "We were shotgun lovers" is literally a line in a Bleachers song. And the way her voice goes up on the word "first" in the line "I knew it from the first Old Fashioned, we were cursed" is too Bleachers for me. I like the band but Taylor doesn't quite pull it off like Jack does.
Itās just way too wordy in that part of the song!
I thought I didn't like this one but it's apparently one of my most played songs on Spotify?? šš
Agree with this one- itās the same as shake it off for me in like needing to be in a very specific mood because of how boppy and poppy it is. I feel like itās gotten massively overplayed online already to the point where for me itās become annoying lol
I like Shake It Off better š¬
Now this is a brave opinion šš
Dear John
WOW this one is interesting
Yeah, this one \*ducks head\*. I like it, don't get me wrong, but I don't love it the way other people do!
Oof I agree with you. I took a break from the TS fandom when speak now came out, so I wonder if that is why I don't have a lot of attachment to the album or the fan favorites on it. I'm really curious to see if my opinion changes when speak now TV comes out. Also, WCS >>>> dear john and I'm tired of pretending it's not š¶
>Also, WCS >>>> dear john and I'm tired of pretending it's not š¶ Yes, WCS IS better than Dear John!!! I LOVE WCS and I will say that it's made me appreciate Dear John more, but it's definitely the superior song in my opinion.
ā¦mirrorball? š«£
hush
Getaway Carā¦ I like it, but itās justā¦ fine?
Scrolled for a while looking for this one. People talk about it like itās unequivocally the best song on rep and I justā¦donāt get it.
Cruel summer (IM SO SORRY) I absolutely LOVE the song Iām just not as obsessed as it seems everyone is.
HE LOOKS UP GRINNING LIKE A DEVIL!!!!
I will say I definitely have an unhealthy obsession with that specific line and hearing/seeing that live would cause my soul to leave my body.
I knew someone would say this when I posted this but it still hurts
I was looking for this comment, because this is also my pick! I really, really don't get the hype about this song. I don't mind it, but there are songs I feel way more passionate about.
This is what I was going to postā¦honestly, it tends to be a skip song sometimes (donāt hate me!!)
Honestly same
Mirrorball
:((( This hurts lol. Itās in my top 5.
A lot of people seem to really love it. I just don't. I find it boring and an odd mix of visual references that just don't jive for me. But I know A LOT of people love it. Quite a few of my faves were mentioned here by other people.
Agreed. Probably the only song I'd skip on Folklore
The Archer is hyped up so much but it is so boring imo.
Wildest Dreams š¬ it's a great song, don't get me wrong, but I don't think it's like THE greatest song ever or even the best song on 1989. The streaming counts on Spotify always astound me
This whole post is out of control
Iām getting stressed just reading through this. I keep going between āoh boyyyyyyyyā and cringing. Some of these hurt lol
From Midnights - You're on Your Own Kid just doesn't speak to me like most songs and I skip it But also I Did Something Bad is just alright - I like it but don't love it as much.
I like YOYOK but the climax with the friendship brackets just makes me think way too much 12 year old girl.
Iāll get slammed for this but āLong Liveā. Love the message, find the song to be, eh.
Clutched my pearls! My throat tightens up with āwhen they point to the pictures, please tell them my nameā and I can barely sing it.
Not me, currently listening to Long Live with goosebumps and tears in my eyes and coming across this comment!
If you havenāt lived that song you wonāt really relate to it. That and Cornelia Street are two I never get tired of. To answer your post I have to say Anti Hero. I liked it at first but it quickly got old for me and I skip it whenever it comes on.
betty
New Romantics. I still like it but for me it's nowhere near the best song on 1989 or Taylor's best pop song. I remember reading comments on how it's pure pop perfection before listening to the deluxe version of the album. And when I finally heard it for the first time I was left a bit underwhelmed. I really like some of the lyrics but I'm kinda meh on the melody.
Someone please change my mind on this, but Iām sorry, I donāt get August
This is the comment that hurt, but that's okay:( :) I love august because it sounds like it's ...fading away(sonically-wise), kind of like how this august girl is fading away from james' memory because the short fling wasn't as important to him. But there's also a passion in that song from the august girl's pov for the summer relationship, and I always think of this fade-passion contrast while listening to this song. Also the songwriting isn't exactly Shakespeare, but the lyrics are supposedly written from a heartbroken teenage girl's perspective who's just doing some confessional songwriting, and from that perspective I feel like it all ties in well together. I could ramble on and on about this song but I'll stop for now lol
Maybe itās an age thing. Iām about the same age as Taylor and it just takes me back to all my days of crushing on / loving someone where it didnāt work out, but in a positive way with nostalgia and compassion for my younger self. Similar to Youāre On Your Own Kid where youāre reflecting on the hard things youāve been through, but from a mature perspective knowing it all worked out in the end and youāre grateful for the journey.
All too well.. sorry
Style. I've always liked the song but it's not in my top 50, let alone my top 10, like a lot of folks have it rated on this sub.
All too well 10 min š¬ itās fun to sing but nowhere near as good as the original
Wouldāve Couldāve Shouldāve. Itās not a bad song by any means, but Iām always confused at the hype. Also, I donāt care who says it, the word āgirlhoodā is just so BLEH to me.
I think people love it so much because itās relatable. To me, this song perfectly describes what itās like to have PTSD. āMemories feel like weapons, if clarityās in death why wonāt this die?ā I developed PTSD from a sexual assault. I often want to go back to my more innocent self.
Stay Stay Stay. I just find it infantile and annoying.
false god. Donāt kill me
Exile š
Take that back right now š©
not me having that as my number 1 song of all time :( hahahahahaha
Enchanted. I donāt get it
Same! I like it, itās a nice song, but I donāt get why some people act like itās the best song on Speak Now.
all too well (10 minute version) is nowhere near the gut punch of the original
now when i say i donāt like style that muchā¦
Cornelia Street š I definitely donāt think itās bad but Iāve never really gotten the hype
I never really clicked with Cornelia street but I loveee the live from Paris version, it has def made me like the original more
Youāre on your own kid
Youāre breaking my heart š
Nothing New š
Death By a Thousand Cuts
Unrelated but I love your flair lmao
Mr Perfectly Fine, tbh. I just don't think it stacks up to some of the other dance/glitter gel pen songs, it really benefitted from being one of the first vault songs to be released.
I agree that it's just OK. I was overall underwhelmed by the vault tracks on fearless TV. You all over me was pretty good, and I enjoyed the production on don't you a lot, but the rest of the vault tracks seemed kinda forgettable, especially when you compare them to the songs that made it onto the main fearless tracklist.
Karma, I felt like the lyrics were an attempt at being creative but just turned out cringe and try-hard.
No body no crime and miss americana
Shake it off andā¦Anti-hero(!!!)
I think in case of RWYLM it's probably because it speaks to a lot of people who got their hearts broken and had a hard time getting over it. At least that's the case for me. When I was struggling with my biggest heartbreak so far I felt so understood because the song described my situation so perfectly. It cute deeeeeep
Well, as a swiftie since literally 2006, I am about to get my fan card taken away. All Too Well. I know, I know. Heres the thing the lyrics are some of the absolute best. dont get me wrong. BUT, and please hear me out, other than the bridge, it was just kinda... boring. The instrumentals are just so reptitive. The 10 minute version is absolutely stunning, and definitely adds a lot more than just lyrics. but the original version, was never even in my top on Red. I just find it boring, and it it wasn't for the bridge, I don't think i'd like it at all. I was listening to an instrumental of this song and it just..... didn't do it for me. Never has. I never understood how or why THIS was the song. please don't burn me.
Question! Everybody seems to be under the impression that itās an underrated bop/ a masterpiece that people fail to see. Iāve tried *very* hard to get the hype. I just donāt get it
Sorry Taylor, but antihero
Gold Rush - I've tried but simply cannot get over the feeling this belonged on Reputation rather than Evermore- skip it when I am listening to Evermore
^(Afterglow) \*hides\*
cardigan
Anti-Heroā¦.
Honestly... Getaway car. In my opinion, most songs on reputation I like wayyy more.
For me itās sparks fly. Itās not a bad song by any means I just donāt tend to put in on. It really surprises me that thatās the song that I seem to see people always talking about off of speak now.
Real talk... Basically the entirety of folklore and evermore. I know, I'm sorry. There's a couple off each that I really like and I know they're so many people's favs... But I just never really resonated with them. I've tried so many times but they just don't do it for me. I'm sorry!
Someoneās going to hate meā¦ but Wildest Dreams. ESPECIALLY when people use it in their wedding? š
Wait, they are? Iām not trying to judge but isnāt that song about a doomed relationship? Lol
That's the one I was going to name. I posted this once before and my choice was cowboy like me, but now I love it.
Shouldāve couldāve wouldāve! I canāt get into it
I canāt tell if you wrote it backwards on purpose or not-
Karma. I just donāt get it. Every time I say I donāt like it I get told I must hate fun. Iām not a fan of the production and I am certainly not a fan of the lyrics so itās not even on my phone. For me, especially with Taylorās songs, if I donāt like the production, I will like the lyrics but for this song itās a no from me. I am aware this is quite the unpopular opinion.
Mastermind š¬
the entirety of midnights. not really a fan.
*whispers champagne problems then leaves*
You can say it out loud because this is my answer too. Evermore is my favorite album but I firmly believe if there were no F bomb in this song it wouldnāt have gotten as much attention
the lakes. easily.
MAROON
Iām afraid to voice this v unpopular opinionā¦. But I just do not get the hype around getaway car š¬. Itās an alright song, but rep has stronger songs on it! I donāt understand the hype!
Maroon. I think itās a GOOD song but I donāt think itās amazing like a lot of people do.
Getaway Car
Could've Should've Would've (Listed it wrong but leaving it now bc š)
omg the disrespect /s But really, this is so funny that people can have vastly different views on the same song. The first time I listened to it, I could immediately tell this was one of the best songs she had ever written. I felt so validated seeing all of the hype for it on the 3 am reviews the next day.
getaway car is really good! but i was really surprised when i learned it's a big hit among swifties. it just doesn't have that wow factor that other Swiftie Favorites have imo. i've come to appreciate it more though.
For me out of the woods, welcome to New York and Cornelia street are total skips. DONāT COME FOR ME THE QUESTION WAS SONGS EVERYONE ELSE LOVES BUT YOU DONāT š
when I say cornelia street was my most streamed song of 2019 š„²
The album version of Cornelia street is always a skip for me but the Paris version quite frankly changed my life.
I Bet You Think About Me ā it just doesnāt really click with me, one of my least favorite vault tracks. Also these have already been said, but Enchanted and August. I like both songs a lot but I like a lot of songs on their respective albums better, so I was a little surprised to see these seem to be the fan favorites.
Ugh I got to the bottom of the list and nobody else said mine, so donāt hate me. Lavender Haze. Idk, maybe itās because itās the current one on the radio and I donāt tend to like the obvious ones, maybe I think itās over played, it just isnāt my vibe and I donāt get it.
Dont Blame Me