Swift’s ‘folklore’ offers hope in dark times
For Taylor Swift, quarantine has been a chance to let her imagination run wild. Her recently released surprise album folklore, which dropped July 24, is perhaps a symbol of this year’s demand for personal introspection — a silver lining of the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic.
Having already released seven studio albums since 2006, Swift decided to shock fans by keeping her eighth album a secret up until the day before its debut. The 16-song album, produced amid isolation, is quite different from her previous work and has received rave reviews — arguably the best of her career. Even former antiSwift listeners have given it a chance. Swift’s recent albums, such as
Red, 1989 and Reputation, feature bubblegum pop and cheery, electronic sounds that make listeners want to get up and dance. This new album, however, goes in a totally different direction, featuring softer acoustic melodies and vulnerable, nostalgic lyrics.
With folklore, Swift takes an emotional toll on fans’ hearts, bringing them on a journey through her imagination. Each song is a story written with deep thought and personal memory, still relevant to listeners in a way that feels as though she’s reaching out and telling their own stories. It gives a feeling of wistfulness and serves as a way to summon memories that were once forgotten.
All of Swift’s songs are imagined differently. For example, “the last great american dynasty” tells the true story of Rebekah West Harkness, a widow who took advantage of her late husband’s fortune.
The lyrics of the song express Harkness’ character: “[Rebekah] Filled the pool with Champagne and swam with the big names / And blew through the money on the boys and the ballet”
Swift tells one of her family’s own heartfelt stories in her song “epiphany,” which is a historical piece centered around her grandfather’s experiences in battle during World War II in 1942. She takes the listener through the war, filling lyrics with depth.
“With you I serve, with you I fall down, down / Watch you breath in, watch you breathing out, out,” she sings.
Other songs such as “cardigan” and “exile” explore the struggle of finding love in relationships, with lyrics like “You drew stars around my scars / But now I’m bleedin’,” and “You’re not my homeland anymore / So what am I defending now?”
This exciting shift begs the question: Is this the end of Taylor Swift’s pop career? Is she letting go of her past? As these questions linger in fans’ minds, Swift is praised for folklore’s debut in quarantine — a glimmer of hope for teens and a reminder that great things can come, even in the comfort of one’s home.