Just in time for National Poetry Month, Taylor Swift smartly released her 11th studio album, “The Tortued Poets Department.” With clear hits and soft ballads, key songs exude deep meanings to the listener.
“It is one of her best-written albums to date, as the varying sounds and styles are showcased in the 31-song anthology”, said junior OEHS student Mackenzie Ouellette. Below are five key songs from the album.
“Fortnight (feat. Post Malone)”
“Fortnight,” featuring Post Malone, is the first track on the album and the leading single. It is the perfect opener for the album because the first line “I was supposed to be sent away but they forgot to come and get me,” directly references the last song from the “Midnights (Til Dawn Edition)” song, “Hits Different” with the line “or have they come to take me away.” The reference to the last album ties them together to tell the big-picture story of what she feels. Adding the line “all my days are Mondays stuck in an endless February” really exonerates the themes of the album. Swift is known as the “Queen of Bridges” when it comes to music because her bridges are some of the most interesting parts of her songs. The bridge on this song is especially interesting because she gave the bridge to Post Malone, which is something that is typically never done with a featured artist on a song.
“But Daddy I love him”
I immediately went into my first listen of the album, having a deep feeling that I would love this track. As an avid Disney girl, seeing Swift reference one of my favorite princesses in the title of a song felt like I had a strange connection.
I also feel as though the lyrics and symbolism in the song are extremely moving, like the line, “I’d rather burn my whole life down.” Saying that she doesn’t really care what others have to say and that she is in control of her own life is extremely important, especially in the age of social media.
Not only does this song have strong moments but it also has a bit of humor in the line “Running with my dress unbuttoned,/ screaming ‘But Daddy I love him/ I’m having his baby,/ No I’m not, but you should see your faces.” This is not only referencing the line from The Little Mermaid but also using the joke about having the baby of a man people may not support and just being like, “Nope, it’s a joke, but man,/ you should see your faces.”
The eventual conclusion to, “Dancing in the sun/ and even my daddy just loves him/ I’m his lady. And oh my god/ you should see your faces,” also gives resolution and a sense of moving on. She has moved on from this possibly toxic moment and found sunshine and happiness.
“The Tortured Poets Department”
The imagery in this track of comparing herself to poets and then throwing out the idea and calling herself a “modern idiot” instead is extremely interesting. Every metaphor and literary device that she uses in the lyrics of this song directly contradicts each other, like the line “tattooed golden retriever.”
“So High School”
This song is just a truly happy and joyful track about love. It is different from her other love songs as it has no semblance of anxiety. Not only that but the guitars tie into older album songs like “Electric Touch” and “I Can See You,” vault tracks from “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version),” and add some light to a generally darker-themed album.
“Florida!!! (feat. Florence + The Machine)”
As a frequent Disney World vacationer, this song embodies the feeling of escaping your boring everyday Midwest life to “Florida” where it’s sunny and nice. The line, “Florida,/ It’s one hell of a drug,” is commonly interpreted as escapism. People go to Florida to escape whatever bad things may be in their lives and that is heavily discussed in this song.
The addition of singer Florence Welsh of Florence + The Machine gives the song exactly what it needs, both vocally and instrumentally. Her “ethereal” voice adds a light lilt and echo similar to the sound Lana Del Rey added to Snow on the Beach on Taylor’s 10th album, Midnights.
This album is an absolute literary powerhouse. People love to rank Taylor’s 11 albums; however, it feels unfair to do so. Each of her albums shows growth and closure to different eras of her life and this album is the closing chapter of this stage of her life and the opening to the next. I am excited to see what comes next and thankful to be able to share my thoughts on what has happened. Listen to our 42Swifties podcasts for more Taylor Swift content.
Hi I'm Ruby, I am a Senior here at OHS and it is my second year on staff. My activities here at the school include Choir, Rho Kappa, BIONIC, and Youth and Government
