Taylor Swift dropped her new album, The Tortured Poets Department, on Friday at 12:00 a.m. EST. It included 16 tracks with two songs featuring Post Malone and Florence and the Machine. A majority of the songs hold a melancholy feeling caused by loss. The album explores Swift navigating through a six-year relationship that crumbled before her eyes.
Taylor Swift Touches on the Cycle of Heartbreak
As usual, Taylor Swift’s most emotional song comes in at number five with “So Long, London.” It is believed that this song is a call back to her song “London Boy” from the Lover album. Both songs are written about ex Joe Alwyn, who she split from in 2023 after rumors of him cheating. This song is dripping with emotion and a feeling of loss. At one point in the song, Swift sings:
“You swore that you loved me but where were the clues? I died on the altar waiting for the proof.”
This song reveals how she watched as the one she loved drifted further away from her until she could no longer see that he loved her. It is also rumored that after the breakup, she got into a short-lived relationship with 1975 singer Matty Healy. He was the rebound part of the cycle, which is evident in a few songs.
Sarcasm Within The Tortured Poets Department
In a few of her songs, Taylor Swift uses a fair amount of sarcasm. “I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)” is laced with it. Here, Swift is making fun of herself and her constant theme of trying to fix the men she dates. Even when the relationship is on its deathbed, she attempts to bring it back to life and ultimately fails.
The sarcasm continues to be seen in her track “Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?”. Here, Swift is ripping into not only Joe Alwyn but also the music industry and the negative thoughts being thrown around about her. She sings:
“I’m always drunk on my own tears, isn’t that what they all said?
That I’ll sue you if you step on my lawn
That I’m fearsome, and I’m wretched and I’m wrong
Put narcotics into all of my songs
And that’s why you’re still singing along”
Swift hears what is being said about her. She knows the rumors that fly and how much people dislike her at times. The superstar shows strength in her acceptance of this.
Taylor Swift Shows the Complexity of Human Emotions
Is this the best album Taylor Swift has ever released? No. However, it is a solid one that does her emotions justice. Listeners can feel how raw the singer is in every song. In just 16 songs, she encompasses the emotions of a six-year relationship and a short fling.
Swift is known for her songwriting ability. She’s a complex writer who can certainly do more than love songs and breakup songs, as seen through the work she delivers annually. In this album, she truly opens up her heart and lets listeners understand how she felt as those six years crumbled around her, and she lost what she thought would be her forever.
Taylor Swift knows what she’s doing. She knows the formula to make a great album. There is no doubt that The Tortured Poets Department will be charting and most likely take the top spot for multiple weeks.
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About the Author
Elizabeth is an avid watcher of sci-fi, action, and thriller TV shows and movies. Anything with well-timed explosions, superhumans fighting aliens, or an intricate crime will be added to her watchlist.