Celebrating One Year Of The Tortured Poets Department

By Kayla Harper

INTRODUCTION

One year ago on April 19th, 2024 the multi-talented singer/songwriter, Taylor Swift, left fans stunned, reeling and in awe with the release of her highly-anticipated eleventh studio album, The Tortured Poets Department.  Swift announced the album while accepting her fourteenth Grammy award, her fourth time winning Album Of The Year for 2022’s Midnights.  Adorned in a white gown, wearing black gloves, fans didn’t know at the time this was a reference to the new era that was upon them.

Leading up to the release of The Tortured Poets Department were games and puzzles which fans around the world had to come together online to solve, some revealing lyrics, singles, themes, etc.  So, fans were suspicious when some these lyrics they deciphered did not appear in the album’s original 16 tracks.  However, this confusion would soon become clear when two hours after the release of The Tortured Poets Department, Swift surprised fans with a double album releasing, The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology.

One of the things I love most about listening to Swift is that I don’t feel like I’m just listening to music, when I press play, I feel as if I’m about to be transported to a new world and hear a story or watch a movie play out in my head. Like all of her music, The Tortured Poets Department emphasizes the importance of storytelling.  Emotions, secrets and events are revealed through the intricate details and specific imagery weaved throughout her lyrics.  On top of this, she continues to be innovative as she collaborates with fellow artists to explore new sounds while remaining authentically her.

The Tortured Poets Department is arguably Swift’s most vulnerable album to date, written and recorded during the biggest year of her career, while she was on the record-breaking Eras Tour, going through a breakup after her six-year long relationship with British actor, Joe Alwyn, rebounds and falling in love again, all under the scrutiny of the media.

Although some fans have speculated the albums title to be a reference to a group chat shared between Alwyn and friends, ‘The Tortured Man Club”, Swift has explained how it ties into the thematic concept of the album.  The Tortured Poets Department represents a place in which artists work is analyzed, studied and criticized for entertainment, which more or less is a reflection of the music industry; the album is a collection of transparent and confessional songs revealing personal stories of love and loss, which will go on to be scrutinized by the media for the public’s entertainment.

After my review on release day last year, many people asked for an album ranking or in-depth track-by-track review.  While I still don’t know if I can rank all 31 tracks in a definite order, I am finally going to do a deep dive into each track, my own thoughts on it, what I think it’s about and giving it a rating out of 13 (because of course)! However, I will not be playing into the “media guessing game” as Swift calls it and  speculate on who songs are about because I know Swift has stated in the past she dislikes it as there is far more poetic and musical substance to discuss in the songs at a far deeper level.

 

Part 1: THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT

1. “Fortnight (feat. Post Malone)” – 8/13

The lead single, “Fortnight” opens the album with a melancholy tone, one that will carry through to the last track.  It talks about the narrators struggle to move on while they watch their former lover do so easily, they imagine all the future scenarios in which their ex will be happily married, while they are stuck in an unfaithful marriage, still heartbroken over this past relationship.  The extent to which the narrator’s love for this person is “ruining [her] life” contrasts with the short lifespan of their relationship with this person, “I loved you for only a fortnight” (a fortnight is an Old English term for two weeks, or fourteen days).

Although I do love the track, “Fortnight” would not have been my pick to open the album with…however, it was clever on Swift’s part considering the last track of Midnights, “Hits Different”, has the lyrics, “have they come to take me away?” and the first track on TTPD opens with “I was supposed to be sent away“.

My favourite part of the song is the bridge where she sings, “move to Florida, buy the car you want” because it reminds me of my Aunt Cera.  Even though the line is metaphorical, it quite literally is what my Aunt did, she moved to Florida to pursue her boat life dreams and bought her dream car, a sparkly pink one of course!

2. “The Tortured Poets Department” – 10/13

The title track is a personal favourite of mine since day one. Swift’s ability to paint vivid pictures in the listeners head through her specific use of imagery in her lyrics is especially evident in this track (and many others).  “The Tortured Poets Department” is a story of unconditional love, in which the narrator would do anything for, and love their partner under any circumstance.  However, later on, the songs suggests these intense feelings for someone can often result from manipulation rather than true affection.

The drums are a standout in this song for me, though simple, they are different than anything we’ve heard in Swift’s songs before. The way they blend with the strings and synths, as well as Swift’s layered vocals creates a beautiful atmosphere that builds throughout the track, by the outro it’s heavenly.

3. “My Boy Only Breaks His Favourite Toys” -12/13

Now this is what I believe should have opened the album, imagine hitting play for the first time and it starts with “here we go again”, especially since a lot of the album was inspired by Swift’s long-term relationship, which she declared “End Game” and how the media speculated on the ending. Here she goes again, putting out an album and the media’s playing it’s guessing game at what each track is about.  The beat drop into a classic Swift pop track builds the perfect energy for an opening track.

“My Boy Only Breaks His Favourite Toys” is delusional in the way it talks about the kind of relationship in which the narrator believes it could still work and justifies the breakup, despite their partner sabotaging the relationship in every possible way, claiming, “once I fix me, he’s gonna miss me“.  The imagery in this track is especially fun, developing creative metaphors around a fragile relationship victim to self-sabotage. The crashout in the bridge is perfect!

4. “Down Bad” – 11/13

“Down Bad” is classic Swift, a pop song you can dance to with lyrics you can cry to.  Throughout the cosmic imagery, Swift seems to discuss a relationship that has come to an end, which she cannot move past; she may as well be dead.  She compares this relationship to be so otherworldly it’s like she was abducted by aliens into this beautiful galaxy and then sent back to Earth which is now bland and lonely. Something especially captivating about TTPD is the raw emotion that can be heard throughout the tracks, especially in the bridge of “Down Bad”.

Although it took some time to grow on me, when it did I couldn’t get enough.  When my friend passed away lyrics such as “’cause fuck it, I was in love…like I lost my twin / fuck it if I can’t have him” hit close to home and “Down Bad” was on repeat.  I adore the imagery in the first verse as well, “Did you really beam me up / in a cloud of sparkling dust / just to do experiments on / tell me I was the chosen one / showed me that this world was bigger than us / then sent me back where I came from / for a moment I knew cosmic love.” 

5. “So Long, London” -13/13

The infamous track five…for those who do not know, Swift has a tendency to place what she believes to be the most vulnerable or sad tracks on the album at number five, so, Swifties are usually quite excited to listen to track five when the album releases.  “So Long, London” fits right in with the track five family.  It almost seems to be part two to Midnight’s “You’re Losing Me” as it tells the story of the relationship turning sour as the narrator explains why they had to leave.

The instrumental is fast paced with slower repetitious lyrics that seem to create a feeling of anxiety throughout the track, as if to mimic what one actually feels when they are on the verge of walking away from something that no longer serves them, but was a comfortable place for so long. “So Long, London” holds what I believe to be some of the saddest and best lyrics from Swift, each verse has beautiful, detailed imagery to depict the stages of anger, sadness, nostalgia and guilt that are experienced in this kind of situation.

6. “But Daddy I Love Him” – 12/13

When TTPD was initially released, “But Daddy I Love Him” was my favourite because it was so reminiscent of Swift’s Fearless album, from the instrumental track to the melody…thematically it’s quite literally “Love Story” part two!

The storytelling in this song is detailed and specific, painting a picture in the listeners head so vivid it feels like you’re watching a movie.  “But Daddy I Love Him” tells a story of forbidden love, the narrator continues to pursue a love interest despite their family and friends concerns and disapproval.  With each verse the story line progresses, the chorus is grand and carefree, the bridge is unforgiving and confident, with the final chorus being a happy ending for everyone involved.  Led by acoustic guitars, synthesizers and drums that go along with the story line, the instrumental almost makes it feel like the story is taking place during a medieval time period.

7. “Fresh Out The Slammer” – 11/13

“Fresh Out The Slammer” starts with almost a sense of mystery. It portrays the feeling of finally leaving a relationship, time in your life or place that felt like a prison, and where you plan on going next, in this case represented by a rebound.  Although it starts off slow, the melody picks up verse and pre-chorus and is one of my favourites on the album, it eventually slows down again for the bridge/outro.  This makes it one of the most sonically interesting on the album, as the first time you listen to it, you can’t really predict where it’s going, slowing down and picking up throughout the song, keeping the listener intrigued.  Again, like all of Swift’s songs, the imagery and metaphors are specific, unexpected and relatable.

8. “Florida!!! (feat. Florence + the Machine)” -12/13

It’s interesting how the last song was about having finally escaped prison and “Florida!!!” is about running away to Florida, supposedly where one can escape all sorts of crimes, including the murder of everyone who’s ever wronged you.  The second of two features on the album, “Florida!!!” features Florence + the Machine, who’s verse and voice are a wonderful addition to the track. The way Florence and Swift’s voices blend together throughout the track compliment each other and enhance the song.

The bass and percussion throughout this track are especially interesting to me.  Somehow they stand out in Swift’s discography, while still feeling authentic to her style. The way the instrumental track is built around the lyrics creates feelings of suspense and adrenaline at different points in the song, really enhancing the story it’s trying to tell -rebellion; escapism; freedom.

“Florida!!!” reminds me a lot of my Aunt Cera.  As mentioned previously, she moved to Florida to pursue boat life, she dreamt of one day sailing her pink and teal catamaran named Walrus, with her dog, Karma and two cats, Kingston and Maleficent.  I know the city life and cold climate here in our home city was not her favourite, she was happiest and most herself when she was on the ocean, at least that’s what she always told me.

9. “Guilty As Sin?” -12/13

“Guilty As Sin?” is another one that did not grab me initially and I can’t remember when exactly it did, but it quickly became one of my favourites, probably a top three on TTPD for me.  Led by soft-rock style guitar and drums, “Guilty As Sin?” finds the narrator questioning the pursuit of a new relationship, that much like in “But Daddy I Love Him”, is frowned upon by the public.  However, being as famous as she is, it’s difficult for Swift to do anything without the public’s opinion, even when they really shouldn’t have a say. There is also a sense of loneliness and longing throughout the song for the love which the narrator craves, but cannot have expressed through the lyrics making it truly passionate and emotional.

I do have to mention, the lines “throwing my life to the wolves or the ocean rocks” always reminds me of the scene when Bella jumps off the cliff in Twilight: New Moon…that felt necessary to share.

10. “Who’s Afraid Of Little Old Me?” – 8/13

During my first listen of the album last year, my sister and I couldn’t stop gasping at every other lyric in this track.  “Who’s Afraid Of Little Old Me?” finds Swift criticizing the media, but more importantly the music industry for how many artists, especially women, are treated. The way the song progresses thematically, musically, melodically and lyrically through each verse, chorus and the bridge makes it feel like a musical theatre piece, as if you’re watching a character sing through and overcome their frustrations in real-time.

The lyric, “you wouldn’t last an hour in the asylum where they raised me” has become a controversial one, with many people thinking it’s pretentious or privileged. However, I believe the line is genius in the context of the song. Many of us will never know the extent of abuse which certain musical artists have endured behind closed doors and they may never show it to the public (i.e. Stevie Nicks, Britney Spears, Michael Jackson etc.).  Despite the glamorous lifestyle the media showcases, the music industry can be a very dark place especially for young female artists such as Swift who was only fourteen when she signed her first deal. Besides growing up in the public eye, no one knows the things she could have gone through like many other artists at the hands of label executives, producers, etc.  I believe it’s arrogant to assume we know and declare the line ‘privileged.’ Even if it wasn’t her specifically, the song is from the perspective of an artist criticizing the industry and media, so it fits well and calls them out.

11. “I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)” – 6/13

“I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)” sounds like an old Western film, like Swift is sitting in a wooden saloon with a beer, smoking a cigarette  as she sings about fixing this rebel of a man that everyone seems to frown upon (a reoccurring theme on the album apparently). Though, Swift claims throughout the track that she can handle his insulting jokes and pistol calloused hands, by the end of the song she admits “woah, maybe I can’t“.  Melodically, “I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)” has a sultry undertone that carries throughout the track in a way that it closely resembles Lana Del Rey’s style.

If I’m not listening on vinyl, I skip this track almost every time, it has yet to grow on me. It just never picks up and most of the lyrics make me cringe.  However, I did hear an AI Lana Del Rey cover of the track and liked it sung in her voice much better.

12. “loml” – 13/13

Arguably one of the best tracks on the album, “loml” is carried by a gentle piano melody soothing the listener into the perfect lull before Swift’s voice comes in softly singing the saddest story on the album.  “loml” is a popular acronym standing for ‘love of my life’, however, in the context of the song it stands for, ‘loss of my life’.  Swift seems to have this tendency to flip the meaning of a happy title and make it the most devastating track on the album (i.e. evermore’s “happiness”).

Throughout the devastating lyrics, Swift reminisces on an innocence of a pure love in which she, “felt aglow like this, never before and never since” and how it turned so bitter that she, “felt a hole like this, never before and ever since.”  These two contrasting, vulnerable emotions play off of each other throughout the whole track, battling anger, sadness and grief, making it a roller coaster of highs and lows as the listener travels through it’s duration. Another track with beautiful vivid imagery, taking listeners through each step of these two lovers life together, “who’s gonna stop us from waltzing back into rekindled flames if we know the steps anyway? we embroidered the memories of the time I was away, stitching we were just kids babe.” 

In verse two there was also an intriguing callback to Swift’s poem, Why She Disappeared,  which appeared alongside others in the Reputation magazines.  In the poem she says, ‘wary of phone calls and promises, charmers, dandies and get-love-quick schemes’.  In ‘loml’ she sings, “a con man sells a fool a get-love-quick scheme”. 

If I had to choose a favourite off of TTPD it would be “loml”.  The song became especially special to me again, after the passing of my friend/partner who I’d mentioned previously, although certain lines I wouldn’t attribute to him because he never hurt me, however, the absence of him does, so this song has been really comforting in feeling and coping with those emotions.

13. “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” – 8/13

“I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” is one of the coolest tracks on the album in the way it is about Swift’s ability to perform for thousands of people every night in front of the whole world, on one of the biggest tours in history, while feeling the most heartbroken she ever has and having to deal with it in the public eye.  What makes it even more iconic is that she would go on to perform this song on the tour in which she wrote it about.

The track opens with the sounds of the crew backstage, preparing before Swift goes on which is a really sweet addition because it establishes it within that setting. The verses tend to hold the sadder lyrics and the melody slows down for them, indicating the low moments.  However, the instrumental picks up for the pre-chorus and chorus as Swift sings lightheartedly about overcoming these emotions to accomplish a goal.  The simple lyrics make the song fun and dance-able, the perfect pick-me-up when you are in the situation where you can’t get out of bed, but have to push through regardless -it sure worked for me!

14. “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived” – 10/13

“The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived” has one of the most powerful bridges on the album, one that compares to Red’s “All Too Well”, or folklore’s “my tears ricochet”.   Starting off slowly, the piano ballad tells the story of a situation in which the narrator is taken advantage of by someone more powerful than she is.  Again, this could be alluding to a certain person in the music industry, or maybe a former lover or friend, it’s not ours to speculate on and we should be relating to it our own way.

The instrumental sets the stage, being strictly acoustic until the bridge kicks in.  The bridge is accusatorial, angry and vengeful.  The narrator wants answers for what happened to them and they want to seek justice, however, they know they won’t get it.  Swift uses purposeful imagery to evoke these emotions in the listener, making “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived” a relatable track for women around the world.

15. “The Alchemy” – 6/13

“The Alchemy” is the first song on TTPD where the lyrics feel forced at certain parts and are almost too specific.  Initially, I didn’t care for the song at all, however, it has grown on me over time.  It’s a weird love/hate relationship because I love the melody and production, but a lot of the lyrics are weak, “he jokes that it’s heroin, but this time with an ‘e'”, “ditch the clowns, get the crown, baby I’m the one to beat”, “these blokes warm the benches” and the entirety of the bridge, I just can’t…definitely some of the worst lyrics of Swift’s career. “The Alchemy” almost felt like a last minute rush to get a song about her new boyfriend on the album.

16. “Clara Bow” – 8/13

“Clara Bow” closes the album nicely tying together the themes of industry criticism throughout the album. It feels almost hungry the way Swift writes about how industry executives look at young girls like her, trying to make them into something big.  However, like many, she declares “I’m not trying to exaggerate, but I think I might die if I made it.”  The references to previous famous figures such as Clara Bow and Stevie Nicks reminds me of the line “comparing all the girls who are killing it” from Swift’s “You Need To Calm Down”; women in the industry are constantly compared to the women who came before and after them.  In the final verse Swift name-drops herself, reminiscent of Red’s “Nothing New”, Swift is now the artist that younger girls are being compared to when they start out in the industry.

Though I don’t listen to the song often because it doesn’t ever quite pick up or hook me in melodically, “Clara Bow” tells an amazing story of being a young girl hoping to make it big and the transformations she’s forced to go at the hands of the media, managers and executives etc. As a Fleetwood Mac fan, and even more so, a Stevie Nicks fan, I lost it the first time I heard her name in this track. I love how Nicks wrote Swift a poem which is included on the physical copies of TTPD. 

 

Part 2: THE ANTHOLOGY

17. “The Black Dog” – 13/13

“The Black Dog” was featured as a bonus track on one of the variants of TTPD which Swift announced on the Eras Tour and most fans suspected we wouldn’t hear it until we received physical formats of the Black Dog variant.  However, it ended up being the first track, of the four, we would hear when the second half of the album would drop at 2 a.m.

One of the strongest ballads on the album, led by piano, which builds into something much grander by the second verse. “The Black Dog” references a pub in London, and tells a tragic story of infidelity.  Through the lyrics, Swift cleverly portrays all the stages of grief one goes through after being cheated on by their partner.  Betrayal, anger, sadness and denial are at the forefront of the track.

It’s another one that was produced beautifully, the instrumental following the intensity of the lyrics, building and releasing at all the perfect times.

18. “imgonnagetyouback” -12/13

“imgonnagetyouback” finds the narrator toeing the line between I hate you and I still love you.  Similar to Olivia Rodrigo’s song, “Get Him Back”, “imgonnagetyouback” has a double meaning throughout the song, it’s either I’m gonna get you back as in, we’re going to get back together, or it’s I’m gonna get you back as in revenge for what you did to me; However, unlike Rodrigo’s, Swift’s lyrics tend to be more poetic, containing deeper imagery and metaphors to portray these emotions.  The track is sassy, confident and unbothered, while simultaneously being wistful and dreamy.

It’s one of those lowkey pop songs, that’s mellow on an album like 1989, but upbeat for an album such as folklore. There’s something especially satisfying about Swift’s vocals on this track, especially in the post-chorus section, the breathiness floats above the instrumental seamlessly.  The pause in the bridge is such a small addition, but also makes the song for me!

19. “The Albatross” -11/13

“The Albatross” sounds like it came straight out of a book. The vivid imagery builds a scene around each note as the story starts to unfold and one can start to attribute the analogy to real life scenarios. It’s probably getting redundant, but that’s just the beauty of Swift’s lyricism.  “The Albatross” explains the complications of falling in love, or meeting anyone new really, when your reputation has been and constantly is built around what the media says about you.  If you’re falling in love with someone for the first time and everyone’s warning you about how dangerous this person is, it might turn you away -this is something people like Swift face on the daily.  However, it can be applied to anyone’s life in certain scenarios.

20. “Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus” – 13/13

“Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus” is my favourite from The Anthology. It explores the underlying toxicities that tainted a passionate relationship over many years causing resentment, longing, anger and abandonment.  It is the kind of relationship that doesn’t go away as one moves on, but seems to haunt every decision, the pain of it lingering even many years later as one reflects back on it.  It leaves one questioning if the other party ever feels the same or what could have been done so things could have ended differently, or if the flame could ever be reignited again.

This track is another one where the lyrics seem to cut into the tender memories, allowing them to resurface and have the listener feeling things they didn’t think they’d feel again.

21. “How Did It End?” – 13/13

“How Did It End?” is one of the most devastating tracks. Before any lyrics even starts, the piano and Swift’s voice sounds in pain and cuts through listeners like a knife.  The track names many different reasons for a relationship ending in the narrators attempt to silent the media who keep asking and prying for all the details of how it ended.  A game that Swift has to play with them every time she goes through a breakup, with no time to grieve or be alone with it, she’s expected to give the public answers on a relationship that wasn’t there’s, while she’s just trying to understand herself.

Like “Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus”, I think this track is composed perfectly, it’s devastatingly beautiful lyrics, over the haunting piano melody capture the gut-wrenching pain Swift was in, while also her frustration with the public’s lack of sympathy as she tries to cope. This track has also become deeply important to me in coping with my own losses, although I’d much rather them be breakups like Swift’ situation.

22. “So High School” -10/13

“So High School” effectively captures the innocence of that first love feeling which Swift associates with her new partner.  The electric guitar that kicks off the track, as well as the drum fills and melody give laying in your teenage room and kicking your feet and giggling while you tell the girls about this new love interest.  The references to cliche high school games such as truth or dare, kiss, marry, kill or spin the bottle bring the listener back to their high school partying days.  Swift also uses some clever innuendos throughout the track that are reminiscent of her friend, Sabrina Carpenter: “brand new, full throttle, touch me while your bros play grand theft auto / it’s true swear, scouts honour”.  “So High School” has more casual, less serious lyrics than the rest of the album, which is one of the most important parts of the song for establishing a high school-esque culture in the track.

The song is a refreshing break from all the tragedy of that came before it and will come after it and gives listeners time to breathe and be happy, however, the track placement is odd and it almost should have come after “I Hate It Here” instead.

23. “I Hate It Here”-11/13

This track should have followed after “How Did It End?” to continue the streak of tragic heartbreak and loneliness. Like many songs on TTPD, Aaron Dessner produced this track and evidently so. “I Hate It Here” is a classic Swift and Dessner track with the finger style guitar that carries the emotionally blunt, but poetic lyrics. The track seems to cope with depression, imagining scenarios in which one can escape a grim reality for mystical places, my favourite is The Secret Garden reference as that was a book I loved to read as a child with my dad.

“I Hate It Here” perfectly captures the dull, lifelessness that accompanies depression, when even times we were once nostalgic for become foreign and the things that used to excite us are now bland and ineffective. However, throughout its lyrics are little flickers of hope and dreams of better places.

24. “thanK you aIMee” – 7/13

“thanK you aIMee” shares an encouraging message about overcoming critical and negative forces in your life that is widely relatable.  In Swift’s scenario, this was person who attempted to hold her back, tear her down and destroy the career she built. Despite this, Swift continued to push through and ended up building a career larger than it ever was before.

The most important lesson in “thanK you aIMee” is in the bridge, “when I count the stars there’s a moment of truth, that there wouldn’t be this if there hadn’t been you”.  It’s true that the difficult events we go through are actually what makes us strong and resilient, allowing us to build and become something greater.  When you’ve reached a point where you can look back at the people who have hurt you most with gratitude, you’ve truly won.

Although, “thanK you aIMee” contains a great message, it’s not my favourite to listen to on the album because it’s quite long. It’s not necessarily an attention span thing, I love long songs, it just gets boring after some time. The production suits the song well, however, it doesn’t do anything to keep listeners captivated for the length of the track.

25. “I Look in People’s Windows” – 10/13

One of the most underrated and overlooked tracks on the album, “I Look In People’s Windows” is actually a personal favourite. When my friend passed, I remember going to his home city to visit him and see my favourite band Twenty One Pilots play. Of course at this point I didn’t know, but when I got there I found out the devastating news. “I Look In People’s Windows” perfectly encapsulates the feeling of wandering around the city, seeing all the places we’d been talking or been just weeks or months before and hoping for just a glimpse of him; hoping it wasn’t true and that I’d see him again, but most of all looking for someone who you know deep down you will not see again.

A truly devastating and unreleased track, the production aids it in evoking these strong emotions. Almost reminiscent of Lover’s “Death By A Thousand Cuts” the guitar and way it’s sung create this innocent sense of hope to accompany that feeling of yearning for another moment.

26. “The Prophecy” -13/13

“The Prophecy” is one of the most devastating tracks on the album.  It’s rare to find songs that convey the last resort of desperation so poetically in a way that’s so relatable it cuts deep into who you are.  The lyrics beautifully capture how it feels to be hopeless, desperate and alone, not coming across ungrateful, but feeling upset with the cards you’ve been dealt.  It’s truly that moment when you’ve come to pray to whatever you believe in just hoping it changes something.

“The Prophecy” has always been a favourite of mine, but became especially painful to listen to after my friend passed.  I don’t think I’d ever felt so lost in love than when the person who I loved passed away and our entire future we’d planned together was gone.  Initially, it’s hard to think you’ll ever move on from that person because you feel like even on your wedding day they’ll still be in the back of your mind and you’ll still be wondering about that future you would’ve had together.

It became even more special to me after my Aunt passed.  It was one of her favourite songs and although she definitely related to it in love, I think a lot of it was her health as well.  “The Prophecy” became more than just love for me when I found that same hopelessness and desperation praying she’d get better, and still to this day praying she will somehow come back to me.

“The Prophecy” is a perfect song, the way it’s sung, the production and lyrics destroy me. every. time.

27. “Cassandra” -12/13

“Cassandra” utilizes the story of Cassandra and Troy to explain the frustration and trauma many women experience in modern society.  Despite attempting to move towards a world of equality, women in most industries are still not taken seriously and belittled by men everyday, it happens to me all the time working at a record store. A RECORD STORE.  Anyway, the track delivers this story over a beautiful piano instrumental, the lyrics layered over haunting harmonies.

I believe “Cassandra” is often overlooked by fans, possibly because the 2016 story is becoming slightly redundant in Swift’s albums, however, it was a highly emotional and traumatic time in her life that she can write about as much as she wants.  Each time she does so, the song talks about the experience through a new lense, using different analogies; “Cassandra” is definitely one of my favourites because I love Greek mythology.

28. “Peter” – 13/13

“Peter” is another favourite of mine and easily one of the best written and produced tracks on the album.  Most of the lyrics allude to the infamous tale of Peter Pan cleverly, in a way to analogize a real-life situation.  This track is almost like a part two to folklore’s “cardigan”, which also references Peter Pan, however, in “Peter”, “cardigan”‘s main protagonist, Betty, has grown up and stopped waiting on James (Peter). I love fairytales and even more so, when other works of art allude to others to bring a new perceptive to it, or explain a modern day situation through mystical imagery, something Swift has not shied away from in her music since she started.

29. “The Bolter” -10/13

“The Bolter” is an interesting track because it goes through ups and downs for me.  There’s been times when it’s one of my favourites and I cannot get enough of it and then times where I skip it if I’m not listening on vinyl (which is rare). The song is thematically similar to “Blank Space” and “Slut!” as it seems to address the media’s misogynistic accusations, calling Swift a “serial dater”, when really she has not dated that many people and this is something that is no one’s business to comment on.

An upbeat track driven by acoustic guitar, “The Bolter” is an entertaining listen, heavy on the storytelling.

29. “Robin” – 13000000000/13

If it weren’t for all the “Robin” stans I’ve stumbled upon recently, I would deem it the most underrated and overlooked song on the album. “Robin” was written with The National’s Aaron Dessner, who produced a lot of the tracks on this album, and named after his son.  “Robin” is reminiscent of my favourite Speak Now song, “Never Grow Up” in the way it addresses the innocence and freedom of youth from the perspective of an elder watching someone grow up and learn about the world.

It reminds me of my puppy, “Nico”, especially the second verse: “covered in mud you look ridiculous and you have no idea / buried down deep and out of your reach / the secret we all vowed to keep it from you in sweetness.”  When we have a younger sibling, pet, or child in our lives we have the tendency to want to protect them from the cruelty of the real world, despite knowing one day they will have to grow up and face it.  We just want the best for them always.

The production of the song led by piano is soft and delicate like the innocence of youth, however, it builds throughout the song conveying the wild, freedom that accompanies it. Swift’s airy vocals create a deeply comforting lullaby effect throughout the track. The lyrics are perfect at capturing the essence of childhood, you feel proud, warm and obligated to protect the song’s subject.

31. “The Manuscript” -11/13

The last track on The Anthology was the first bonus track announced to be on the physical copy of the ghosted white variant of TTPD.  “The Manuscript” cleverly sums up Swift’s entire discography as a collection of songs which she has written to cope with experiences she’s had, that she then shares with the world despite how vulnerable they are, in which they become other people’s coping mechanisms.

As a writer myself, I really love this song because it explains how these mechanisms can be used to build something beautiful. Much like “thanK you aIMee” when you learn to find gratitude for the difficult events in your life that have made you stronger and turn them into something amazing, like a work of art, that you can share with others to help them cope with similar experiences, that is when you are truly living and learning.