In Lover, Swift grows up with dazzling results.
Taylor Swift’s Lover is her most assured album so far- reminiscent of her previous work, while still being fresh enough to be its own entity. While the album retains her signature sing-along storytelling structure, Swift plays around enough with genre that each song never feels stale. While the album’s narrative might not be as tight as previous works, Swift experiments with a multitude of topics and themes such as love, politics and sexism to great effect. The album is brought together by its final song Daylight where Swift boldly declares she wants to be defined by the things she loves, not the things she hates.
Overall, this album moves Swift into a mature direction and a marked improvement of the slight cynicism of reputation. Lover is confident and Swift at her pop best.
For a full break-down of each song and final ranking see below:
I Forgot You Existed– is a nice-opener even if it remains a bit forgettable. Is a slightly more upbeat song that would of suited the narrative employed in reputation. Is also one of those songs where Swift isn’t so much singing but talking to tell a story about how she’s moved on from someone with so much indifference that she neither feels love or hate for them.
6.5/10
Best Line: It isn’t love/it isn’t hate/it’s just indifference
Cruel Summer– the real opener of the album. Cruel Summer is a big song with a huge production. The song uses reverb spectacularly, giving Swift’s vocals the needed edge to pull off this big song. Should have been the first single from the album!
9/10
Best Line: I don’t wanna keep secrets just to keep you.
Lover- now we reach the title track of the album. Lover is Swift at her lyrical best- this song is both dreamy and like a warm hug that is surely going to be the next big wedding song. It’s also the first hint on the album that Swift is in a happy spot in her life. I also can’t get it out of my head, which means its perfect.
10/10
Best Line: And oh/take me out and take me home.
The Man- POP and lyrical perfection! I love this song, here Swift imagines her life from the perspective of a man and calls out the double standards between a women and men’s successes and love life. Quite possibly my favourite track on the album.
10/10
Best Line: I’m so sick of running as fast as I can/Wondering if I’d get there quicker if I was a man.
The Archer- taking me a little while to grow on this song. Lyrically it’s a beautiful song about Swift’s struggles with herself, but the song never drops when it should- but maybe that’s Swift’s intention. Overall a solid song that still needs some revisiting.
6.5/10
Best Line: And I cut off/My nose just to spite my face.
I Think He Knows- this song is fun! But controversial opinion, this is the song that reminds me of every other pop song. That being said Swift’s breathy vocals do give this track a lot of life.
7/10
Best Line: He got my heartbeat/Skipping down 16th avenue.
Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince- the wordiest title on Lover is also Swift’s most interesting. Here she gets political by creating allusions to a political race with high-school imagery. It’s also the first song on the album that feels like a true departure for Swift, here she’s a bit more reminiscent of Lana Del Rey- but I think she pulls it off.
9/10
Best Line: Boys will be boys then/Where are the wise men?
Paper Rings- YES TO EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS SONG. Very reminiscent of any soundtrack to a teen movie from the late 90s to early 00s, Swift brings a little bit of a punk edge to talk about a relationship so perfect that materialism isn’t needed to keep things interesting- I am so here for this song, don’t even care if it’s cheesy as fudge.
10/10
Best Line: I like shiny things but I’d marry you with paper rings.
Cornelia Street- a completely penned Swift ballad, Cornelia Street is perhaps the most personal song on the album for Swift- this is a narrative we are invited to listen to. The only alienating thing about the song is the fact that it’s so personal, that its not necessarily a song you’d play on repeat, but a great song nevertheless.
8/10
Best Line: And I hope I never lose you/hope it never ends/I’d never walk Cornelia Street again.
Death by a Thousand Cuts- personally for me this is the most confusing song on the album, simply for its placement. It comes right after the love ballad of Cornelia Street and we get a song about a previous relationship? That being said it’s a solid song, but personally feel like it gets drowned out by the rest of the album.
7/10
Best Line: I look through the windows of this love/Even though we boarded them up.
London Boy- this is a nice, fun song if ultimately a bit forgettable overall compared to the other love songs about Joe Alwyn on the album. This is Swift at her cheesiest but I guess that’s why it’s also infectious.
7/10
Best Line: You know I love a London boy/I enjoy nights in Brixton/Shoreditch in the afternoon.
Soon You’ll Get Better- this song ruined me. A completely stripped song with very minimal percussion, Swift sings about her mum, but in a way that doesn’t alienate her listeners from not relating to the song. As someone who has seen many people leave this beautiful world, this song really resonated with me. A wish that you’ll see your sick loved one, heal. A perfect song with the nice added touch of the Dixie Chicks as backing vocals.
10/10
Best Line: And I hate to make this all about me/But then who am I supposed to talk to?/What am I supposed to do?/If there’s no you.
False God- this song has grown on me the most of the whole album. A slow song that is extremely sexy with the nice added touch of the saxophone in the background. I’m not sure if I’m completely sold on all the lyrical content of the song- especially the allusions to the body with religious iconography but I’ll let it slide.
9/10
Best Line: Staring out the window like I’m not your favourite town/I’m New York City.
You Need to Calm Down- look I love that Swift is getting more vocal, but this is easily my least favourite of the album. It never bops the way I want it to and the chorus is extremely annoying. Love what it stands for, but skip please.
5.5/10
Best Line: Shade never made anybody less gay.
Afterglow- despite the title, this song was not about, what I thought it would be about. Instead it focuses on the afterglow effects of a fight and hence the song becomes infinitely more interesting. Maybe because it’s towards the end of the album, but I find myself remembering the lyrical content of the song the most so it’s also kinda catchy? Overall very solid.
8/10
Best Line: Hey it’s all me/Don’t go/Meet me in the afterglow.
ME!- this song gets so much flak but its bubblegum pop and it’s extremely infectious. That being said it really does pale in comparison to the rest of the album, and really shouldn’t have been the lead single. Do really love Brendon Urie’s vocals on the track though. Also Taylor please add back in “Hey Boys and Girls, spelling is fun”- the song feels so barren without it now :’).
6.5/10
Best Line: And when we had that fight out in the rain/You ran after me and called my name.
It’s Nice to Have a Friend- this song is getting the most hate online, but I actually kinda love it? The use of the snare drum and choir give this song the most interesting production values of the entire album. Swift’s flat vocals also give this song a nice storytelling component. Does it feel more like an interlude rather than an actual song? Sure, but it works.
7.5/10
Best Line: Light-pink sky/Up on the roof/Sun sinks down/No curfew.
Daylight- Finally we reach the end of the album, Daylight really does bring the whole album together and is quite a great song to boot. It’s Swift emerging from the nastiness of the past few years and her most focused track on forgetting the past and focusing on the things that she loves. A perfect endnote to a great album.
9/10
Best Line: I wanna be defined by the things that I love/Not the things I hate.
Final Ranking:
- The Man
- Soon You’ll Get Better
- Paper Rings
- Lover
- Cruel Summer
- Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince
- Daylight
- False God
- Afterglow
- Cornelia Street
- It’s Nice to Have a Friend
- Death by a Thousand Cuts
- I Think He Knows
- London Boy
- I Forgot You Existed
- The Archer
- ME!
- You Need to Calm Down
The Scribble 