Taylor Swift has emerged from the darkness of reputation in the most glorious way.
If you’ve been debating on whether or not you should spend your time listening to this whopping 18 track album, worry no more. I’ve been listening to Lover non-stop for 2 weeks now, and it’s only gotten better with each consecutive listen.
Skeptical? It’s THE top-selling album of 2019– just saying.
1. I Forgot That You Existed
THIS SONG. Besides being an amazing transition song from the Reputation era to the Lover era, it’s also one of the most relatable songs for anyone who’s gone through a break-up (either with a romantic partner or even an ex-best friend.)
There’s nothing more empowering than realizing someone from your past doesn’t have the same negative effect on you anymore- and that’s the TEA on that. *sips tea*
Notable lyric: “It isn’t love, it isn’t hate, it’s just indifference”
2. Cruel Summer
Loving him was… blue? This song found the sweet spot between the pop-synth in 1989 and the colorful imagery found in Red, and I’m all about it. Taylor co-wrote this song with Jack Antonoff, singer of the indie pop band Bleachers, which helps give this song an indie 80’s vibe that is sure to make this song a (hopefully not cruel?) summer favorite.
Notable lyric: “Said, ‘I’m fine,’ but it wasn’t true, I don’t wanna keep secrets just to keep you”
3. Lover
This song is soft, intimate, romantic- and most of all, it’s reminiscent of the Red album, which will forever be one of my favorite albums of all time. I can already picture this song being featured on every future wedding playlist.
This song is definitely in my top 5 from the entire album!
Notable lyric: “All’s well that ends well to end up with you, swear to be overdramatic and true to my lover”
4. The Man
Grab your girl gang and get ready to sing + dance along to this BOP. From the intro to the bridge, this song is loaded with sassy lyrics and very specific celebrity mentions/references (I’m looking at you, Leo and Kanye). And of course, it is the ultimate song to sing when you’re frustrated at the double standards women have to endure (so basically, every day, AM I RIGHT?)
Notable lyric: “What I was wearing, if I was rude, could all be separated from my good ideas and power moves”
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5. The Archer
In this song, Taylor sings about all of the insecurities she faces in her relationship. She’s good at protecting herself by putting up walls, but she also wonders if her partner will stay if and when she chooses to let him in. It’s beautiful both lyrically and musically- I especially love how the song gradually builds and feels like a pulsating heartbeat. It’s honest, it’s vulnerable, and it leaves me feeling just a little (a lot) emotional after listening to it.
Notable lyrics: “I cut off my nose just to spite my face, and I hate my reflection for years and years”
“All the king’s horses, all the king’s men, couldn’t put me together again, ’cause all of my enemies started out friends, help me hold on to you”
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6. I Think He Knows
This song is definitely not in my top 5 (or top 10 for that matter), but is still a catchy sing-along nonetheless.
Notable lyrics: “Lyrical smile, indigo eyes, hand on my thigh, we could follow the sparks, I’ll drive”
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7. Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince
At first, I felt like this was just a wannabe Lana Del Rey song, but after doing *quite* a bit of research, I discovered there is much more to this song than meets the eye. One theory is that this song isn’t merely about a high school romance like the lyrics suggest- some think it’s a song about Taylor’s decision to get involved and speak up about her political beliefs.
Notable lyrics: “I’m feeling helpless, the damsels are depressed, boys will be boys then, where are the wise men?”
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Related: Taylor Swift: One Post and 65,000 New Registered Voters
8. Paper Rings
I’ve probably listened to this song over 21,240 times, but I literally can’t get ENOUGH! It’s the perfect indie-pop hit that gets stuck in your head in the best way possible. I love that it feels innocent and light-hearted, the way love is meant to be.
Notable lyrics: “I want to drive away with you, I want your complications too, I want your dreary Mondays”
9. Cornelia Street
I wasn’t completely sold on this song at first, but once I listened to it a few more times and read lyric annotations, I was sold. Another one of her more lyrically honest songs, she wrote it about the memories she has while she rented an apartment on Cornelia Street in Manhattan. It amazes me that she’s able to bring listeners onto this personal nostalgic trip down memory lane, even though none of us have been there. The last little section of the song where it’s just her voice and the piano gives me ~chills~.
Notable lyrics: “We were a fresh page on the desk, filling in the blanks as we go”
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10. Death By A Thousand Cuts
Taylor wrote this song after watching the Netflix movie Someone Great; it’s not based on her life at all but she still manages to dive deep and rip out our hearts. The musicality of this song is so interesting in the best way- it has a discordant piano riff, layered with synth, drum beats, guitar and background “ahs”. It sounds chaotic and upbeat, but the lyrics are heartbreaking. Just go listen to it.
Notable lyrics: “You said it was a great love, one for the ages, but if the story’s over, why am I still writing pages?”
“Paper cut stings from our paper-thin plans”
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11. London Boy
This song is everything my England obsessed self ever wanted. It starts off with a sampling of Idris Elba speaking (need I say more?), includes British slang and of course talks about her time exploring London with her beau, Joe Alwyn.
Notable lyrics: “They say home is where the heart is, but God, I love the English”
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12. Soon You’ll Get Better
Oof. Taylor wrote this song for her mom who was diagnosed with cancer in 2015. She shared earlier this year that her mom’s cancer has returned. She added this song onto the album with her family’s consent, but says that it is far too emotional for her to ever sing.
This one hits a little too close to home for me- my mom was diagnosed with cancer last year (she is now cancer-free), but I remember how terrifying it was to feel worried I was going to lose my best friend.
Make sure you have tissues nearby for this one!
Notable lyrics: “I just pretend it isn’t real, I’ll paint the kitchen neon, I’ll brighten up the sky, I know I’ll never get it, there’s not a day that I won’t try”
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13. False God
Yeah I’m not a fan of this one. The saxophone feels out of place and I don’t particularly love the lyrics. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Notable lyrics: “They say the road gets hard and you get lost, when you’re led by blind faith”
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14. You Need To Calm Down
This song, Taylor’s second single of the album, has garnered mixed reviews for her stance on LGBTQ Equality. I’m not a huge fan of the song itself, but I love that Taylor Swift continues to use her celebrity status for something more than selling records.
Notable lyrics: “Sunshine on the street at the parade, but you would rather be in the dark ages, makin’ that sign must’ve taken all night”
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15. Afterglow
The lyrics to this song are beautiful, but I don’t particularly love the song. Toward the end of the album, some of the songs sound too repetitive, IMO.
Notable lyrics: “I lived like an island, punished you with silence”
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16. ME!
I once heard someone refer to this song as a Pixar meets Dreamworks song- it’s a completely valid point, but it’s been five months and I’m still singing along.
Notable lyrics: “But one of these things is not like the others, like a rainbow with all of the colors”
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17. It’s Nice To Have A Friend
This song is beautiful, simple and innocent- it reminds me of Everything Has Changed, but like, a teenager version.
Notable lyrics: “20 questions, we tell the truth, you’ve been stressed out lately, yeah, me too”
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18. Daylight
This is the perfect ending to a beautiful album. Daylight is moving and hopeful, which means that this album is only the beginning of Taylor’s comeback. She’s BACK!
Notable lyrics: “There are so many lines that I’ve crossed unforgiven, I’ll tell you the truth, but never goodbye”
“I wanna be defined by the things that I love, not the things I hate, not the things I’m afraid of or the things that haunt me in the middle of the night
I just think that you are what you love”
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Lover is an album full of new beginnings for Taylor Swift’s love life, career, and her fans. And it’s pretty much everything I could have hoped for as a fan. Stream the Lover enhanced album on Spotify now!