At midnight sharp (or 11:00pm CT), Taylor Swift dropped her 10th studio album, Midnights. The album shares stories from “thirteen sleepless nights” throughout Swift’s life. Additionally, at 3am she released seven (Folklore who?) more tracks for the Midnights (3am Edition). The entire album returns to her pop pipeline roots, but with creative lyrical work written by her and Jack Antinoff. While it would be entirely too long of an article to review/analyze each song, here are a few of my favorites:
Lavender Haze
“Lavender Haze” is the first track on the album, and rightfully so. From the first words “Meet me at midnight,” listeners hear what tone Swift is setting for the record. The song deals with themes of when you’re in a new relationship, almost like the honeymoon stage. In this case, Swift sings about how people are trying to distract her from her own lavender haze— a term originally coined in the 1950’s from “Mad Men” for the fresh, new, giddy love. She sings: “I find it dizzying / They’re bringing up my history / But you weren’t even listening / I feel the lavender haze creeping up on me / Surreal.” Here, she’s directly discussing how people keep trying to pull her and her boyfriend (Joe Alwyn) out of their own lavender haze. She wants to stay in her relationship and not let other, outside influences, into their space. “Lavender Haze” sets the tone not only for the instrumental/musical aspect of the album, but it instantly provides context for the themes throughout.
Anti-Hero
“Anti-Hero” is the third track off the album, as well as the lead single for the record that has a music video. “Anti-Hero” is that song that encompasses all of the negative thoughts one could have about themselves, but is somehow relatable for others to listen to. It, in a sense, is one of Swift’s deepest songs about herself to date. She sings about her depression and also how “[She’ll] stare directly at the sun, but never in the mirror.” Essentially, some days she finds it difficult to look at herself in the mirror and come to term with her weaknesses or problems. In a way, during the chorus she comes to the conclusion that “[she’s] the problem, it’s [her].” It’s not that Swift believes these things about herself, it’s her inner narrative and depression talking based on everything people say in the media. Though, by not directly referring to the media she makes the song more relatable because many people have had the same thoughts about themselves in one way or another. This makes the song relatable to her audiences, while still sharing her inner thoughts.
Vigilante Shit
“Vigilante Shit” gives Princess Diana revenge dress energy that the Swifities needed! In this song, Swift shares more of her story of how she got her revenge on one of the men who have wronged her. The song deals with divorce and how she is not friends with someone’s ex-wife. It’s either a call out to Kanye West or Scooter Braun, as they are both recently divorced, and they’ve both wronged her in different, yet manipulative, ways. Regardless of Swift’s meaning behind the song, it can be applied to many situations that people go through when they finally get their version of revenge.
Karma
“Karma” is an ode to the Reputation Era, specifically “Look What You Made Me Do.” In the first single for Reputation, Swift sings that “all [she] thinks about is karma.” Many fans think Karma is an album that Braun wouldn’t let her produce/release (potentially about West). While there are many theories, Swift was delighted in informing fans about this song on her “Midnights Mayhem With Me” TikTok series releasing each track title. In one verse of “Karma” Swift sings, “Spider boy, king of thieves / Weave your little webs of opacity / My pennies made your crown.” Fans have speculated that “spider boy” is a reference to Scooter Braun, as they share the same initials. Further, she talks about how her masters (or, pennies, that he stole) made his fame/money. This song holds multiple meanings not only to Swift and her fans, but once again speaks to that sweet feeling that happens when someone receives what’s coming for them.
Glitch (3am Edition)
This song is about when you fall for someone unexpectedly, and who you didn’t think you would be with for as long as you would’ve. This song partially feels like an unorthodox love song to Swift’s partner Aldwyn, but once again can be applied to all audiences who fall in love unexpectedly. She starts with the lyric “We were supposed to be just friends,” which sets the tone for what the topic of the song is, diving deeper in the first part of the chorus she sings, “I think there’s been a glitch, oh, yeah / Five seconds later, I’m fastening myself to you with a stitch, oh, yeah / And I’m not even sorry, nights are so starry.” The fastening with a stitch sounds like a reference to how close they got in such a short amount of time, or, alternatively, a sexual metaphor due to the commentary about the stary nights— implying that they typically spend time together at night. Following the common theme, this song is applicable to that feeling when you just can’t shake how you feel about somebody, even though you never expected to be with them.
Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve (3am Edition)
Diving right in: this song is, potentially, a sleepless night about John Mayer. Swift’s lyrics share, “I would’ve stayed on my knees / And I damn sure never would’ve danced with the devil / At nineteen” which is when Swift dated Mayer. It has a further theme of the mistakes you make at young ages and how sometimes you regret them. In the bridge of the song Swift peels back another layer by singing, “Living for the thrill of hitting you where it hurts / Give me back my girlhood, it was mine first” firstly, she is explaining how she wanted to get back at Mayer for the emotional turmoil and pain the he caused her at such a young age, but secondly, it feels like Swift is commenting on a larger issue that he took away part of her teenage years and it almost forced her to grow up faster. While it’s especially valuable to Swift, it’s also sharing a larger message for how sometimes there are people in life we regret forming a relationship with (either friendly or romantically).
While I’ve only discussed and analyzed a couple songs vaguely, it’s clear that a common theme throughout Swift’s songwriting is the ability to write about personal experiences that her audience can empathize with and relate to in one way or another. In doing this, she creates a strong bond with her fans that make her feel more “human” to them. There truly isn’t a song off the “Midnights” album that I would skip. This album is one of my favorites from start to finish (and, I would listen to it at 3am). If you’re having a sleepless night, this is your new go-to album with a song that fits any mood.