If there was ever a time to be a Swiftie, it’s now. Between “folklore” and “evermore” and her re-releases, we are constantly being fed content. Since I’ve been listening to Taylor Swift for hours everyday, I have naturally started to wonder what the best Taylor Swift bridges are.
To find out, I enlisted the help of every Swiftie I could find. I created a Google Form with three to eight songs that I had chosen from each album and had Swifties vote on which had the best bridge. I also had the options for people to write in songs or to abstain from voting on albums that they hadn’t listened to. After getting responses from 36 Swifites, I have curated a list of the top three best bridges from each album, with an explanation for the best bridge of each album.
“Taylor Swift”
“should’ve said no”
“I can’t resist, before you go, tell me this…”
“Should’ve Said No” isn’t the longest bridge, but what it lacks in length the song makes up for in emotion. The vocals are so strong and full of totally raw emotion. In this bridge, Taylor goes from being completely heartbroken and devastated to infuriated and enraged. If you need any more convincing that this is the best bridge in the album, just watch this video of Taylor performing “Should’ve Said No” on her Fearless tour. The second and third best bridges from “Taylor Swift” are “Our Song” and “Cold As You.”
“Fearless (Taylor’s Version)”
“The Way I Loved You”
“He can’t see the smile I’m faking…”
This whole song feels like a movie, which I would absolutely watch by the way. The contrast in the bridge from “feeling nothing at all” to “frustrating, intoxicating, complicated” is just amazing and makes listeners want to have a love as toxic and enthralling as whatever inspired this song. Plus, this is a great bridge to scream at the top of your lungs. The second and third best bridges from “Fearless (Taylor’s Version)” are “You Belong With Me” and “Fifteen.”
“speak now”
“dear john”
“You are an expert at sorry, and keeping lines blurry…”
“Speak Now” is one of the first albums that had the dramatic, poetic and image-filled lyrics that Taylor is known for now, and the “Dear John” bridge encompasses this perfectly. Taylor creates a maniacal villain in John, a man who burns out girls and leaves them with “tired lifeless eyes” and expects Taylor to follow all of his rules only for him to discard her in the end. But the bridge turns this sad and twisted song around, ending with the victory of Taylor while John stays in his “sad empty town.” After this bridge, listeners can enjoy the rest of the song, knowing that it is sung by the girl who got out and knows better now instead of the girl who keeps playing a game she can’t win. The second and third best bridges from “Speak Now” are “Back To December” and “Mine.”
“Red (Taylor’s Version)”
“All Too Well” (All Versions)
“Well maybe we got lost in translation, maybe I asked for too much…”
Taylor is confused and constantly second-guessing herself throughout this song, but she comes to a realization in the bridge. Taylor finally puts all of the blame on her partner in this relationship and realizes that she was a scared, young girl through it all who didn’t deserve to be treated like she was disposable. This bridge is such an intense moment that the pain comes through every time it plays. If you listen closely, you can probably hear a fellow Swiftie screaming it right now. The second best bridge from “Red (Taylor’s Version)” is “Treacherous,” and “The Moment I Knew” and “Come Back…Be Here” are tied for third.
“1989”
“Out Of The Woods”
“Remember when you hit the brakes too soon? Twenty stitches in the hospital room…”
“Out of the Woods” is a song of repetition. The phrase “Are we out of the woods yet?” is in the lyrics 38 times. But the bridge provides a very purposeful break that is still just as chaotic as the rest of the song. It moves at a break-neck-pace, jumping from a car accident and ER visit to a sense of calm and relief at the end, but still provides listeners with absolutely no clarity as to what actually happened. Not only is this bridge exhilarating and exhausting, but it sparked the Harry Styles and Taylor Swift vehicular manslaughter conspiracy theory, and really, what’s more exciting than that? The second and third best bridges from “1989” are “Wildest Dreams” and “New Romantics.”
“reputation”
“Look What You Made Me Do”
“I don’t trust nobody and nobody trusts me. I’ll be the actress starring in your bad dreams…”
“Look What You Made Me Do” completely changed the world’s perception of Taylor Swift, and the bridge was the final nail in Taylor’s reputation’s coffin. Taylor fully embraced the villain persona that she’d been given by the media and takes on a bit of a dark knight, lone ranger role with the lyrics, “I don’t trust nobody and nobody trusts me.” And the last line of the bridge is perhaps one of the most iconic lyrics she has ever written: “I’m sorry, the old Taylor can’t come to the phone right now. Why? Oh, cause she’s dead!” Fans and critics alike never expected Taylor to write something like this, and that’s what makes it so impactful and memorable. The second and third best bridges from “Reputation” are “Dress” and “Don’t Blame Me.”
“lover”
“Cruel Summer”
“I’m drunk in the back of the car and I cried like a baby coming home from the bar…”
This emotional bridge breaks down the anxieties that come with a new relationship, a feeling that just about anyone listening can relate to. Taylor confesses that she doesn’t know if she feels safe loving someone or being loved, it’s the “worst thing [she’s] ever heard!” The bridge makes you feel like you’re also drunk in the back of the car with Taylor. And it has some of the most screamable lyrics, from “I don’t wanna keep secrets just to keep you” to “I love you, ain’t that the worst thing you’ve ever heard?” The second best bridge from “Lover” is “Death By A Thousand Cuts,” and “Paper Rings” and “Daylight” are tied for third place.
“folklore”
“august”
“Back when we were still changin’ for the better. Wanting was enough…”
It’s amazing that as a mature, accomplished woman, Taylor can still capture what it feels like to be a teenager in love. The bridge perfectly captures the sadness and nostalgia that comes with the end of summer and the end of a relationship. It is magical, whimsical, yet agonizing at the same time. The contrast of the maturity of lyrics like “Cause you weren’t mine to lose” and the youthfulness of “Meet me behind the mall” is genius and heartbreaking. The second and third best bridges from “folklore” are “illicit affairs” and “cardigan.”
“evermore”
“champagne problems”
“Your Midas touch on the Chevy door. November flush and your flannel cure…”
As a former AP Lit student, I could analyze this bridge for days. It’s practically poetry. The unrequited love, the regret, the feelings of inadequacy with the crescendoing piano in the back. Not to mention the visual of a shredded tapestry and the shocking bite, “What a shame she’s fucked in the head.” It’s all incredibly dramatic and even tear-jerking. Would it be too much to say that this is THE best Taylor Swift bridge? The second best bridge from “evermore” is “gold rush” and “‘tis the damn season” and “ivy” are tied for third place.
“From the Vault”
“Mr. Perfectly Fine”
“And it’s really such a shame…”
One of the best things about the re recordings is getting to hear Taylor sing the feelings of her younger self. “Mr. Perfectly Fine” is such a classic, he-broke-my-heart-and-he’ll-regret-it young Taylor song. The transition from being the devastated “Miss ‘Here to stay’” to the stronger “Miss ‘Gonna be alright someday’” is the perfect transition to the “Goodbye, Mr ‘Perfectly Fine’” chorus. Overall, this bridge is just upbeat, fun and the quintessential Taylor Swift bridge. The second and third best “From the Vault” bridges are “Nothing New (featuring Phoebe Bridgers)” and “The Very First Night.”
Now that you’ve read this amazing list, you’re probably wondering if I made a corresponding playlist. Is Taylor’s lucky number 13? Yes!
I hope you enjoy this playlist as much as Taylor loves teasing the “1989” re-release!