Last month, Taylor Swift blessed us with Lover, her seventh and best album yet. While Reputation was a sharp departure from her usual style, Lover proved to be a swift (pun intended) return of the Taylor we know and love. The album serves as a tribute to Joe Alywn, Swift’s boyfriend and rumored fiance. While Lover certainly celebrates romance, the album is ultimately a message for all of us to love ourselves first.
- I Forgot That You Existed
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Taylor writes that the intro song was intended as a segue from the dark tone of her previous album by “resolving that whole conflict with a shrug.” The lighthearted way Swift addresses her haters reminds us that sometimes the best way to deal with negative people is to forget about them completely.
Best Line: “It isn’t love, it isn’t hate, it’s just indifference”
- Cruel Summer
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In this song, Taylor talks about the intense and conflicting emotions felt at the beginning of a relationship, and how those feelings can become incredibly overwhelming.
Best Line: “I love you, ain’t that the worst thing you ever heard?”
- Lover
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The titular song is an ode to Swift’s beau and even led to speculation that the two are already married. If “Lover” doesn’t make you want to plan your future wedding, you might be dead inside.
Best Line: “Can we always be this close, forever and ever?”
- The Man
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In a song that Swift planned to write for a long time but “could never figure out exactly how to phrase it,” she conveys her relatable fear that her success has been limited by her gender.
Best Line: “Wondering if I’d get there quicker if I was a man”
- The Archer
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This emotional song dissects Swift’s past relationships and the ways in which they weren’t a good fit. She expresses the fear that no one has ever truly known her, and that she might not even know herself.
Best Line: “Who could ever leave me, darling, but who could stay?”
- I Think He Knows
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Another song that is clearly about Joe Alywn, “I Think He Knows” makes it very obvious just how Swift feels about her man.
Best Line: “It’s like I’m seventeen, no one understands”
- Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince
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Taylor recently shared her political views with the world after years of remaining silent about politics. The song is described as a metaphor for the “disillusionment with our crazy world of politics and inequality.”
Best Line: “I’m feeling helpless, the damsels are depressed”
- Paper Rings
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In a song that can only be described as relationship goals, “Paper Rings” details the timeline of Joe and Taylor’s relationship.
Best Line: “I like shiny things, but I’d marry you with paper rings”
- Cornelia Street
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One of the more somber songs from the album is “Cornelia Street,” where Taylor shares her fears of losing her relationship. In the brutally honest song, Taylor writes that she can’t imagine living without Joe and returning to her previous life.
Best Line: “I hope I never lose you, hope it never ends”
- Death By A Thousand Cuts
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Unlike the rest of the tracks, this song conveys the pain of ending a relationship, which (as you probably figured out by now) feels like a thousand cuts.
Best Line: “I get drunk and it’s not enough, ‘cause the morning comes and you’re not my baby”
- London Boy
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If Taylor hadn’t made her relationship with British actor Joe Alywn clear enough, this cheesy tribute to him makes it perfectly apparent.
Best Line: “They say home is where the heart is, but that’s not where mine is”
- Soon You’ll Get Better (feat. Dixie Chicks)
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This deeply personal song chronicles the struggles of Swift and her family after her mother was diagnosed with cancer. Though Taylor debated whether or not to release the song, she ultimately decided to include the track.
Best Line: “What am I supposed to do if there’s no you?”
- False God
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In the *steamiest* song on the album, Taylor talks about the doubts she had about her relationship and the ways she was able to work through them.
Best Line: “Religion’s in your lips, even if it’s a false god”
- You Need to Calm Down
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“You Need to Calm Down,” an anthem advocating for LGBTQ rights, made waves when it was released this summer. The song received both praise and criticism from the LGBTQ community but was nevertheless one of Swift’s first attempts to share her views.
Best Line: “Shade never made anybody less gay”
- Afterglow
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In another exposing song, Taylor again reveals the struggles she has faced throughout her relationship. However, the song finishes with a happy ending, leaving Swift in the afterglow.
Best Line: “Tell me that I’m all you want even when I break your heart”
- ME!
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As the first single released from the album, “ME!” is the embodiment of self-love and acceptance. The upbeat song reminds us that anyone who doesn’t love you for you isn’t worth keeping around.
Best Line: “Baby doll, when it comes to a lover, I promise that you’ll never find another like me”
- It’s Nice to Have a Friend
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The second to last track tells the fairytale story of marrying your first love. While similar to “Mary’s Song” from her debut album, the new song reflects Swift’s personal growth over the last decade.
Best Line: “Church bells ring, carry me home”
- Daylight
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In the final track, Taylor concludes the album with her most heartfelt song yet. After letting go of past relationships and embracing the present, Swift brings us with her into the daylight.
Best Line: “Gotta step into the daylight and let it go”
Lover shows us all how Taylor has grown personally and professionally over the years. The album reminds us that no matter how long it takes to get to where we want to be, the journey really is the most important part.