It’s just too impossible to rank
Taylor Swift, the greatest lyricist of all time and the best musician to walk on the face of the earth, has returned. She released her 10th album Midnights, and it has been on repeat ever since midnight on October 21. Her album begins with a jazzy hit of “Lavender Haze” and carries us throughout different moments in her life, including her internal struggles in “Anti-Hero”, falling in love with “Snow on the Beach” and “Labyrinth”, and scheming and revenge (or lack thereof) in “Mastermind” and “Karma.” Every day, a new favorite song emerges, and I’d give a different name whenever someone would ask me my favorite song. With that, I want to give you my favorite lyrics of each song from her standard edition of Midnights, and add a little commentary…but not too much—I’ll let her songs do most of the talking.
1. Lavender haze
“Meet me at midnight.”
This lyric isn’t glamorous, but the way it started the album had me literally jumping with glee.
2. Maroon
“The burgundy on my t-shirt when you splashed your wine onto me
And how the blood rushed into my cheeks, so scarlet, it was
The mark you saw on my collarbone, the rust that grew between telephones
The lips I used to call home, so scarlet, it was maroon.”
At first, when I heard this lyric, there was a sense of happiness and warmth. Upon understanding the line, “the rust that grew between telephones,” I realized the deeper meaning of ghosting and goodbye. It truly was painfully beautiful.
3. anti-hero
“I wake up screaming from dreaming
One day I’ll watch as you’re leaving
‘Cause you got tired of my scheming
For the last time.”
It was hard to pick a favorite lyric because as Taylor also said, I’m the problem, it’s me. However, this made me think of people in life who’ve walked away no matter how much I’ve tried to make them stay.
4. snow on the beach
“Are we falling like
Snow at the beach
Weird but it was beautiful
Flying in a dream
Stars by the pocketful
You wanting me tonight
Feels impossible.”
I’ve yet to fall in love, but this song is as close as it gets.
5. you’re on your own, kid
“From sprinkler splashes to fireplace ashes
I waited ages to see you live
I searched the party of better bodies
Just to learn that you never cared.”
Wanting and thinking about a person who doesn’t care about you is brutal. Taylor captures it perfectly here in such a deep, artistic way that I never could.
6. midnight rain
“’Cause he was sunshine
I was midnight rain
He wanted it comfortable
I wanted that pain.”
It’s hard for me to feel comfortable and at ease in relationships and Taylor perfectly describes it here.
7. question…?
“’Cause I don’t remember who I was before you
Painted all my nights
A color I’ve searched for since…”
There are people I can’t even imagine my life without.
8. vigilante sh*t
“She needed cold hard proof so I gave her some
She had the envelope, where you think she got it from?
Now she gets the house, gets the kids, gets the pride
Picture me thick as thieves with your ex-wife.”
This is bada**. Like, YES Taylor! Do what you gotta do to expose cheating men.
9. bejeweled
“Sapphire tears on my face, sadness became my whole sky
But some guy said my aura’s moonstone just ’cause he was high
I went dancin’ all night and you can try to change my mind
But you might have to wait in line
What’s a girl gonna do? A diamond’s gotta shine”
The complexity of these lyrics stood out to me. I can’t really tell you what she means, and that’s why I like it so much.
10. labyrinth
“Uh oh, I’m falling in love
Oh no, I’m falling in love again
Oh, I’m falling in love
I thought the plane was going down
How’d you turn it right around.”
Taylor says so much in so few words. “Uh oh” shows surprise and questioning when falling in love; “oh no” shows fear; and “oh” shows acceptance. She describes different and complicated stages of love in just a few simple lines.
11. karma
“Spider-boy, king of thieves
Weave your little webs of opacity
My pennies made your crown
Trick me once, trick me twice
Don’t you know that cash ain’t the only price?
It’s coming back around.”
I love Taylor’s metaphors and writing style here.
12. sweet nothing
“’Causе they said the end is comin’
Evеryone’s up to somethin’
I find myself runnin’ home to your sweet nothings
Outside, they’re push and shovin’
You’re in the kitchen hummin’
All that you ever wanted from me was nothin’.”
It shows a lover just simply being there for her throughout all the madness around her.
13. mastermind
“So I told you none of it was accidental
And the first night that you saw me, nothing was gonna stop me
I laid the groundwork and then saw a wide smirk
On your face, you knew the entire time.”
I love how the whole song talks about Taylor as a schemer, but in these lines, maybe she wasn’t as slick as she thought she was.
14. Bonus: Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve
“God rest my soul, I miss who I used to be
The tomb won’t close, stained glass windows in my mind
I regret you all the time
I can’t let this go, I fight with you in my sleep
The wound won’t close, I keep on waiting for a sign
I regret you all the time.”
These lines display the utter pain, regret, and despair she felt during and after a damaging relationship. It’s truly one of the most vulnerable lines yet and the way she sings them is so gut-wrenching.
Overall, yet again, Taylor Swift manages to capture a range of emotions through her graceful storytelling. I hope you enjoyed my personal insight into her songs, and continue to listen to the album. If you have not listened, can I ask you a question…? Can you listen to her album? Trust me, you will not be disappointed.