Taylor Swift: Best lyrics from The Tortured Poets Department
New York, New York - Taylor Swift has blessed fans with The Tortured Poets Department, a sprawling anthology of 31 songs touching on themes of heartbreak, vengeance, and the truest of loves.
The 34-year-old debuted her 11th studio album in a surprise double release on Friday, April 19.
The Tortured Poets Department has already shattered records in the music industry, becoming the first album ever to earn more than 300 million streams on Spotify in a single day.
Seemingly drawing inspiration from past romances with Joe Alwyn and Matty Healy, the emotional album chronicles a time in her life Taylor has described as "sensational and sorrowful in equal measure."
From grief-stricken ballads to fiery odes to resilience, these are the moments on The Tortured Poets Department that best capture Taylor's lyrical prowess.
Florida!!!
"So I did my best to lay to rest / All of the bodies that have ever been on my body / And in my mind, they sink into the swamp / Is that a bad thing to say in a song?"
The ethereal Florence Welsh brought her magic to The Tortured Poets Department in the delightfully unhinged Florida!!!.
While the song's production may be its biggest strength, its lyrics pose stiff competition, and its best moment comes from Florence's macabre verse.
With the added aside of whether the confession is too much to declare in a song, Florida!!! is the perfect moment of emotional catharsis amid this lengthy album.
thanK you aIMee
"And one day, your kid comes home singin' / A song that only us two is gonna know is about you"
Echoes of 2017's Reputation are obvious nowhere more so than in thanK you aIMee, a not-at-all subtle dig at Kim Kardashian, who famously sparked what Taylor has described as a "career death" by leaking a phone call edited to paint the pop star as a liar.
In the new track, Taylor shares her gratitude for what the situation has led to as, in many ways, it gave her the push she needed to build what she has today.
Still, there's plenty of lingering resentment evident in the song, and Taylor takes her best – yet simple – jab as she gives a nod to her ubiquitous presence in pop culture.
The Alchemy
"So when I touch down / Call the amateurs and cut 'em from the team / Ditch the clowns, get the crown / Baby, I'm the one to beat"
It's safe to say just about every Swiftie was crossing their fingers for a nod to Travis Kelce, and thankfully, Taylor certainly delivered.
With a clever allusion to football, Taylor describes their swoon-worthy connection and even seems to predict their viral PDA at the Super Bowl.
Amid the many heart-wrenching breakup ballads, The Alchemy is a welcome depiction of pure, swoon-worthy romance.
I Can Do It With a Broken Heart
"All the piеces of me shatterеd as the crowd was chanting, 'More' / I was grinnin' like I'm winnin' / I was hittin' my marks / 'Cause I can do it with a broken heart"
In Swiftian terms, I Can Do It With a Broken Heart is a fountain pen song with a glitter gel pen beat.
Inspired by her run on The Eras Tour following her split from Joe Alwyn, Taylor proves not everything is as it seems by contrasting her sparkling tour presence and her internal reality.
A testament to her commitment to fans, the anthem is the embodiment of "The show must go on."
Who's Afraid of Little Old Me?
"So I leap from the gallows and I levitate down your street / Crash the party like a record scratch as I scream / 'Who's afraid of little old me?' / You should be"
Much has been said about The Tortured Poets Department being the lovechild of folklore and Midnights, but Who's Afraid of Little Old Me? brings that folklorian charm to the Reputation era in this fiery battle cry.
If there were any lyrics that could make any Swifties quite literally scream along immediately, it's these.
How Did It End?
"Come one, come all, it's happenin' again / The empathetic hunger descends / We'll tell no one except all of our friends / We must know / How did it end?"
In a heart-wrenching commentary on the response to breakups, Taylor paints a poignant picture of the days after parting ways with a partner – specifically, the line of questioning from just about everyone in one's life.
Acknowledging the intense scrutiny of her own dating life, "Come one, come all, it's happening again" certainly fits the fanfare that comes with her new music releases.
The Tortured Poets Department is surely no exception, with speculation about what the album revealed about one ex or another dominating the conversations.
Cover photo: Screenshot/Instagram/taylorswift