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Loml I am going to be completely honest, I cannot tell you how this song goes or what any of the lyrics are. This is by far the one I skip every single time it comes on because, much like “This Love” from 1989, I just find it boring for some reason. However, after reading the lyrics, they’re quite beautiful and I’m sure hold a ton of meaning for some, I just don’t resonate with them.

Best lyrics: Oh, what a valiant roar, What a bland goodbye, The coward claimed he was a lion, I'm combing through the braids of lies

Robin Another one I had to go back to and listen to before writing this review. It’s definitely a very sweet, pretty song, but one that I can’t help but forget. It might be one of her most boring songs ever, but reading the lyrics I also can’t help but think it’s an adorable ode to childhood, and also maybe Aaron Dessner’s child named Robin. Bonus points for the catchiness of when she sings, “Way to go, tiger, high and higher, wilder and lighter.”

Best lyrics: You got the dragonflies above your bed You have a favorite spot on the swing set You have no room in your dreams for regrets You have no idea The time will arrive for the cruel and the mean You'll learn to bounce back just like your trampoline

Cassandra Of all the “boring” songs that end up towards the last part of the album, I actually appreciate the story behind this one the most. Supposedly, maybe, potentially (who ever really knows with Tay) about Cassandra of Troy, a woman in Greek mythology who had the gift of prophecy. It also seems to make references to Kim Kardashian and the feud she had with her and Kanye in 2016: “So they killed Cassandra first cause she feared the worst, and tried to tell the town, so they filled my cell with snakes, I regret to say, do you believe me now?” Overall it’s a good, if forgettable, song.

Best lyrics: When the first stone's thrown there's screamin' In the streets there's a ragin' riot When it's "Burn the bitch", they're shriekin' When the truth comes out it's quiet

The Manuscript While she knocked it out of the park with the first part of the album’s closer (see below for how high I ranked that one), this one is a snore for me. No matter how many times I listen to it I can never get into it. I will say, though, that the very last lines and words are beautiful and are my favorite from this song! She wrote her songs, recorded and produced them, and finished her album, and now they belong to us, a sentiment she’s shared with her fans many times over the years.

Best lyrics: The only thing that's left is the manuscript One last souvenir from my trip to your shores Now and then I re-read the manuscript But the story isn't mine anymore

How Did It End? This is one sad song. It seems to drag on and on, as if every word comes out like pulling teeth. I almost always skip this song when it comes on, though I do appreciate the haunting “huh ohhhh’s” between the verses. It turns out I’m just not very interested in how it ends. Bonus points for her subtle reference to one of the best Buffy episodes of all time, Once More With Feeling, though!

Best lyrics: Say it once again with feeling How the death rattle breathing Silenced as the soul was leaving The deflation of our dreaming Leaving me bereft and reeling My beloved ghost and me Sitting in a tree D-Y-I-N-G

The Bolter This is one of PJ’s favorites on the album, and after he told me that, I gave it a few more listens and wouldn’t you know that I ended up liking it more. I still stand by my opinion that the last six songs on the album are not the best, and though this is a perfectly fine song, it’s ultimately not as memorable as the others on the album. I do really love the lyrics, though, particularly: “He was a cad, wanted her bad Just like any good trophy hunter And she likes the way it tastes Taming a bear, making him care Watching him jump then pulling him under, And at first blush, this is fate”

Best lyrics: “She's been many places with Men of many faces First, they're off to the races And she's laughing drawin' aces But, none of it is changin' That the chariot is waitin' Hearts are hers for the breakin' There's an escape in escaping”

Peter A gorgeous, heart-wrenching song, just one that isn’t my favorite on the album. What is with the last few songs and being so incredibly slow? I do love the receptiveness of the line, “You said you were gonna grow up, then you were gonna come find me” and I find it both catchy and incredibly sad.

Because lyrics: 'Cause love's never lost when perspective is earned And you said you'd come and get me, but you were twenty-five And the shelf life of those fantasies has expired Lost to the Lost Boys chapter of your life Forgive me, Peter, please know that I tried

The Prophecy This is the most memorable to me of the last six boring songs on the album, and I think a lot of that has to do with how catchy the chorus is: “Pleeeeease, I’ve been on my kneeeees, change the prophecyyyyyy” It’s such an ear worm! But still, there is something about the songs after “I Look in People’s Windows” that just kind of take me out of the album. I much prefer literally any song before this one.

Best lyrics: And I sound like an infant Feelin' like the very last drops of an ink pen A greater woman stays cool But I howl like a wolf at the moon And I look unstable Gathered with a coven round a sorceress' table

Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus I have been reading analysis after analysis of this song and can’t for the life of me figure out what it means, other than I suppose her remembering an old relationship with sadness. It’s sparse and so lyrically dense, and overall not my fave because I’m like, who are Chloe and Sam and Sophia and Marcus, but it’s a nice listen from time to time. Just not all the time.

Best lyrics: As the decade would play us for fools And you saw my bones out with somebody new Who seemed like he would've bullied you in school And you just watched it happen

The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived This song has some of her most cutting lyrics ever, and I think it’s one of the best additions to her breakup songs canon. I especially love the last part of the song where she equates her ex to a spy sent to kill her. It’s clear she had a lot of big, painful feelings while writing this one and it’s a song only she could pull off.

Best lyrics: Were you sent by someone who wanted me dead? Did you sleep with a gun underneath our bed? Were you writing a book? Were you a sleeper cell spy? In fifty years, will all this be declassified?

The Black Dog What a heartbreaking song. I love it so much. As Taylor questions how her ex lover doesn’t miss all the good times they had at The Black Dog, a real pub in London, when bands like The Starting Line come on, you can feel her anguish. She’s going through those awful post-breakup feelings of remembering the memories from her relationship, even if they weren’t always happy, and going through so much pain as she ponders if her ex hates her or was making fun of her the whole time because how could anyone be so heartless to move on so quickly? After “six weeks of breathing clean air,” she still misses the smoke. My heart!

Best lyrics: How you don't miss me In the shower And remember How my rain-soaked body was shaking Do you hate me? Was it hazing? For a cruel fraternity I pledged And I still mean it Old habits die screaming

thanK you aIMee IS OR ISN’T THIS ABOUT KIM KARDASHIAN? When it first came out and everyone noticed the capitalization of K I M, we all just assumed it had to be about her. But then the lyrics, “I don't think you've changed much, and so I changed your name and any real defining clues” and that throws me off the entire scent. Though this is a sort of revenge song, it’s definitely coming from a much more mature place than any of her old ones. Basically you can say to your bullies, I see how you’re acting and how mean you are and yeah it hurts right now, but I am doing my own thing and focusing on me and one day it will all be worth it. By the end of the song, she’s thanking Aimee for all the shit she gave her because it helped her become the person she is.

Best lyrics: And one day your kid comes home singing a song that only us two is gonna know is about you 'cause, All that time you were throwin' punches It was all for nothin' And our town it looks so small from way up here Screamed, 'thanK you aIMee'' to the night sky And the stars are stunnin'

My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys Gah this song is soooo fun and really inescapably good. The metaphor of when you first date a person and them being a shiny new toy to play with, to when you’ve been with them for a while and suddenly they start treating you like garbage, or, in this case, an old play thing, is so clever and so Taylor. Also, in classic Taylor fashion, the bridge is absolutely heartbreaking (and contain my favorite lyrics, below). It’s one of the catchiest songs on the album, and honestly the last 12 seconds give me chills, especially when the drums beat fast at the very end.

Best lyrics: Just say when, I'd play again He was my best friend Down at the sandlot I felt more when we played pretend Than with all the Kens 'Cause he took me out of my box Stole my tortured heart Left all these broken parts Told me I'm better off But I'm not

I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can) Is this giving Lana or is this giving Lana? The smoky, moody instrumentals are such a vibe. This is actually one of my favorite songs on the album and contains some of my favorite lyrics, too. I just hate how short it is! It definitely feels like a take on all the commentary she received while dating Matty Healy and how pretty much everyone thought it was a bad idea. She’s trying to convince people that she can fix him and make him a “good” guy, but in the process, she’s really trying to convince herself of the same.

Best lyrics: They shake their heads saying, "God, help her" When I tell them he's my man But your good Lord doesn't need to lift a finger I can fix him, no, really I can

Florida!!! This initially ranked higher on my list, especially because I love Florence Welch and I love this song, but the more I listened to the album, the most I kept skipping past it. I think the receptiveness of the chants of “FLOR-I-DAAA” wear on me over time. That said, every time I do actually listen to it I am reminded of how much I really do love it and the story of how Taylor conceived it, saying there’s a parallel of people who go to Florida after committing crimes and also dealing with heartbreak: “They try to reinvent themselves, have a new identity, blend in.”

Best lyrics: Little did you know, your home's really only a town you're just a guest in So you work your life away just to pay for a timeshare down in Destin, Florida!

Down Bad A song about being abducted by aliens and then returned back to earth but realizing you actually liked it up there with them more than down here as a metaphor for falling in love with someone and experiencing the time of your life only for them to dump you? Beam Sign me up! I know the line “Now I’m down bad, crying at the gym” is getting a lot of flack, but I actually think it’s very relatable and funny. It’s a beautiful song about unapologetically falling in love and being blunt about the fact that you want them back. It’s also such a banger and one of the most radio-friendly songs on the album.

Best lyrics: I loved your hostile takeovers Encounters closer and closer All your indecent exposures How dare you say that it's- I'll build you a fort on some planet Where they can all understand it How dare you think it's romantic Leaving me safe and stranded 'Cause fuck it, I was in love So fuck you if I can't have us

So Long London A welcome addition to the track five canon of being the most heartfelt song on the album (see previous track fives like “All Too Well”, “My Tears Ricochet”, “Dear John”, and “You’re On Your Own Kid”). The weight of the lyrics is crushing as she asks, “How much did you think I had in me?” It’s clear, from her POV at least, that she loved her time in London with Joe and what being there, with him and in that place, meant to her. There are two sides to every story of course, but this farewell letter to the city across the pond will always be the saddest one.

Best lyrics: You swore that you loved me but where were the clues? I died on the altar waiting for the proof You sacrificed us to the gods of your bluest days And I'm just getting color back into my face I'm just mad as hell cause I loved this place For so long, London Had a good run A moment of warm sun But I'm not the one

I Hate It Here The quiet urgency in which this song opens is one of my favorites: “Quick, quick, tell me something awful, like you are a poet trapped inside the body of a finance guy.” Her breathy vocals are beautiful and evocative and this wouldn’t feel out of place on Evermore or even Folklore. A song about longing to be anywhere else other than where you are, and escaping to those places in your mind by practically maladaptive daydreaming, “I Hate It Here” is so melancholy but I can’t stop listening to it. It’s just so gorgeous.

Best lyrics: I hate it here so I will go to Secret gardens in my mind People need a key to get to The only one is mine I read about it in a book when I was a precocious child No mid-sized city hopes and small-town fears I'm there most of the year 'cause I hate it here

Imgonnagetyouback The question on my mind whenever I hear this song is always, WHO DID IT BETTER? Olivia Rodrigo’s “get him back” or Tay’s “Imgonnagetyourback”??? Olivia’s was one of my favorite songs on Guts and I thought the double meaning of getting him back by winning his heart AND getting him back by literally getting back at him for doing her dirty was pretty clever. Taylor’s take, IMO, is just as good, if not better. This is Taylor at her sexiest and most confident on the album, as she croons, “Lilac short skirt, the one that fits me like skin. Did your research, you knew the price going in.” I listen to this song and it puts me in such a mood in a way that Olivia’s never has. It’s almost trance-like, much like a lot of the songs on this album are. This is one of my most replayed songs according to Apple Music and I absolutely love it, especially how she subtly draws out the “I’m” when she compares herself to an expensive sports car: “Act like I don’t care what you did, I’m an Aston Martin that you steered straight into the ditch.”

Best lyrics: I can feel it comin', hummin' in the way you move Push the reset button, we're becoming something new Say you got somebody, I'll say, "I got someone too" Even if it's handcuffed, I'm leaving here with you Bygones will be bygone eras fadin' into gray We broke all the pieces but still want to play the game Told my friends, "I hate you but I love you just the same" Pick your poison, babe I'm poison either way

So High School Ah, young love. Or, at least, the feelings you get when you’re just starting out with someone and it takes you back to being in high school and feeling those butterflies for the first time. That’s the thing about love: it’s universal and ageless and you can be 34 and feel the exact same feelings you experienced at 16. It’s the same sentiment as Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream”. I love the throwback lyrics to things that were popular when I was a kid, like the American Pie reference and spin the bottle and truth or dare. It’s cheesy and fun and what is (young) love if not both of those things? You’re never too old to fall in love and Taylor proves that again and again. Also, I know the line, “Truth, dare, spin bottles, you know how to ball, I know Aristotle” is getting a lot of flack, but I think it’s cute and obviously, if this song is about Travis, it’s true.

Best lyrics: I'm watching American Pie with you on a Saturday night Your friends are around, so be quiet I'm tryin' to stifle my sighs 'Cause I feel so high school Every time I look at you

Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me? One of only two songs on the first part of the album that Taylor wrote all by herself, this is giving Reputation and I AM SO HERE FOR IT. This was a hard one for me to rank because in my head it should be in the top five, but here we are (a testament to just how damn good this album is). This is Swift at her witchiest ever (obsessed). No one paints a better picture with words than she does, and in my head I can so clearly see her on a Halloween night doing exactly this: “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?’” She basically tells all of her haters that no one but her could do what she does and be this good at it while still being able to take all of the harsh criticism that comes at her for pretty much anything she does. “Is it a wonder I broke? Let’s hear one more joke.” It seems like she was the punchline to every joke at every major awards show last year, and she’s over it. It’s a grueling song as she explains how she was “good” before fame twisted her into what she’s now become. She became the most powerful artist in the world, but still slyly asks the question, “Who’s afraid of little old me?” with a smile and a wink, as she immediately let’s them know “You should be”. What a deliciously evil song. Side note: I had a hard time picking my favorite lyric from this song since pretty much every line is a standout (how does she do that?) so I am going with the ones below.

Best lyrics: So tell me everything is not about me But what if it is? Then say they didn't do it to hurt me But what if they did? I want to snarl and show you just how disturbed this has made me You wouldn't last an hour in the asylum where they raised me So all you kids can sneak into my house, with all the cobwebs I'm always drunk on my own tears, isn't that what they all said? That I'll sue you if you step on my lawn That I'm fearsome, and I'm wretched, and I'm wrong Put narcotics into all of my songs And that's why you're still singing along

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