The Tortured Poet's Department has been out for over a month now, and I've had more time to let it marinate and further develop my opinions. As I suspected, some of my absolute favorite songs from the album were ones I didn't even save on my first listen, such as "The Black Dog", "The Albatross", and "Peter". It's funny how that happens! I've also had more time to absorb the lyrics. Taylor is praised for her brilliant songwriting, so I wanted to dive into some of my favorite lyrics from the latest album!  

My Top Lyrics

"The Tortured Poets Department":

"You left your typewriter at my apartment / Straight from the Tortured Poets Department"

While this isn't the most stunning or poetic line, I appreciate what she's doing here. It's a fun surprise that the album title is actually used as a slight to an ex of hers in this lyric (most likely the one from The 1975). When the album was announced, the name read as corny to me, but it's funny that it's used in this way as shade, and let's be honest, it totally captures that man's essence.

"So Long London":

"I stopped CPR, after all, it's no use / The spirit was gone, we could never come to"

I love the way she talks about trying to save a relationship that's already dead. We can see that she was trying so hard to make her relationship work and gave it her all, but it just wasn't worth it anymore. Using the metaphor of CPR and literal death was a great move.

"Fresh Out The Slammer":

"Handcuffed to the spell I was under / For just one hour of sunshine"

I love this depiction of how the love she had for this person (Joe?) was trapping her. She thought he was the one. She was spellbound and stuck, becase the good times that started to dimish still seemed worth it.

"Florida":

"I need to forget, so take me to Florida / I've got some regrets, I'll bury them in Florida / Tell me I'm despicable, say it's unforgivable /
What a crash, what a rush, fuck me up, Florida"

This perfectly captures the essence of visiting Florida. I also love how she goes from saying "Tell me I'm despicable..." into "What a crash, what a rush..." You can see how she knows she has upset someone but then enters a sort of denial and euphoric trance from escaping her problems in Florida.

"Who's Afraid of Little Old Me?":

"So I lеap from the gallows and I levitate down your street"

This line is just fun! It leans itself to the overall mystical and witchy vibe of the song.

"loml":

"Dancing phantoms on the terrace / Are they second-hand embarrassed / That I can't get out of bed / 'Cause something counterfeit's dead?"

I love this. I'm such a big fan of using ghostly imagery to describe pieces of your past, such as lost love. She also mentions that this love wasn't real and the relationship wasn't the one. Should she be ashamed that she's this torn up over something like this? (No, she shouldn't be). This whole section is a beautiful way to describe something many people experience.

"Clara Bow":

"It's hell on earth to be heavenly"

I love how two contrasting words,"hell" and "heavenly", are intertwined here. It captures the stress Taylor goes through having so many eyes on her and trying to live up to expectations in a simple and stunning way.

"The Black Dog":

"Six weeks of breathing clean air / I still miss the smoke."

Although she's probably better off for it, she misses being around her ex. I like how it can be taken both literally and symbolically. She's free from his toxicity and the literal smoke (be it cannabis or tobacco, I could not tell you), but she also craves it.

"The Black Dog":

"Cause tail between your legs / You're leaving."

This is a perfect way to tie things back into the name of the song. I love how she uses this dog imagery, "tail between your legs", to describe her ex-lover as a coward when he left her. (Is it M*tty, Joe, or both?)

"The Albatross":

"Cross your thoughtless heart / Only liquor anoints you."

This has become one of my favorite songs and this line is so good. The way she sings it scratches a certain itch in my brain that's so satisfying. (Similar to what tons of people are saying about that one line in Sabrina Carpenter's "Espresso"). The words "liquor" and "anoint" are also just really satisfying sounding words to me in general.

"Peter":

"And I won't confess that I waited, but I let the lamp burn / As the men masqueraded, I hoped you'd return / With your feet on the ground, tell me all that you'd learned"

First of all, I love the concept of this song. Talking about her past love as Peter Pan is such a good idea and I think it's very well done. It's not over the top and the references are so beautifully woven in. This song is so gorgeous and sad and lovely. I love it.

An Exploration of Emotion and Everlasting Stories

These lyrics (among others) that have resonated with me showcase Taylor Swift's songwriting prowess, revealing layers of emotion and storytelling that continue to unfold with time. Her songs are not merely listened to; they are experienced, lived in, and grown with.