#i cannot begin to describe the emotions this album makes me feel | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

anyways-wonderwall · 13 days

Text

Eurovision Special!

I would just like to start this by saying woah. I have been keeping up with Eurovision for the past 7 years and have written about the last four, and this is easily the biggest shitshow I have ever seen. Never before has my Twitter been solely about Eurovision, and never have I seen Americans actually kinda care.

Just to make it clear from the beginning, Israel should not have been in this competition and should never be invited back after all they did this year, although we all know that since they own Moroccan Oil they will never face any consequences. Not only that but their song this year sucked! It got the lowest rating from me this year, even putting controversial stuff aside.

Anyways, it is time for the annual tradition of me telling you what my five favorite songs were and what I thought of the entries this year. If you've read any of my other Eurovision posts (I've reviewed 2021, 2022, and 2023), you'll know that I go through and grade all of these songs on a spreadsheet through a very objective rigorous process. I grade on five categories (which are eerily similar to what the jury does): Singer, Song, Catchiness, Performance, and the bonus points category Diversity. The max score is technically a 40, but that last category can and has put some songs over the edge. Oh and this ranking is based on how much I like the song, so the order may not fully match the scores.

All the drama aside, this was one of the best years song-wise for Eurovision (this was definitely the hardest its been to rank the songs ever). I think countries are starting to understand that being quirky pays off, so now we're getting real song diversity and really amazing performances. Also, Eastern Europe really gave it their all this year and I cannot thank them enough. (Oh and all of these songs, minus Croatia, are NOT IN ENGLISH!! Truly an incredible year)

5. Netherlands - Europapa by Joost Klein

Score: 35/40

Notes: good energy song itself is meh

Final Ranking: uhhhhhh, that's a long story

Look I get it, this song truly embodies Eurovision in every way. It's in Dutch, one of the silliest languages out there, he's out there wearing crazy outfits and has a silly haircut, its a euro-techno hit, he has the emotional angle since it was dedicated to his parents; this is one of the most perfect Eurovision songs to enter. All that aside though, its not that interesting or awesome as a song. The main riff is incredibly catchy and the production choices with the piano are pretty cool, but it just feels like a rip off of the silliness of last year's "Cha Cha Cha," down to ending in a boring techno breakdown. I think this song is a clear response to that (down to the shoulder pads) but it still is pretty good and did a great job making this year even crazier than anyone thought possible.

4. Greece - ZARI by Marina Satti

Score: 33/40

Notes: I've never been more flummoxed

Final Ranking: 11th

This song on the other hand, is one of the most interesting things I have ever heard. Marina Satti as an artist and this song has been occupying my thoughts nonstop, because what the hell is happening here. It's like Rosalina-style cumbia got lost in the East Mediterranean and the music video leaves me even more confused. The crazy jumps from Arab traditional flute sounds to strings to a cumbia baseline to a men's choir, to a melodramatic echoey bridge? I took a whole class on writing about music and I can't find the words to describe this one. And all of her media around it uses 2005 word art fonts and clip art? And she is serious about everything the entire time. Everything she does is hilarious and off the wall, yet she continues the persona of a pop diva. I seriously cannot get enough of her.

just want to point out that this is one of her real album covers. The word icon doesn't cover it.

3. Armenia - Jako by LADAVINA

Score: 41/40

Notes: Trumpet player hot or not

Final Ranking: 8th

Speaking of icons, look at these two! I really think this year was countries really embracing their native genres, whether that be Eurodance, Mediterranean Cumbia, Eastern European Emo, or Armenian folk music. This song just truly embodies fun. The lively beat, the screaming and yipping, a crowd cheering, the wailing trumpet, the random instruments whispering in the background. Listening to this makes you feel like you are a part of the coolest party ever, with flute and ukulele solos, and freedom to yell as loud as you want. I cannot get enough of this song and the energy these two bring to it, and I am so glad Armenia picked an absolute banger to represent them this year.

2. Estonia - (nendest) narkootikumidest ei tea me (küll) midagi by 5MIINUST x Puuluup

Score: 44/40

Notes: EASTERN EUROPE IS BACK BABEY

Final Ranking: 20th

This song is just awesome, in every way. You have this weird Estonian string thing, voices so low that it sounds like throat singing, all mixed with that kind of techno that feels so intrinsically Eastern European. The music video has them driving around a Soviet-style building complex just messing around in abandoned warehouses and parking lots. This is what I'm talking about when I say that countries are going back to their roots and not just trying to send what they think is the most marketable. I see this as a sequel to Moldova's entry last year, which involved a Eurovision veteran with some new faces, mixing old and new to make a masterpiece that has so much personality.

Croatia - Rim Tim Tagi Dim by Baby Lasagna

Score: 43/40

Notes: Meow cat, please meow back

Final ranking: 2nd!

Look at this guy, he looks like someone who you would love to bring home to your parents and would like cats. He wasn't supposed to compete for Croatia this year and was put in last minute and I'm so glad because my life would have been so much darker without this banger in it. It's a classic emo anthem about leaving your farm-filled hometown to go to the big scary city, but he doesn't take himself too seriously with a name like "Baby Lasagna" and a chorus of nonsense words. The music videos as sped up farmers dancing and a cat that looks exactly like mine (both one-eyed and orange), and is a perfect mix of vulnerable and silly. This really seems like someone who was genuinely making something fun and expressing himself, and just happened to almost win Eurovision in the process.

Here's to hoping Eurovision actually happens next year after everything that went down, and if you're curious my least favorite songs were the offensively boring entries from Israel and Albania.

#eurovision #eurovision 2024 #europapa #music review #music recommendation

5 notes · View notes

felix-floyd · 11 months

Text

We need to take a moment to appreciate how talented the @superguitarbros are. Their playing is absolutely incredible, I can feel that shit in my soul and get literal goosebumps listening to their work💙💙 And @crowtrails for the cover art, i loved the first albums cover and now this?! You’re all so amazing🩵🩵

This album brought me so many emotions, Clocks and Wayward Son caused literal sobs, and the rest of the album just hit so hard I cannot even begin to describe Dan’s talent. He’s single-handedly managed to make my life worth living with everything he’s a part of: I listen to NSP to alleviate my anxiety, I watch game grumps to help me sleep with insomnia, Starbomb gets me laughing no matter what mood I’m in… I will never be able to thank him enough just for being so freaking awesome. I will never stop promoting their work, and I will never stop sending so much love to them🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻

#dan avidan #danny sexbang #ninja sex party #starbomb #game grumps #arin hanson #shadow academy #10 minute power hour

7 notes · View notes

foxonfier · 2 years

Text

back on the bjm train?? what can i say, I never really left it. anyway, i’m here to list my (current) top 10 brian jonestown massacre songs bc i feel like it. if you feel like listening along, just click the link on the title of each song to check it out! also, these are in no particular order if anyone was wondering.

hide and seek — uh yeah this is my favorite bjm song to ever exist maybe ever. like, i am in love with this song. if this song turned into a person, i would marry them, because i simply will never get over it. every single day i listen to it because, somehow, it fits every emotion i’ve ever had in my entire life. also, it’s shoegaze, so even better. really, though, any version of this song is wonderful and deserves to be listened to on full volume. the chorus makes me want to kick something and start flying and maybe go to another universe because it’s so unreal how good it is. i wish i could describe it in words, but it’s something that cannot be seen and can only be heard. “we play hide and seek…we play peekaboo.” truly the best lines. i cannot stress how much ecstasy i feel from hearing these words spoken in the background of the chorus. amazing. just amazing.

e to g — otherwise known as “rotary eight,” but was originally titled e to g. a literal shoegaze CLASSIC, one of bjm’s best 90s songs. this song simultaneously makes me want to start weeping and screaming at the same time because i love it so much. it makes me emotional, yet also happy. i simply cannot explain it. anton’s voice is so angelic, it makes me tear up just a little thinking abt it. i will never get over this song. it’s the epitome of my soul. it is everything. it simply must be experienced and felt to even begin to understand it.

chameleons — another classic from pol-pot’s pleasure penthouse (my second favorite album). the first time i heard this song i literally cried. i think the post from that night is somewhere on my old tumblr. anyway, this song feels like a warm hug from your best friend, like someone you really care about is comforting the hell out of you. i genuinely can’t describe it, as is becoming the norm for this list, but seriously. it’s difficult to put into words how much this song means to me. i just know this is one of the best tracks on its album. it wouldn’t be a certified shoegaze classic if wasn’t unreleased!

that quiet song — if you couldn’t already tell, i’m on a bit of a shoegaze binge, but what can i say? that’s my favorite genre of bjm music (and what i believe to be their best music). anyway, this song makes me feel…many different things. it’s so nostalgic to me, like i’ve heard it before, but at the same time i don’t know where i ever would’ve listened to it in my childhood. no one else in my family knows bjm. but it’s so familiar! i think that’s why i’m so drawn to the song. also, it makes me really emotional and gives me a feeling of closeness to the band, like i’m at one of their concerts in the early 90s, when they still weren’t super well known. it’s a look into the past that makes me appreciate bjm so much for what they’ve accomplished. it’s just a beautiful song. nothing more needs to be said.

super-sonic — taking a bit of a turn from the shoegaze comes this certified dandy warhol-turned-bjm banger. the intro is so good i’m kicking my feet just listening to it. the drums, the beat, the visualization of this being played in concert. so amazing. i have no words for how much i fucking love this song. it makes me want to get up and dance and scream the lyrics without a care in the world. if you ever see me grooving along to a song with my earphones on, just assume it’s this one.

cabin fever — FUCK, i think this song made me love matt hollywood and everything he’s ever produced in bjm. but like, seriously, this song is so good and the fact that it does sound somewhat uplifting but also has this slightly sad part to the music, giving hint to the fact that the lyrics are about depression and wanting to die!!! sign me up for real. the guitar riff is just SO good throughout this entire song, and the vocals are so amazing and i rlly just like everything here.

got my eye on you — this is a newfound favorite of mine. i heard it from a youtube vid of one of their live shows and literally fell in love! the beat is so jammable and i absolutely LOVE joel’s part during the middle, him just randomly singing/talking is so great. every time i hear this song i wish i was at one of their concerts bc this one must be THE SONG to hear live. so here’s to hoping i hear it next time!

spanish bee — oh my god this song makes me go feral. first off, the beginning being completely done with sounds from anton is so cool! the mic being tilted, crowd cheering, the person talking etc. but then you get to the actual song and oh my goodododifhdbeh it’s SO GOOD. i really enjoy music like this in general, and anton’s voice in this song is probably the best i’ve ever heard it. his singing is so good, just really raw and raspy and genuinely beautiful and yeah idk man it’s so enjoyable. i kind of wish there were more songs where anton could show off his natural voice and singing ability because, clearly he does have that shit. maybe not in the typical music setting, but i really do just love his voice here. also, the guitar makes me want to start like dancing idek it feels like some shit that would play at a family party or something. i just adore it sm. give it a listen!! especially if you like folk music.

not if you were the last dandy on earth — ever since i witnessed that wonderful scene in dig!, i’ve absolutely adored this song. anton clumsily rollerskating up to a dandy warhols show with signed copies of this song is just unbelievably hilarious. iconic, honestly. plus, this song fucking rocks. blasting this driving around is absolutely the vibe, maybe the biggest vibe there’s ever been. i have nothing more to say except that this is one of their songs i listen to every day and there’s a huge reason for that!

food for clouds — this song will always be one of my favorites. i’ve never met a person i couldn’t win over with this song, simply because it’s so jammable. the mixture of the cowbell, tambourine, drums, guitar riff, and trumpet just does something to people. i’ve witnessed it myself. for real though, this song is a complete banger; it’s different from their more rock sounding songs and has more of an alternative kinda feel. but listen to it yourself and judge! and if this doesn’t begin to indoctrinate you into bjm idk what to say </3

and, lastly, an honorable mention:

anemone — of course, i can’t make this list without at least giving an honorable mention to anemone. while not my favorite bjm song of all time, i can acknowledge that it is, objectively, one of their best songs. hearing this at the concert was an amazing experience, seriously! i really do love it though, like, it’s such a classic and i appreciate it so much. actually, it’s the first bjm song i ever heard, and looking back is so surreal. i can’t imagine where i’d be if spotify hadn’t randomly played this song after one of my playlists ended. i still remember exactly where i was when i heard it, around what time of day it was…crazy. i just gotta thank the spotify algorithm for playing this song, because without it, i think my life would be a whole lot more miserable right now.

#FINALLY got around to finishing this #i was actually very happy to make this bc i can dump my bjm thoughts somewhere without being annoying lol #anyway yes i enjoyed this list very much and may end up doing it again!#after all my song choices always change with bjm #but hide and seek will always be a fav of mine don’t even think that wouldn’t make it to another list #okay done goodnight this helped free my soul #bjm #the brian jonestown massacre #music

3 notes · View notes

nayinyny · 6 months

Text

POP POP POP!

POP! a song who gives different kinds of positive vibes that we can feel as we listen to it, a song that is filled with enthusiasm that everyone will definitely enjoy. it's a catchy tune that sticks in your head like glue, and you can never stop yourself from listening to it again and again. a vibrant and upbeat feeling that instantly lifts your spirits and makes you want to dance along. a song that creates a joyful atmosphere, enveloping you in a wave of positivity and excitement. with its catchy melodies and lively rhythm you really can't get enough of it that it will be very impossible to resist tapping your feet, nodding your head, and joining in the vibrant vibe that this song gives. just by listening to the song, the feeling of freedom and a sense of carefree happiness will shiver down to our spine. the colorful surroundings that you will see throughout the music video adds up positive and energetic aura that will definitely give us happiness whenever we listen to it. a playful and joyful beats that makes us alive, the lyrics that hits our heart giving us an unexplainable emotions and feelings, you can't really get enough of the song. other than the playful beats, colorful backgrounds and setting, we can also agree that the choreography of the song definitely adds up a fun and addictive spirit that will make us dance. everything in this song will make your heart pound too much that it will 'POP' from excitement.

it's been a year, time flies so fast that I couldn't imagine how long it has been since my album IM NAYEON was released. the album contains 7 tracks having "POP!" as its main track, and I love how everyone appreciates every songs in my very first solo album. I can still remember how nervous I was, as it is my first time having an album without my teudoongie, but all of those fear that I have felt was replaced with joy and excitement as I have found out how excited my members and my dear onces for this very first solo album of mine. everyone's unwavering love and support has poured a lot of confidence in my soul that I had courage to finish this album even with a bit of doubt in my mind. this album has symbolizes a new beginning for me eventhough I've been with TWICE for years as I have started a journey without my other members. during the set of my music video, I was visited by some of my members, and the word 'happiness' is not enough to describe how happy and grateful I was that eventhough it is my solo album, they are still there to show their love and support for me. I can say that teudoong is really the best, and their love has gave me more confidence to pour in this song. I can't thank everyone enough as I know you guys really gave your support and appreciation to the point that I have received an award.I will forever be grateful to each one of you.

onceu! let's have a throwback, 그럴까? time flies so fast, right? it feels like my solo album was released few weeks ago, because up until now whenever I listen to my song 'POP!' I still can feel the excitement that I have felt during the beginning of creating this album. I would like to thank everyone of you for your support! I was very happy that up until now, a lot of you are still enjoying my song, 누가 그러지 않겠습니까? this song gives a playful and fun vibes to everyone, and I cannot blame you if you can't stop from listening to it. anyways my dear onces, I hope that everyone of you are having fun today, and I hope that everyone of you is taking care of yourself. christmas is also near, and I just want to take this as an opportunity to greet everyone of you a happy holiday! be safe always, 괜찮은? thankyou onceu, 그리고 나는 너희 모두를 매우 사랑한다!🫶

#TWICE #NAYEON #BLANCHARD

1 note · View note

whatsonmedia · 8 months

Text

Music Monday: Latest Tracks & Tour Dates to Ignite Your Week!

Get ready for an electrifying musical journey curated by none other than Adam Humphries! This week's selection is an enchanting mix of diverse and talented artists, from the bold lyrics of KHOMPA to the raw energy of The Matinee to the artistic brilliance of Soda Blonde. Feel the soulful power of FERAL FAMILY's latest track and the heartfelt tribute from GIRL SCOUT. Brace yourself for an auditory feast that'll leave you begging for an encore! Let's dive into this musical adventure together! KHOMPA releases darkly-hypnotic boundary-pushing drum-triggered - 'Tre Trigger Contro Tre Trigger' Now if I had to select a handful of words in which to describe this interesting number it'd it this; mind-boggling, artistic, eye-catching, near tribal and almost like a,bizarre acid trip. KHOMPA is a multi-talented musician who can create an incredible musical sonisphere using a drum machine. What's even more fascinating is that he sets the tone without a single word. Fantastic melody where the sound is allowed to become strong Listen https://open.spotify.com/track/11daze3bYBEh1U49pm2lpm?si=15d3adeae3a34975 Watch https://youtu.be/KDhNSGuda14 Vancouver's Americana group of the year The Matinee to release new album 'Change Of Scene'! Now I have mentioned this lovely number before but this time I am focusing more on the song itself. Bad Addiction is a track which was written with melodies and lyrics which draw on life experiences lived. A way to describe this is almost explanations of a person's own actual life, a sort of 'this is me, this is my story'. What is sweet about the lyrics is that they are completely heartfelt and the emotions are carried on the sleeve with no fear whatsoever Watch https://youtu.be/7OcPviGHsRg?si=-EH52XH34Bco0l6x Stream Soda Blonde's sophomore album - 'Dream Big' now! Irish rockers SODA BLONDE has released their EP Dream Big and it's certainly a corker of an album. One of the ways I can use to best describe it is a musical soap opera that's packed with pleasantries and satisfying little numbers. As a front woman O'Rourke's voice carries a vast range of emotions which don't go completely OTT. Dream has the hint of togetherness about it, something that comes through in the music Listen https://open.spotify.com/album/7bS2zXbqKUJF661ufAXKn0?si=Hch6RxR8R0C-OUeyPn0FxQ FERAL FAMILY — share new single: “This Side Of Me” || + announce self-titled debut album (coming 2024) Hailing all the way from Yorkshire the FERAL FAMILY have unleashed their latest song This Side Of Me, and it is something electrifying and energetic. Frontman, Jamie, has a deep, husky voice similar to that of Ian Curtis, just cuts straight through the music and gets your attention. Side of Me has a sort of addictive listening to it and has the attitude where once it begins you cannot ignore it. STREAM ON ALL SERVICES HERE https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/feralfamily/this-side-of-me FERAL FAMILY - 2023 LIVE DATES Sat Sept 16th - John Peel Centre for Creative Arts, Stowmarket, Suffolk, (supporting Floral Image) - TICKETS https://www.johnpeelcentre.com/event/floral-image/?instance_id=885 Fri 28th - Sidney & Matilda, Sheffield - TICKETS https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/mcs-presents-feral-family-bloodworm-paid-by-cash-tickets-708664874717?aff=ebdssbdestsearch&keep_tld=1 GIRL SCOUT — share new single: “Bruises” // + new EP ‘Granny Music’ coming 29 Sept After watching the video all I can say is that I am utterly impressed by Girl Scout, it's very much like watching your own private Live Lounge performance. Front woman, Emms Janseen, is totally at ease with herself as a singer and just grabs your attention with minimal effort. Just amazing. The album, Granny Music, is just an absolute corker of a gem and makes you want to listen a few more times over. STREAM ON ALL SERVICES HERE https://girlscout.lnk.to/bruises WATCH THE LIVE PERFORMANCE 'Bruises' VIDEO HERE https://youtu.be/HivWXZgpOpo GIRL SCOUT - UK DATES 26 Sept Rescue Rooms, Nottingham UK** 27 Sept The Cluny, Newcastle, UK** 28 Sept The Caves, Edinburgh, UK** 29 Sept Stereo, Glasgow, UK** 30 Sept Gorilla, Manchester, UK** 2 Oct Rough Trade East In-Store, London, UK 4 Oct Castle & Falcon, Birmingham, UK** 5 Oct Thekla, Bristol, UK** 6 Oct The Brudenell Social Club, Leeds, UK** 7 Oct Hangar 34, Liverpool, UK** 8 Oct The Bullingdon, Oxford, UK** 11 Oct Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth, UK** 12 Oct Scala, London, UK** 13 Oct Patterns, Brighton, UK** ** with Coach Party Read the full article

0 notes

lochsides · 10 months

Text

Speak Now (Taylor's Version) review

I cannot begin to write the feelings that the release of Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) has brought up for me. Speak Nowwas the first Taylor album release I ever experienced, 13 years ago at the age of 13. The fact that I am able to experience that again for the first time is magic. And that really is the perfect word to describe the feeling this album evokes; it is magic and whimsy and nostalgia.

Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) had a lot to live up to. I think I speak for many fans when I say that this album is precious to us. There is something about Speak Now that is purely for the fans. I think Taylor knows this and she paid meticulous attention to detail when recreating this album. Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) is very faithful in its production while elevated in its quality. I think that Taylor’s re-recordings only get stronger with every Taylor’s Version. Her vocal strength and control lend itself to stronger delivery. The very slight changes production make the album sound more cohesive. I love that she had her live band play on every single song that was originally on the Speak Now tracklist. They have been playing these songs for 13 years now and know them about as intimately as Taylor does, and that shows in the incredible instrumentation throughout Speak Now (Taylor’s Version).

The From The Vault tracks are so interesting in painting a fuller picture of where Taylor was at during that time. Personally, I think Castles Crumbling is one of Taylor’s strongest pieces of writing and Timeless captures Taylor’s storytelling capabilities perfectly. My favourite re-recorded tracks were Never Grow Up, Long Live, The Story of Us, Enchanted, and Innocent.

Mine — Listening to Taylor’s Version of Mine took me right back to the first time I listened to this song and watched that wholesome music video. This was such a strong replication of the original track. For all intents and purposes, it sounds essentially the same. Taylor’s vocal maturity is evident in her control on the belting note during the final chorus. It makes me so proud of her as a singer and so excited to listen to the rest of the album.

Sparks Fly — The production on Sparks Fly is more refined than previously. I’ll be honest, I thought it sounded different on my first listen, but after listening to it a few more times, I don’t notice it so much. I think this is a very good recreation of the original track. I love her delivery on the bridge. The song as a whole sounds more mature. I think it sounds so good. She knows how much her fans adore this track and she did well by it.

Back to December — Back to December (Taylor’s Version) feels like a beautiful combination of the original and the acoustic version. It sounds different but it works for the song. I liked the production choices they made with the instrumental. It captures the feeling of the song really well. It sounds sadder than before, and its already such a sad song. I remember this being the first song that I fell in love with on this album so its a speical one for me. The production changes really work well for Taylor’s vocal maturity.

Speak Now — I was shocked by Taylor’s vocals in this version of Speak Now. It’s light and airy quality transported me back to 2010, and with Liz on the backing vocals too. The refinement on the production makes the song sound a little different, but only if you’re actually listening for it. This version sounds really good and I really like it.

Dear John — I have mixed feelings about Taylor’s Version of Dear John because while it is technically a great replication and her vocal control on the track, particularly the bridge, is unmatched, I feel her delivery lacks the emotional nuance that she showed even a couple months ago on WCS. That said, it is by no means not a beautiful rendition. I really like the clarity in the production and smoothness of her vocals.

Mean — My only note on this song was that I love the banjo and miss the country accent. I don’t think that’s a big deal though, and I really love this version of Mean. I think it really captures the feeling of the song and is a really strong replica of the original. I love Caitlin and Liz on the backing vocals too, gives me ✨ Speak Now Tour vibes ✨.

The Story of Us — The production The Story of Us is so much sharper and it carries the maturity of her current vocals so well. I don’t know if this is an unpopular opinion but I love the clairty of her vocal performance on the bridge of this song and the stability of her belting notes. The instrumentation is so good. I think it all came together to create a great remastering.

Never Grow Up — This is my favourite re-recorded song on this album. Maybe my favourite re-recorded song of hers so far. I’ve always loved Never Grow Up because of the nostalgia, but this took it to a whole other level. I got chills listening to Taylor’s Version. The depth and maturity of her 32-year-old vocal over the lightness of the acoustic guitar really hit me. This is also one of the most emotive re-recordings in my opinion. It’s almost like she feels this song deeper now than she did at the time she wrote it. The production is really beautiful and delicate.

Enchanted — Enchanted (Taylor’s Version) feels bigger than the original, in the most literal sense. It sounds to me like it was recorded in a bigger room. Maybe its the echo she uses in different parts of the song. Either way, it accomodates the grandness of this song. Taylor knows this is a special one for us. Its the only Speak Now song on the main set of the Eras Tour for a reason. Her vocals sound beautiful. The way she goes between her head voice and chest voice is skilled. I love the orchestra. There is so much going on in terms of instrumentation for this song and yet the production is so clean and it works so well.

Better Than Revenge — Let me get it out of the way, I’m not mad at the lyric change. I think it was a no-win situation for Taylor because on one hand, people will get upset with her for not standing by her original work and on the other, if she had kept the original lyrics, people would be upset that she was standing behind a misogynistic viewpoint. I think she did what she felt was right and the lyric isn’t bad. Her vocal maturity is a double-edged sword when it comes to this song. The notes she’s hitting in her vocalising sound more effortless, but in that she loses the angered quality that comes from straining her vocals. I like the sharpness of the production and all the backing vocals. I love her delivery on “she’s so over it.”

Innocent — This song sounds softer than before, like the whole track has been pushed back, and I think that really works for Innocent. I have always loved this song the most, it got me through so many dark nights. Hearing it with Taylor’s matured vocals hits different. The smoothness with which she glides over the notes in the pre-chorus sounds so beautiful. The bridge sounds so full with the maturity of her vocal and production sitting where it is. I think the restraint in the production while still maintaining the actual sound of the original is perfect for Taylor’s Version. I wonder what the experience of re-recording this at 32 was like for Taylor. Whatever she was feeling, it sounds beautiful on the track.

Haunted — Okay so I think we all have to agree that Haunted (Taylor’s Version) is the song that sounds the most different to its original counterpart. Those panting breaths on the pre-chorus are startling at first, and then genius thereafter. There is also this echo in the background in the verses. I find these production choices so interesting because it shows how Taylor’s creative vision for the songs has evolved. There is a delicate balance she strikes between changing production without losing what we have always loved about this song.

Last Kiss — I am still upset about the shaky breath being gone. She said it was her saddest song and then proceeded to take the saddest part out. Criminal behaviour, Taylor. That aside though, I really love the production on this version. Every aspect of the song, from instruments to vocals, sound clearer. I think the overall quality of this re-record is amazing.

Long Live — I cannot believe how emotional listening to Taylor’s Version of Long Live makes me, every single time! This is one song I really struggled to compare at all, not because there are no differences (see: the amazing backing vocal on “this is absurd”), but because of the passion with which she sings it on this version that just blows me away. You can just feel her joy exuding off the track. You can hear her smile on “the crowds in stands went wild.” Her band also really did the most on the instrumentation. You can just tell how much this song means to everyone involved in making it. Another favourite re-record of mine.

Ours — I always think about the fact that Ours and New Romantics are the only bonus tracks she’s ever made singles, which is a testament to her pride in and love for these songs. I love the attention to detail on this re-record. It sounds like such a faithful recreation, down to her adorable giggle. Her mature vocal adds another element of romanticism to the song, in my opinion.

Superman — Honestly, this song sounds different and yet so similar at the same time. I can’t quite pinpoint exactly what it is about the production that changed. It feels more open than before. Taylor’s vocal performance on this is much stronger than before without changing anything and that’s exactly what I always look forward to with her re-recordings.

Electric Touch — This song slides so perfectly onto Speak Now. Its filled with wishful thinking and touches of sadness and heaps of romantic hope. I won’t lie, didn’t love the Fall Out Boy feature on this. I think the verse fell a little flat for me but their vocals together on the chorus and bridge make up for it. The production is really cool, wouldn’t have expected Aaron Dessner on this one.

When Emma Falls In Love — This one, on the other hand, has Aaron’s production fingerprints all over it. This is such a beautiful song, the kind that makes me pray Taylor and Aaron never stop making music together. I think this song feels so old school Taylor. Its hopelessly romantic and slightly apprehensive. I also find it very interesting how, if she had released this song in 2010, it would’ve been her first New York reference. I love the piano line in this song. It sounds so pretty. That’s the word that I keep coming back to with this one. Everything from the instrumentation to her vocals to the story she’s telling is all so pretty.

I Can See You — The production on I Can See You is very interesting for Speak Now era, but its just as sultry as the lyrics are. It fits the theme of the song and the song really suits Taylor’s mature vocals. I think this is a great song but it feels a little like Don’t You on Fearless (which is my favourite Vault track from that album), the production just doesn’t feel like the rest of the album. I can see why she withheld this in favour of the original tracklist.

Castles Crumbling — It is a crime that Taylor said she wanted to showcase her songwriting on Speak Now and then proceeded to leave one of her finest pieces of writing in the vault. This song is chilling in the very best way possible. Both Taylor and Hayley are such emotive singers and this was a top-tier collaboration. The part where they are vocalising before the bridge gave me goosebumps the first time I heard it. And to have that followed by Taylor’s voice breaking off on “never wanted you to hate me” was a personal attack. The production on this track makes me pray that Taylor and Jack Antonoff never stop working together because they create magic in the studio.

Foolish One — Taylor said delusional girls have rights too. This song is actually so fun and sad at the same time. I love a good old Taylor country song and this fits that vibe perfectly. My favourite aspect of the song, and this might be a reach but as is the spirit of this song, is how light and youthful her vocals sound throughput the song contrasting with the depth and maturity in the outro where she is reflecting on this situation. It’s like she’s grown and come to realise that “he just wasn’t the one” and is now telling her younger self, who throughout the song is hanging onto every last hope she can.

Timeless — If I had to describe the feeling of what the Speak Now era was to someone, I’d play them Timeless. This song is so quintessential Speak Now Taylor, from the romanticism and whimsy to the fact that she’s singing about an antique shop. It really showcases Taylor’s strengths as a storyteller. The way I could picture every movement in that antique shop, the way she crafted stories out of photographs, all the details in her writing are impeccable. I think this might be my favourite vault track. It just sounds like such a Taylor Swift song and I love that about it.

#taylor swift #speak now #taylor’s version #speak now tv #reviews

0 notes

musicarenagh · 1 year

Text

Alec Berlin Shares The Secret Of 'Man's Best Friend' Listening to the first song on the album "Man's Best Friend" I couldn’t help but keep nodding and wondering how Alec Berlin was able to make one song with so many instrumentations. the beginning of the second song left me in shock. At this point, I can’t even imagine what the other tracks are going to be like, although it has no vocals the 11 tracks album carries so many emotions that words cannot even describe. Throughout the entire album, Alec blends genres from country, to folk, rock, acoustic, funk, and groove amongst others. "Man's Best Friend" is a pop-rock music, that was by a 25-year veteran of the NYC music scene who has spent most of his years as an in-demand sideman in major studios. When asked about the inspiration behind his album, this is what he had to say: “It started one night when Berlin woke up from a dream in which he was listening to a long-lost hit song that no one had ever heard before. He promptly grabbed his guitar and learned the music from his dream” He went on to say: “Over the next month, Berlin kept dreaming songs. Gradually it dawned on him that there was a batch of material gestating in his subconscious. So instead of waiting for additional songs to come to him, he went looking for them - and found them there for the taking.” Alec Berlin has played with Green Day, Elton John, James Taylor, and Rob Thomas. The songs have no vocals and that is exactly how it serves it purpose, "Man's Best Friend" is tantalizing and mind-boggling, feels like been on a rollercoaster. "Man's Best Friend" is his 11th release from a 12-song project. Listen to "Man's Best Friend" below https://open.spotify.com/album/0haOolFQI3nMgsITXr7938 Follow Alec Berlin On Facebook Twitter Spotify Soundcloud Bandcamp Youtube Instagram Songkick Tiktok

0 notes

idklolashmaybe · 2 years

Text

Loser band for losers? - weezer.

It is universally accepted that weezer fans hate weezer. However, that’s not entirely true.

Rivers Cuomo rose to success at a time when nu metal and grunge was hot topic. The debut weezer album also dubbed as ‘The Blue album’ is criminally underrated. Hits like surf wax America and sweater song makes use of quirky analogies to subvert the emotions that Rivers ultimately wanted to convey. Weezer reminds me of Salinger’s ‘Catcher in the rye’ a lot, well the protagonist atleast. Holden Caulfield was discriminatory to a lot of things in his angsty rebellious teenager years. His minimized voice, much like River’s lyrics, is a sort of self-protection from translating the gross acidic glug in his head.

Understanding weezer comes naturally. Its not a loud or flashy revelation. It’s quiet, yes with all the droney guitars too. Rivers’ tracks are apparent of his anxious nature. He’s constantly worried if people listen to him. I think that was the point of contention when Pinkerton wasn’t received well in 1996 and weezer was disbanded.

“Do you believe what I sing now?” Yes Rivers. I hear you. I’ve always listened to what you had to say.

None of Rivers’ songs are ironic. Yes. Not even ‘No one else’. It is arguable that it is borderline sexist but it is sort of implied that it was more of a passive break up letter and or silent fantasy of the boy since he cannot afford to lose the girl or have the prospects of getting a better one.

Drunk on power chords, Rivers sings ‘Buddy Holly’ which is about his willingness to protect this girl he refers to as his Mary Tyler Moore. It is annoyingly catchy and has a despicable solo.

‘In the Garage’ was probably the one where I felt the most exposed. He describes the elements that make up his safe space. What can I say, the chorus hit someplace close to what I call home.

‘Say it ain’t so’ is probably one of few songs in which Rivers confronts his feelings for the first fuckin’ time. He lets out his pain into what we regard as one of iconic melodies in the industry. All this over a can of beer he found in the fridge smh.

If there was a perfect ending to something, it would be the equivalent of what ‘Only in Dreams’ is to the blue album. For someone that has spent quite a lot of time fantasizing about perfection from the comfort of my yellow bed, I could not begin to articulate how it felt to be understood for once. Or as Joe Goldberg from You put it, “It’s nice to be seen.”

Hmm weezer. I’d end this ode with gratitude and all things expected of. But I believe it would be injustice. We dwell in the things unsaid and the things unfelt. You are meant to be sad but goddamn do you come off funny. And that’s okay. For the most part. I think.

#weezer #music #rock #punk #poppunk #rockmusic #indie music #pop punk bands #bands #rock bands

1 note · View note

i-like-the · 2 years

Text

‘Passive Me, Aggressive You’

The Instant Classic That No One Has Heard Of

https://open.spotify.com/album/4c7fO6dTXyfGe4yydkYhPL?si=KRLbuWzwQWCT-fl2ngVpjw

‘Passive Me, Aggressive You’ is the debut album of the New Zealand band ‘The Naked and Famous’ released in 2010. It had a mixed critical reception and debuted at number one in September of 2010 on the New Zealand album charts. At this time the band consisted of Alisa Xayalith (vocals and keyboard), Thom Powers (vocals and guitar), Jesse Wood (drums) and David Beadle (bass).

I was first introduced to this band when my brother thrust his earphones in my face in the taxi on the way back from the airport and I heard the final echoing choruses of ‘Punching in a Dream’, being eight at the time, I didn’t think about the song much when I was distracted by Fifa ‘05 on a DS, but when my brother reminded me of it a few months later, I was hooked and I haven’t been able to get enough of them since.

From start to finish you are bombarded with beautifully simple lyrics, grand production and a craving for more.

The first two songs - ‘All of This’ and ‘Punching in a Dream’ - are two of my favourites from the album. The fantastic lyricism from the opener expresses a relationship that’s slowly breaking apart, paired with fantastic harmonies and raw vocals from Xayalith and Powers as well as the productions driving drum and bass and simple yet effective guitar solos, it’s the perfect opener. The next song ‘Punching in a Dream’ is one of my favourite songs of all time, it’s three and a half-minute run time feels like forever and thirty seconds at the same time. The usual soft vocals from the leads are loud and proud, making the song more powerful, the entire song seems to exist to make you want to do something, anything. Words cannot describe just how great this song is, if you take my word about anything - it’s to listen to ‘Punching in a Dream’. And if you recognise it from anywhere, the last thirty seconds are played in Pitch Perfect (2012).

The next three songs - ‘Frayed’, ‘The Source’ and ‘The Sun’ - offer respite from the loud and fast paced beginning. They are, in my opinion, some of the most underrated tracks of the album. With quietly profound lyrics describing the difficulties of making ends meet as well as the the feeling of burnout that many adults have, ‘Frayed’, is one of those songs that stays with you for a while after you listen. The layered voices at the end are hauntingly beautiful and adds to the feel of the song. The instrumental ‘The Source’ is short but sweet with a perfect lead into ‘The Sun’ - a meditation on addiction and the spiral into it, with the repetition of ‘And I run’ at the end being almost hypnotic in it’s nature.

‘Eyes’ - track six of the album - is admittedly not one of my favourites, but it does bring the energy back up with an 80s era banger with a wall of sound type of production that sounds like it could be the ending of an teen movie. The comes TNAF’’s most famous track, ‘Young Blood’. It has the bittersweet energy of Walk the Moon’s ‘Anna Sun’ - or most of their first album actually. They have somehow created a song that could slot into most playlists but is still completely individual. It is a first-rate song, everlasting lyrics, production that is catchy and timeless - would definitely recommend a listen. The eight track - ‘No Way’ - really is the emotional core of the album. It’s dreamlike depiction of a breakup or devastating argument hurts to listen to in the best possible way. The sudden bursts of noise encapsulates the pain that Xayalith is trying to convey, the lyrics are sparse but feel like getting stabbed by needles in the heart and, as always, nearly perfect production adds to the energy of the song.

Now we’re in the final stretch of the album, it transitions from almost classic electronic to more experimental - but no less dance-orientated music.

The next four tracks really epitomizes this change. ‘Spank’ is by far my favourite of the latter half of the album, with the signature TNAF layered vocals crossing each other, energetic drums, guitars and synths blending into each other and more vague lyrics; it’s a great for workouts or just lying in bed. The tenth song ‘Jilted Lover’ feels like an early The 1975 song, with it’s minimal lyrics and beautifully full production that bends to the words. ‘A Wolf in Geek’s Clothing’ is the oddest of the album; squeaking guitars and overhyped synths gives it the feel of an Idles or Black Midi song but with the almost ever-soft vocals of Xayalith and Powers make it a great listening experience - it’s the kind of song that my Dad would call ‘just noise’ but I promise it’s worth a listen. The penultimate song ‘The Ends’ is another that sounds like the EP era of The 1975, it’s the only song on the album that could be classified as a skip but I would not recommend doing so.

The final track, ‘Girls Like You’, is a six-minute masterpiece spearheaded by Powers’ vocals and that build like LCD Soundsystem’s ‘All My Friends’ but ends on a quietly sombre feeling. Like most of the album it combines heartfelt lyrics with an upbeat feeling that leaves you either dancing or crying. Ending the album with another song that makes time feel like time melts away - sonically it’s one of their simpler tracks, but works nonetheless.

Overall, it’s electronic/pop/dance perfection that will make you repeat and repeat each song until you know it inside out. Quietly emotional lyrics, almost perfect production and a clear joy for music which is hard to convey.

Favourite Tracks: Punching in a Dream, All of this, Spank.

Least Favourite (this was very difficult btw): Eyes, Jilted Lover, No Way.

Similar Tracks: Cruel - St. Vincent, Dreams - Passion Pit (Cover), Deceptacon - Le Tigre

5/5 Stars

#tnaf #the naked and famous #passive me aggressive you #alisa xayalith #thom powers #underrated tuesday

1 note · View note

tilynation · 2 years

Text

SONGS ABOUT LILY ON LOVER

I’m back on the @whatiwillsay podcast (link) this week to discuss songs on Lover about Lily, as well as all things gay 🌈 on the album.

The Rolling Stone Article

Let’s start with Taylor’s Rolling Stone article about Lover in September 2019. The interview was conducted August 4-5, 2019. This was rumored to be the article she was planning to come out in. That did not happen, but she did describe the album as “very, very autobiographical” with “moments of extreme personal confession.” (Link) So the gay moments cannot be explained away here as “fiction” like with Folklore/Evermore. Importantly also, the breakup moments cannot be explained away here as fiction either. We know Taylor did not break up with Joe, so that leaves someone else, most likely Lily, since Karlie has been in a long-term relationship which included her marriage during the Lover era.

“Singing about something helps you express it in a way that feels more accurate . . . there is that weird conflict in being a confessional songwriter and then also having my life . . . be catapulted into this strange pop culture thing.”

Me! Out Now on Lesbian Visibility Day

Lesbian visibility day is April 26. Taylor did a countdown to this day on social media. She did an interview with Robin Roberts for the NFL Draft the day before where she got emotional. Read more about this here.

The Lover Diary

Next let’s look at Taylor’s diary which was published as part of Lover promo. It’s interesting to note for a diary published with the Lover album in 2019, there are no entries from 2018 or 2019. The only entry from 2017 is the final entry in the diary, January 3, 2017, where we learn that Taylor is essentially based in London as of that time and has been dating her London lover in secret for “three months,” i.e. early October 2016 (or possibly September 28). We know October-December 2016 has a lot of Taylor/Lily.

The City of Lover Concert

Interestingly, Taylor did not choose any of the upbeat “Joe” songs for this concert filmed on September 9, 2019 in Paris. “I Think He Knows,” “Paper Rings,” and “Cruel Summer” did not make the cut. The Lover album songs chosen for the concert (originally aired on ABC in May 2020 then sent to Hulu for a limited time) were the sad, heartfelt songs like “Cornelia Street,” “Death By a Thousand Cuts,” and “The Archer,” along with the “getting bitches and models” anthem “The Man” and the singles “ME!” and “You Need to Calm Down.” Taylor was papped with Joe in Paris a few months earlier while in the city for promo appearances. Joe wore a New York Yankees hat (as he sometimes does), potentially attempting a visual cue that he is the “NY” referenced in the songs.

Cornelia Street

While leased from June 2016 until April 2017, Taylor was only living in this three-story West Village townhouse from September to November 2016 while her Tribeca home was being renovated before she moved to London. Three months. So the “Cornelia Street” muse options are pretty limited given the time limitations and the fact that the song is about a new love during the time Taylor lived there. I feel like we’ve covered “Cornelia Street” and Lily’s connections to the townhouse and time period a lot on the blog already so I won’t fully rehash it here. Lily was there a lot, especially in October 2016, the month Taylor said in the Lover diary she started to date her London lover - posting Taylor’s cats, spending the night/being photographed the morning after by a fan, wearing the gold heart choker, filming a video on the roof, etc. The reference in the song to “autumn air” also helps place this song in the Autumn of 2016. “Sacred new beginnings that became my religion” help tie the song to False God and the NYC/West Village references in that song. Cornelia Street is located in the West Village.

Taylor’s performance of the song at the City of Lover concert in Paris was emotional, especially her words introducing the song - “You know, I use songs almost like photographs so that I can go back and remember a time and exactly what it was like to experience it . . . (starts to get a little choked up) . . . um . . . and . . . uh . . . this is definitely one of those nostalgic ones.” (Link)

She also mentioned that “Cornelia Street,” “for me is probably the one that hits my heart the most” at a fan event in Tokyo in November 2019 (a year from when she and Lily were last in Tokyo together). (Link) (around 21:00).

“Cornelia Street: Live from Paris,” released in 2020 before Folklore, was Taylor’s last single of the Lover era.

Is “Cornelia Street” about Karlie or Joe? Karlie was papped outside the townhouse a few times. She doesn’t fit the new relationship in Autumn 2016 that the song describes though. I don’t think Joe was ever officially spotted at the townhouse. I don’t think Joe was proven to be in NYC during the Cornelia Street months other than when he was in town for Billy Lynn promo (Bowery night). I also don’t think the breakup vibes of the song fit Joe.

Doesn’t “the city scream” Karlie’s name though? The NYC references in Lover (and afterwards) are a strong argument for Kaylors because the city is a better fit for Karlie than Lily or Joe. An argument can be made that the NYC references are about the start of Taylor’s relationship with Lily or Joe because that seems to be where both relationships got started in earnest. For the “Cornelia Street” song, I think Taylor is relating the beginning of the relationship to NYC since that’s where the relationship started. So I don’t think Karlie having more ties to NYC than Lily or Joe is necessarily dispositive here. Of the three of them, I think NYC fits Joe the least because Lily lived there for years and loved her East Village (“Dive bar on the East Side, where you at”) per many interviews. (Link)

The Man

This song was released on Lily’s birthday, January 27, 2020. Lily famously attended Leo’s gala in Saint Tropez in July 2016 before the Tily Autumn.

Taylor enjoyed herself singing “The Man” at the NPR Tiny Desk concert for Lover. Look at her body language when she sings she’d be “just like Leo in Saint Tropez!” (Link)

For the official “Storyline” on the Spotify Lover Enhanced Album, Taylor said, “I’ve wondered several times, ‘If I had been a man instead of a woman and had lived my life exactly the same way, what would people have said about me?’ It’s about perception. It’s not ‘what would I do if were a man?’ It’s about how I’d be seen if I did exactly the same stuff.” She said the same thing during her introduction of the song at the NPR Tiny Desk concert starting at 1:44 - link.

I’ve seen Kaylors say the song could be about Karlie because she’s a model too (the “getting bitches and models” line is probably about several women, as Taylor has probably been with several beyond just Karlie and Lily), or Karlie once attended a yacht thing Leo was at, or Leo dated Toni Garrn who some Kaylors think had a thing with Karlie. Given that the song was released on Lily’s birthday and Lily was papped extensively at Leo’s Saint Tropez gala a few months before Tily seemed to get started, Lily makes the most sense here to me.

The Archer

The track 5 song on the album seems to be a coming out song. Out lesbian artist Hayley Kiyoko played the role of the archer in the “You Need to Calm Down” music video. See here for more analysis - link.

During the City of Lover concert, Taylor introduced the song by saying it’s about “the feeling of falling in love and the feeling of fear that goes along with finding something really good in your life.”

Several lines in the song seem to have queer themes:

“I’ve got a hundred thrown out speeches I almost said to you.”

“I ride off alone, I never grew up, it’s getting so old.”

“I cut off my nose just to spite my face then I hate my reflection for years and years.”

“All of my heroes die all alone.”

She told Rolling Stone that the song shows “a different side of the album.”

London Boy

Per Lily’s interviews, she is a proper Londoner. Born in Hackney (“so please show me Hackney”), raised in Kentish Town (“End Game” music video), schooled at the Camden School for Girls, and discovered as a model at the Camden Market (“I enjoy walking Camden Market in the afternoon”). (Elle interview)

In this article, Lily talked about what she missed about London when she was living in NYC - Hampstead Heath (Taylor moved to Hampstead at the end of 2016. The Hampstead rental house is in the Rep magazine photos and was where Taylor had Lily, et al. over) (“like a Tennessee Stella McCartney on the Heath”), Primrose Hill (where Taylor currently rents a house), and pubs (“you can find me in the pub, we are watching rugby.”) (Link)

Lily told Grazia Daily that she took the Victoria’s Secret models to Bond Street in 2014 when the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show was in London. Taylor performed at this show. Bond Street was specially closed just for the VS girls. “So please show me Hackney, doesn’t have to be Louis V up on Bond Street.” Lily mentioned her mom and 8 year-old brother (who live in England) coming to visit her on this trip. (Link)

See here for more analysis - link and link. This song seems like it’s half about Lily and half about Joe.

False God

“We were stupid to jump in the ocean separating us, remember how I’d fly to you?”

One of many London / New York references on the album.

“I’m New York City, I still do it for you, babe.”

Taylor is referring to herself as NYC here, not someone else being NYC who Taylor is flying to. This sets up Taylor being NYC and someone else being her London lover.

“They all warned us about times like this.”

Trying times like in “Renegade” and “Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince.”

This song includes an ode to the most common and commonly-associated wlw sex act - “Religion’s in your lips . . . the altar is my hips.”

Fun fact, Lily’s butterfly angel outfit for the 2014 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show that Taylor also performed at was part of the “Take Me to Church” segment.

So who is the “West Village” that Taylor refers to in the song? The West Village references can either be her Cornelia Street lover since the townhouse is in the West Village, or could be Karlie since she lived there before getting married. The song seems to be one of the series of “relationship on the rocks” songs on the Lover album.

It’s Nice to Have a Friend

There are a lot of Reputation album callbacks in this song.

“Video games, you pass me a note” (End Game / Delicate)

“Sleeping in tents”

Could be “I’m laughing with my lover, making forts under covers” from “Call It What You Want.”

“Light pink sky up on the roof”

Could be the roof from “King of My Heart” and “Cornelia Street.” The roof has been discussed a lot on the blog, including here and here.

“Something gave you the nerve to touch my hand”

Could be “touching my hand in the darkened room” from “Gorgeous.”

“Call my bluff, call you ‘babe’”

A card-playing reference like in “Cornelia Street” (“back when we were card sharks, playing games”) and “calling my bluff on my usual tricks” from “End Game.”

Kaylors have pointed out that Karlie gave an interview in 2014 about Taylor where she said “it’s good to have a friend” in New York. There are also potential references to the movie “Carol” in this song, especially the “lost my glove” line.

Paper Rings

This song could reference Joe, but I noticed recently some Lily possibilities here. As always, songs could be about more than one person.

“The wine is cold like the shoulder I gave you in the street, cat and mouse for a month or two or three.”

After the Vanity Fair party in LA in early 2016, Taylor and Lily seemed to go their separate ways but could have been playing cat and mouse because both were in LA a lot that Spring, including at Coachella, and Lily ended up in Nashville in June while Taylor was there and tagged her in a post about “Wildest Dreams.”

“ . . . the night that we first met, I stalked you on the internet” could be the night of the Fund Fair in 2015 because Taylor went online after the event and followed Lily on Twitter. Then “cat and mouse for a month, or two, or three” could be when Taylor had Lily walk the stage during the 1989 tour a few months later. But all in all, from a Tily perspective, 2016 fits the song better than 2015.

“I hate accidents except when we went from friends to this.”

This could easily fit Tily.

“In the winter, in the icy outdoor pool when you jumped in first, I went in too.”

Some fans think this refers to Joe because he mentioned his family jumping into the Hampstead Heath lake in an interview. The lake isn’t the same as a pool. Of course Joe could have jumped in the pool too. But from a Tily perspective, Lily was at Taylor’s London rental house in December 2016 (“in the winter”) where the icy outdoor pool was located.

We know the photo of Lily (and Cara and Suki) was taken in December 2016 because Taylor posted it shortly after New Year’s in January 2017 for Suki’s birthday. The earliest all four of them were in London at the same time appears to be December 2016 and this would match the time Taylor got the Hampstead rental in London and the “Call It What You Want” lyrics. Taylor’s birthday was also celebrated in London in December 2016 per the bakery who made the cake and Lily is in a photo from the birthday party at the house (see above). (Link)

Death By a Thousand Cuts

Taylor told the Elvis Duran show that this song was inspired by the movie “Someone Great.” Taylor mentioned this when Lover was released and the story got picked up by the media. (Billboard article). Taylor described the song and movie as “she has to end this relationship she didn’t want to end because she’s still in love with the person but they just grew apart. . . It’s just sad because it’s just realistic, time passed and now we’re different people and that is the most devastating thing.” If I had to guess, I’d say that Taylor wrote the song she wanted to write and went through something similar (remember the album is “very, very autobiographical” and “I’m a confessional songwriter”). She may have realized this movie had a similar-ish theme and it made a cute story because the director said she was inspired by 1989 and now Taylor was saying she was inspired by “Someone Great.” People who have seen the movie say DBATC is not about the movie at all because the storylines are very different.

“I looked through the windows of this love even though we boarded them up”

The windows boarded up motif from CIWYW and Renegade.

“If the story’s over, why am I still writing pages?”

Is this a reference to the “fresh page on the desk” in Cornelia Street? Or “don’t read the last page” from New Year’s Day? All three songs may potentially be tied to the same muse/relationship.

“Paper cuts sting from our paper thin plans”

Seems like a reference to “Paper Rings.” In DBATC it’s revealed that Taylor didn’t actually marry her someone special that she sung about in “Paper Rings” (“I would marry you with paper rings”).

Kaylors have pointed out that the line “death by a thousand cuts” is stated in the Evelyn Hugo book, but it’s a fairly common phrase. I recognize this could be a Karlie reference.

Afterglow

Another song on the album about a big fight.

“I blew things out of proportion, now you’re blue. Put you in jail for something you didn’t do.”

“I pinned your hands behind your back, thought I had a reason to attack, but no”

“Fighting with a true love is boxing with no gloves”

Is this a reference to the “Bad Blood” music video or just a common phrase that fits the fighting motif of the song?

“Why did I have to break what I love so much? It’s on your face, and I am to blame, I need to say hey, it’s all me, in my head I am the one who burned us down”

Past tense, they are already over and burnt down. Similar to “Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince” and the “Can’t Stop Loving You” cover.

“Meet me in the afterglow… This ultraviolet morning light below… Went off like sirens”

After the missiles went off in Renegade and there was an explosion. The sirens in Renegade start at 1:27 in the song (January 27 is Lily’s birthday) and are not anywhere else in the song.

Written in early 2019, the crack theory I mentioned on the pod is that when Taylor was known to be recording the album at Electric Lady Studios in NYC in January 2019 (per pap photos), Lily was papped the same day walking nearby with a friend. Lily was not papped often and she appeared to be pretty nondescript on the day in question to be noticed by the paps organically. Also paps aren’t just randomly walking around the streets, they are usually called, unless it’s a big event or a popular celeb hangout. I think the person Lily was walking with was her ex-bf Brett. Taylor may have been surprised to see this, hence a fight ensued. This could all be total crack but the timing fits the song and the January 2019 pap shots in NYC were the last time Taylor/Lily were photographed anywhere near each other. Lily wasn’t in NYC for a known modeling gig. My best guess is she was there with Taylor while Taylor was recording the album.

ME!

This is another song with upbeat production that makes it seem happy and positive but reveals a fracturing relationship.

In the making of a song part of the Miss Americana documentary, Taylor says . . .

“Gay pride makes me, me”

Cruel Summer

For analysis of this song, see here.

Taylor told Spotify for the Lover enhanced album the song is “about a doomed summer relationship.”

Lover

“I’ve loved you three summers now, honey, but I want them all.”

Taylor said the album was written late 2018 through early 2019. In her video interview for the New York Times about the album, Taylor said this song was written one night in Nashville then recorded the next day at Electric Lady Studios in NYC. Taylor was papped at Electric Lady Studios in July 2018 and January 2019. Lily was papped near the studio on the same day in 2019. Some people also think this song was written in November 2018 just before the end of the Rep tour in Tokyo because of Taylor’s Instagram post at the time with the “Lover” heart sign/paint on her cheek and her shirt with the cat on the left side (see below). CBS Sunday Morning confirmed the first photo below was from when Taylor was recording the song in NYC. (Link) Lily was papped in NYC at the same time (November 2018) before they both left for Tokyo at the end of the Rep tour. Lily liked Taylor’s Instagram post, the one and only post Lily liked in 2018.

The “three summers” in question are likely 2016-2018 and fit Lily or Joe better than Karlie here whose summers would have started in 2014.

“My heart’s been borrowed and yours has been blue.”

Taylor’s heart was borrowed to Joe and Lily was sad about it? Could explain a lot of things. Taylor’s heart was borrowed to Lily and Joe or Karlie was sad about it? Taylor’s heart was borrowed to Karlie in 2018 (Nashville Rep tour?) and Lily was sad about it? Lots of possibilities here for what is otherwise a fairly generic song.

“At every table, I’ll save you a seat”

This lyric always reminds me of the scene in Miss Americana where Taylor has Abigail over for dinner and has seat at the table left open with a British flag 🇬🇧 on it.

Is “We could let our friends crash in the living room this is our place, we make the call” a reference to the Kaylor blind item about Karlie inviting friends over to Taylor’s apartment?

Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince

Taylor told Spotify that this song is about “finding someone who cares about you through all the noise.” Set in a metaphorical high school like “Betty,” I think this song relates to Taylor in 2016 and can be seen as the aftermath of “Call It What You Want.” The upbeat production masks a sad breakup song and fits the Tily timeline and situation well. For full analysis of this song, see here.

“American stories burning before me”

Taylor told Rolling Stone, “it’s also the idea of people who live in America, who just want to live their lives, make a living, have a family, love who they love (🌈), and watching those people lose their rights, or watching those people feel not at home in their home.” Taylor told Rolling Stone the song was written “a couple months after midterm elections” (which were held in early November 2018), so January-ish 2019.

“It’s you and me, there’s nothing like this, Miss Americana and The Heartbreak Prince”

The “you” can be seen as “Miss Americana” and “me” can be seen as “The Heartbreak Prince.” Could Karlie be Miss Americana and Taylor be the Heartbreak Prince? It’s possible. Could Taylor be both Miss Americana (like her Netflix documentary title) and the Heartbreak Prince? It’s possible, with “Miss Americana” being who she is to the public and “The Heartbreak Prince” being her true self. Could Taylor be “Miss Americana” and Lily be “The Heartbreak Prince” or Taylor is both since she ultimately was the “The Heartbreak Prince” to Lily given when the song was written? The connection to Lily here is possible considering the rest of the song lyrics, especially the references to the person who ran away with Taylor.

The song seems to start in 2016 (references to the 2016 election and “bad guys” like Trump and Kanye), with Taylor running away with her someone special (“Call It What You Want”) and ultimately asking that person to come back home after their breakup.

“Voted most likely to run away with you,” “leave with my head hung, you are the only one who seems to care,” “no cameras catch my muffled cries . . . and now the storm is coming (“windows boarded up after the storm” from CIWYW and Renegade). More of the running away theme. Taylor ran away to London with her London lover at the end of 2016.

“The whole school is rolling fake dice, you play stupid games, you win stupid prizes”

Is this reference to rolling the dice similar to “Cruel Summer” where the “devils roll the dice, angels roll their eyes?” Is Lily the “Angel” who rolled their eyes when Taylor rolled the dice? The devil rolling the dice is female per the board game in the “Lover” music video.

“I don’t want you to go, I don’t really wanna fight ‘cause nobody’s going to win, I think you should come home.”

This sounds very much like “Afterglow.” Taylor is trying to get the person who is leaving or already left (“Cornelia Street”) to come home. These lyrics are repeated four times throughout the song, the last time followed by “And I’ll never let you go ‘cause I know this is a fight that someday we’re gonna win,” which sounds a lot like what Taylor said about Betty and James in the Long Pond Studio Sessions and the introduction to the “Can’t Stop Loving You” cover performed during Lover era. These sad breakup lyrics are masked in the song by the high school cheerleading chant “Go, Fight, Win!” tying the song again to the metaphorical high school.

“I just thought you should know, you should know” is repeated twice in different parts of the song. This sounds like “I just wanted you to know” from “This Is Me Trying.” TIMT could easily be a post-breakup Tily song.

Did Taylor and Karlie go into hiding after the 2016 election or run away together? I don’t think they did, especially not together. The going into hiding / running away together lyrics in the song match Lily better based on Lily moving back to London after Thanksgiving 2016.

You Need to Calm Down

Taylor told Rolling Stone about the song, “‘You Need to Calm Down’ can make sense within the theme of the album (Lover versus Daylight) - one of the things it addresses is how certain people are not allowed to live their lives without discrimination just based on who they love.”

The music video had heavy queer imagery, including Taylor herself with bi-pride hair, gay pride rings, and living in the gay community, among other things.

Promo imagery for the song show two snakes mating then turning into butterflies. I’ve pointed out several times on the blog how Taylor and Lily were the two snakes throughout the Rep era who turned into the butterflies.

Daylight

Taylor played this song on the piano at her Nashville home for CBS Sunday Morning in August 2019. (Link) She told the interviewer that she has “not serenaded anyone in a while” and seemed introspective about that. This is interesting considering she was publicly in a relationship with Joe for three years by that point. Is this evidence that the Tily relationship was over for a while by August 2019? I think so.

Taylor told Rolling Stone that “Daylight” was almost the title of the album, but she thought “it might be a little bit too sentimental” and “way too on-the-nose.” Is this evidence that the Lover era was supposed to include coming out and stepping into the daylight? “I was kind of in my head referring to the album as Daylight for a while.”

Outro - more proof the song is about coming out.

“I want to be known for what I love, not what I’m afraid of, not what haunts me at night. I feel like you are what you love.”

“Back and forth from New York sneaking in your bed.”

The “you” is not New York. The “you” here is most likely London. Is Karlie NY and Lily or Joe is London? Is Lily NY and Joe is London? There are multiple possibilities here. Given the song and album as a whole, and given the timeframe it was written, Karlie being NY and Lily being London makes the most sense to me.

“So many lines I’ve crossed unforgiven.”

Taylor told Rolling Stone about this line, “Sometimes there are people that were in your life and they’re not anymore - and there’s nothing you can do about it. You can’t fix it, you can’t change it . . . a lot of times you make the wrong call, make the wrong decision. Say the wrong thing. Hurt people, even if you didn’t mean to. You don’t really know how to fix all of that.” This seems similar to the imagery in “Afterglow,” the fight in “ME!,” and later on “This Is Me Trying” with “my words shoot to kill when I’m mad, I have a lot of regrets about that.”

While I can see this song being about Joe and a potential calming presence he is in Taylor’s life, I think the “golden” reference here is Lily, like it was on the Rep album, and the daylight is Taylor’s potential coming out.

Kaylors point out that Taylor has called Karlie “sunshine” (in addition to posting the same thing about Martha and others) and that Kaylor (and Halston Sage, etc.) wore gold tattoos for Drake’s birthday party in 2016. To me the “golden” and “golden tattoo” references fit Lily better because Taylor wore the golden heart choker tattoo in the “Delicate” making of video, as well as on her painting date night with Lily (birthday post) and at one of the Bowery nights in 2016. Lily was at both Bowery Nights and was at each location Taylor went to during those nights, including Cornelia Street (link), while Karlie was only present for the Eliot Sumner concert. Joe was only present at Lovers of Today. Lily also wore the golden heart choker for Halloween at Cornelia Street. And, of course, Lily has an actual tattoo of the word “golden” in Latin on her wrist.

I think the subject of “Daylight” is a woman because of the “maybe you ran with the wolves and refused to settle down” lyric and reference. “Women Who Run With Wolves” is a best-selling book and popular amongst celebrities. “Refused to settle down” sounds more like Lily than Karlie who did settle down (got engaged/married) during the Lover era.

#gaylor #gaylor swift #tily #lily donaldson #lover era #lover album #podcast

93 notes · View notes