1989

Album Notes

In this album Swift develops an ironic tone in an attempt to use expressive ambiguity as a form of self-protection. Naturally, this coincides with her leaving Nashville (the land of sincerity,) for New York (the city of irony). It's been waiting for her. 

Welcome to New York

Lyrics (Here)


Everybody here was someone else before 

And you can want who you want 

Boys and boys and girls and girls


Related Readings:

Tosi, Justin, and Brandon Warmke. "Moral grandstanding." Philosophy & Public Affairs 44, no. 3 (2016): 197-217. (link)


Commentary: 


Blank Space

Lyrics (Here)

Boys only want love if it's torture


Related Readings:

Sara Aronowiz, "Exploring by Believing," Philosophical Review 130:3 (2022) (link)


Commentary: 

Taylor: "From 2012-2013, they thought I was dating too much because I dated two people in a year and a half, but whatever -- we'll leave it there. "'Oh, a serial dater.  She only writes songs to get emotional revenge on guys.  She's a man hater. Don't let her near your boyfriend.' It was just kind of excessive and, you know, at first it was hurtful and then I kind of found a little comedy in it. The character is so interesting though...it's so opposite my actual life." 


Style

Lyrics (Here)

And I got that good girl faith and a tight little skirt


Related Readings:

here" (link)


Commentary: 


Out of the Woods

Lyrics (Here)

Remember when we couldn't take the heat? 

I walked out, I said, "I'm setting you free" 

But the monsters turned out to be just trees 

When the sun came up, you were looking at me


Related Readings:

here" (link)


Commentary: 


All You Had to Do Was Stay 

Lyrics (Here)

People like you always want back 

The love they gave away 

And people like me wanna believe you 

When you say you've changed


Related Readings:

here" (link)


Commentary: 



Shake It Off 

Lyrics (Here)

I never miss a beat 

I'm lightnin' on my feet 

And that's what they don't see


Related Readings:

here" (link)


Commentary: 


I Wish You Would

Lyrics (Here)

You say it's in the past, you drive straight ahead 

You're thinking that I hate you now 

'Cause you still don't know what I never said


Related Readings:

here" (link)


Commentary: 


Bad Blood

Lyrics (Here)

Band-aids don't fix bullet holes 

You say sorry just for show 

If you live like that, you live with ghosts


Related Readings:

here" (link)


Commentary: 


Wildest Dreams 

Lyrics (Here)

Say you'll remember me 

Standin' in a nice dress 

Starin' at the sunset, Babe


Related Readings:

here" (link)


Commentary: 


 How You Get the Girl

Lyrics (Here)

I want you for worse or for better 

I would wait forever and ever 

Broke your heart, I'll put it back together 

I would wait forever and ever 

And that's how it works 

That's how you get the girl


Related Readings:

here" (link)


Commentary: 


This Love

Lyrics (Here)

When you're young, you just run 

But you come back to what you need


Related Readings:

here" (link)


Commentary: 


 I Know Places 

Lyrics (Here)

'Cause they got the cages, they got the boxes and guns 

They are the hunters, we are the foxes and we run


Related Readings:

here" (link)


Commentary: 


Clean

Lyrics (Here)

When I was drowning, that's when I could finally breathe


Related Readings:

here" (link)


Commentary: 


Wonderland

Lyrics (Here)

And in the end, in Wonderland, we both went mad


Related Readings:

here" (link)


Commentary: 


You Are in Love

Lyrics (Here)

And so it goes 

You two are dancing in a snow globe, 'round and 'round 

And he keeps a picture of you in his office downtown 

And you understand now 

Why they lost their minds and fought the wars 

And why I've spent my whole life trying to put it into words


Related Readings:

here" (link)


Commentary: 


New Romantics

Lyrics (Here)

The best people in life are free


Related Readings:

here" (link)


Commentary: 


Discussion Questions