Reputation
Album Notes
As Rob Harvilla writes, "I am not one of these people trying to convince you that Reputation is secretly Swift’s true masterpiece, but I am less exasperated by those people than I used to be."
...Ready for It?
"Some boys are tryin' too hard, he don't try at all though..."
Related Readings:
Von Kriegstein, Hasko. 2017. “Effort and Achievement.” Utilitas 29 (1): 27-51. (link)
Commentary:
Von Kriegstein analyses the role of effort in the axiological study of achievements, arguing that effort enhances the value of an achievement and that "'unnecessary' effort enhances achievement only insofar as the agent is unaware that the effort is not needed to enhance her chances of success." Yet in ...Ready For It? Swift suggests that the value of an achievement can be diminished by unnecessary effort, even if the agent is unaware that he is investing unnecessary effort. In this way, Swift's lyric provides a counterexample to Von Kriegstein's analysis of the value of achievements.
End Game
Lyrics (Here)
Big reputation, big reputation
Ooh, you and me, we got big reputations, ah
And you heard about me, ooh
I got some big enemies (Yeah)
Related Readings:
here" (link)
Commentary:
I Did Something Bad
Don’t Blame Me
Lyrics (Here)
Don't blame me, love made me crazy
If it doesn't, you ain't doin' it right
Lord, save me, my drug is my baby
I'll be usin' for the rest of my life
Related Readings:
here" (link)
Commentary:
Delicate
Lyrics (Here)
This ain't for the best
My reputation's never been worse, so
You must like me for me
Related Readings:
here" (link)
Commentary:
Look What You Made Me Do
Lyrics (Here)
The world moves on, another day, another drama, drama
But not for me, not for me, all I think about is karma
Related Readings:
here" (link)
Commentary:
So It Goes…
Gorgeous
Getaway Car
Lyrics (Here)
It's no surprise I turned you in
'Cause us traitors never win
Related Readings:
here" (link)
Commentary:
King of My Heart
Lyrics (Here)
I'm perfectly fine, I live on my own
I made up my mind, I'm better off bein' alone
Related Readings:
here" (link)
Commentary:
Dancing with Our Hands Tied
Lyrics (Here)
Picture of your face in an invisible locket
You said there was nothing in the world that could stop it
I had a bad feeling
Related Readings:
here" (link)
Commentary:
Dress
This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things
Lyrics (Here)
And here's to you '
Cause forgiveness is a nice thing to do
Haha, I can't even say it with a straight face!
Related Readings:
here" (link)
Commentary:
Call It What You Want
Lyrics (Here)
All the liars are calling me one
Nobody's heard from me for months
I'm doin' better than I ever was
Related Readings:
here" (link)
Commentary:
New Year's Day
Lyrics (Here)
You squeeze my hand three times in the back of the taxi
I can tell that it's gonna be a long road
I'll be there if you're the toast of the town, babe
Or if you strike out and you're crawling home
Related Readings:
here" (link)
Commentary:
Discussion Questions
To what extent should the broader cultural context of art constrain our interpretation of it? What if the broader cultural context would make it so that our interpretation of art is unfair to the artist?
Is Reputation Taylor the performance or the real Taylor? Does this question make sense?
Can Taylor succeed at climbing to the top of all of her past selves?
Does the moral outlook of Reputation change after the second ellipses?
Are Reputation truthers on to something when they say this is the best album? (yes)