All artistic work exists in the context of the broader culture. In this album, Swift remixes familiar cultural tropes to advance her very particular personal agenda. When it's successful, it has the effect of implying that the whole sweep of human history and culture necessarily culminates in Swift's own emotional response to a teenage breakup.
'Cause I don't know how it gets better than this
You take my hand and drag me head first, fearless
And I don't know why but with you I'd dance
In a storm in my best dress, fearless
Related Readings:
Commentary:
Lyrics (Here)
'Cause when you're fifteen and somebody tells you they love you You're gonna believe them
And when you're fifteen, feelin' like there's nothin' to figure out
Well, count to ten, take it in This is life before you know who you're gonna be At fifteen
Related Readings:
here" (link)
Commentary:
Lyrics (Here)
Marry me, Juliet, you'll never have to be alone I love you and that's all I really know
I talked to your dad, go pick out a white dress It's a love story, baby, just say, 'Yes'"
Related Readings:
here" (link)
Commentary:
Lyrics (Here)
Hey Stephen, I could give you fifty reasons Why I should be the one you choose
All those other girls, well, they're beautiful But would they write a song for you?
Related Readings:
here" (link)
Commentary:
Lyrics (Here)
I'm not a princess, this ain't a fairytale
I'm not the one you'll sweep off her feet, lead her up the stairwell
This ain't Hollywood, this is a small town
I was a dreamer before you went and let me down
Related Readings:
Mills, Charles W. "“Ideal theory” as ideology." Hypatia 20, no. 3 (2005): 165-183. (link)
Commentary:
Lyrics (Here)
People are people and sometimes we change our minds
Related Readings:
here" (link)
Commentary:
Lyrics (Here)
I took a chance, I took a shot And you might think I'm bulletproof, but I'm not
Related Readings:
here" (link)
Commentary:
Lyrics (Here)
So you don't have to call anymore I won't pick up the phone
Related Readings:
here" (link)
Commentary:
Lyrics (Here)
He respects my space And never makes me wait
And he calls exactly when he says he will
He's close to my mother Talks business with my father
He's charming and endearing
And I'm comfortable
Related Readings:
here" (link)
Commentary:
This song is about The Notebook, right?
Lyrics (Here)
Was I out of line?
Did I say something way too honest, made you run and hide
Like a scared little boy?
Related Readings:
here" (link)
Commentary:
here
Lyrics (Here)
I have an excellent father, his strength is making me stronger
God smiles on my little brother, inside and out
He's better than I am
I grew up in a pretty house and I had space to run
And I had the best days with you
Related Readings:
here" (link)
Commentary:
here
Lyrics (Here)
Because these things will change
Can you feel it now?
These walls that they put up to hold us back will fall down
This revolution, the time will come
For us to finally win
And we’ll sing hallelujah, we'll sing hallelujah
Related Readings:
here" (link)
Commentary:
here
Lyrics (Here)
I wake up, I'm alive In only a little while, I'll cry
'Cause you're my lullaby So baby, come hold me tight
Related Readings:
here" (link)
Commentary:
here
Lyrics (Here)
Oh, he's so smug, Mr. "Always wins"
So far above me in every sense
Related Readings:
here" (link)
Commentary:
here
Lyrics (Here)
No one could touch the way we laughed in the dark
Talking 'bout your daddy's farm
And you were gonna marry me
And we were happy
Related Readings:
here" (link)
Commentary:
here
Lyrics (Here)
I'm reaching out and I just can't tell you why
Related Readings:
here" (link)
Commentary:
here
Lyrics (Here)
Talk to the wind, talk to the sky
Talk to the man with the reasons why
And let me know what you find
Related Readings:
here" (link)
Commentary:
here
Lyrics (Here)
You played in bars, you play guitar I'm invisible and everyone knows who you are
And you'll never see, you sing me to sleep Every night from the radio
Related Readings:
here" (link)
Commentary:
here
Lyrics (Here)
Me and my stupid pride are sittin' here alone
Goin' through the photographs, starin' at the phone
Related Readings:
here" (link)
Commentary:
here
Does defining oneself as an autonomous adult always involve some kind of ambivalence toward parental authority, and does it ultimately require a rejection of familial paternalism?