folklore: A story of how I discovered a new way to enjoy music.
“A tale that becomes folklore is one that is passed down and whispered around. Sometimes even sung about.” — Taylor Swift
Being friends with fangirls is hard. Being friends with fangirls when you are introverted and not into the same things as them it is even harder. When you are constantly around people who know exactly the type of music they like or the artists the stan, one can often felt lost when trying to articulate the kind of music you like. My playlists comprised of songs from every other genre; rock, hip-hop, pop, alternative, the works; but I could never stick to one style. My criterion for listening to a song the second time around was that I liked how the song made me feel or the story it transported me to.
Though the overwhelmed by fandom culture, when my friends made a pact to have folklore listening party, I tagged along in the spirit of socialising. Despite my initial ‘apprehensions’ about willing walking headfirst into the world of ‘swifties’, I actually ended up enjoying the album!
Taylor’s Swifts’ eighth studio album folklore embodies the tradition of its namesake. Known for her confessional lyrics and musical storytelling that give her fans a glimpse into her life, her latest album ventures into worldbuilding to complement her narrative songwriting style. In the prologue to her album, Taylor reveals that through her quarantine musings and wild imagination she found herself “writing about or from the perspective of people” she never met, people she’s known, or those she wishes she hadn’t.
Now conveying stories through song is an age-old tradition. However, what I found interesting about this album is the presentation of a single story through the perspectives of each of the characters involved, throughout the varying stages of their lifetimes. Taylor has confirmed the existence of these character arcs and recurring themes during a live stream, hinting to a triad of songs that she calls ‘The Teenage Love Triangle’. The songs are speculated to be “Betty”, “Cardigan”, and “August”, and explore an unintended summer romance and its aftermath.
Folkloric elements feature heavily in many of the songs. In her song ‘The Last Great American Dynasty’, Taylor recounts the story of the heiress Rebekah Harkness. In the same song, Taylor mentions Harkness stealing her neighbours’ dog and dyeing it key-lime green. The real story according to The Times was that she dyed a cat green. I loved how this particular lyrical adventure shows how stories can be distorted when they are passed on.
The aspect of the album that I loved the most was the lore that sprung forth from the songs.
I have always loved reading stories with fleshed-out character arcs and but that day as I watched my friends speculate and discuss the meanings behind lyrics, search for easter eggs and clues that reveal the narrator and connect the songs together to recreate the histories of the characters, it struck me that sometimes these stories can be heard too. I was mesmerised! I dove into the world of Taylor Swift Canon. I found myself unpacking the lyrics and researching the events and people that inspired each song. It was right under my nose all along. I like stories and I like songs that tell stories.
I eventually realised, though many of the songs could be from the point of view the characters, Taylor has woven her stories into them. All through this I especially liked how Swift maintains the mystery behind the origins of the narratives shes created. Just like the lore inherited from those before us, will always be no ones and everyone's.
Another reason why I was hooked to the album is because of the stylistic elements of the accompanying music and the companion videos that add depth to the lyrics. As a student of the liberal arts, I’ve grown to appreciate the hidden elements of a creative production that covertly add to the beauty of it. So I spent my time following tags on Tumblr, Reddit and Instagram wondering if someone has unearthed something new about the songs. It was a gift that kept giving.
In the intro of my tears ricochet Taylor’s voice pierces through a heavily processed distant resonant reverb, almost like an allusion to her rebounding tears. During the bridge, her voice trails off when shes sings ‘my stolen lullabies’, as if her voice is being stolen, in the outro the music swells and crashes over the vocals when Taylor sings ‘the battleships will sink beneath the waves’.The outro of exile showcases the layering of Taylor voice singing ‘I gave so many signs’ repeatedly over Bon Iver‘s Justin Vernon’s but he ignores it and continues to sing his own part ignoring the ‘signs’ he claimed she never gave. The contrast between the calm melody of the song and the intense lyrics of madwoman brings out the irony of the label that was put on the narrator. And the lakes is just a minefield of references to the Lake Poets.
Listening to Taylor Swift’s folklore was a truly captivating experience for me. it felt like a story that kept on unravelling every time I listened to it. Though I must admit technology played a significant role in the way I was able to experience the album, every time I learnt something new about the song I found myself going back to experience the stories in a new light.