to think Taylor Swift is our century's answer to William Shakespeare

[beastlyslumber]

She's such an incredible storyteller and lyricist (and her songs are ridiculously catchy. It's all about the hooks.) Listening to her album 'folkore' this afternoon - she wrote two whole albums in lockdown, you know. And they're both great, but 'folklore' is insanely good. As she moves away from autobiographical writing into character stories, her storytelling is getting even more emotionally direct, and even more fun. She's a total genius. Even on the rare occasions when her hooks and melodies don't grip you, her lyrics always get right to the heart of things.

If there's any justice in the world, Ms Swift will still be celebrated in 500 years for her original, moving, funny, perceptive and subversive writing.

YANBU = Obviously! She is the Bard of Pop
YABU = WTF? She's way better than Shakespeare

I get what you're saying but on the other hand Jess Glynne, Geri Halliwell and Cheryl Cole are the most successful British female singers of all time (as in highest number of No.1 songs), so sales don't always indicate quality.

Number ones don’t always mean a successful career as so much stuff gets streamed or illegally downloaded now so actual sales a well below what they were in say the 90’s. I doubt there’s any metric that takes into account record sales, streams, radio airplay, tour and merch revenue and all the other income streams that would still put them above Adele. Plus, the Crazy Frog beat Speed of Sound to No.1, Robson & Jerome got the No.1 instead of Wonderwall, but nobody could say they were more successful than Coldplay or Oasis.

Yeah, good point. It's taken far fewer sales to get the No 1 spot in recent years. Just such a sad little trio occupying the top spot

The injustice of those women each having more number 1 hits than Dusty Springfield.

Thanks for this thread @beastlyslumber it's been a great read.

I like TS, she's not my favourite lyricist though.

Mine is Alex Turner, he's the bard and to me, the best songwriter of his generation. Amy is right up there too. I've loved AT since arctic monkeys came out when I was 17/18 and if I could only listen to one band for the rest of my life it would be them.

Agree OP. The lyrics to Marjorie are beautiful. They really portray the loss of a grandparent. Ivy is also a stunning portrayal of a love affair. And the demonstration of the different way in which the man and woman see the end of a relationship in Exile is so well articulated. She is insanely talented and Folklore is superb.

Is there a vomit emoji?

@wtaf37

Is there a vomit emoji?

Why do you have to be so mean?

@wtaf37

Is there a vomit emoji?

So casually cruel, in the name of being honest.

@wtaf37

Is there a vomit emoji?

You need to calm down

@wtaf37

Is there a vomit emoji?

Now we got problems, and I don't think we can solve them

Thank you. I needed a good laugh

Are you the unhinged woman who created an entire Taylor Swift academic course and presented it to her prospective boyfriend, which included things like actual homework and exams?

@Biker47

Are you the unhinged woman who created an entire Taylor Swift academic course and presented it to her prospective boyfriend, which included things like actual homework and exams?

Hahaha no! How did that work out for her, though?

I cannot believe no one has posted this! I love TS, I was always very snobby about her as I only knew "Shake it off" but my DS forced me to listen over lockdown and now I love her I don't think anyone can deny she is very talented not just songwriting but the music too, plus she has covered a lot of genres throughout her career - country to pop to indie etc. People don't have to agree she is equivalent to Shakespeare but surely they would agree she is very talented if they were familiar with all/most of her work?

This song definitely needs the music to go with it!

We were both young when I first saw you
I close my eyes and the flashback starts:
I'm standing there
On a balcony in summer air

See the lights, see the party, the ball gowns
See you make your way through the crowd
And say, "Hello."
Little did I know

That you were Romeo, you were throwing pebbles
And my daddy said, "Stay away from Juliet."
And I was crying on the staircase
Begging you, "Please don't go."
And I said

"Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone
I'll be waiting. All there's left to do is run
You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess
It's a love story. Baby, just say 'Yes'."

So, I sneak out to the garden to see you
We keep quiet 'cause we're dead if they knew
So, close your eyes
Escape this town for a little while
Oh, oh

'Cause you were Romeo. I was a scarlet letter
And my daddy said, "Stay away from Juliet."
But you were everything to me
I was begging you, "Please don't go!"
And I said

"Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone
I'll be waiting. All there's left to do is run
You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess
It's a love story. Baby, just say 'Yes'

Romeo, save me. They're trying to tell me how to feel
This love is difficult but it's real
Don't be afraid. We'll make it out of this mess
It's a love story. Baby, just say 'Yes'."

Oh, oh, oh

I got tired of waiting
Wondering if you were ever coming around
My faith in you was fading
When I met you on the outskirts of town
And I said

"Romeo, save me. I've been feeling so alone
I keep waiting for you, but you never come
Is this in my head? I don't know what to think."
He knelt to the ground and pulled out a ring and said

"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'."

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

'Cause we were both young when I first saw you

@Biker47

Are you the unhinged woman who created an entire Taylor Swift academic course and presented it to her prospective boyfriend, which included things like actual homework and exams?

Don't leave us in suspense. How did he do?

See, I was prepared to give you the benefit of the doubt ... until I read those lyrics a couple of posts back. There's nothing wrong with them. More Barbara Cartland than Shakespeare though.

Is that you Taylor 😁

@NotAnotherPylon

See, I was prepared to give you the benefit of the doubt ... until I read those lyrics a couple of posts back. There's nothing wrong with them. More Barbara Cartland than Shakespeare though.

She did write those when she was about 17 though!

@Biker47

Are you the unhinged woman who created an entire Taylor Swift academic course and presented it to her prospective boyfriend, which included things like actual homework and exams?

That sounds amazing!

@NotAnotherPylon

See, I was prepared to give you the benefit of the doubt ... until I read those lyrics a couple of posts back. There's nothing wrong with them. More Barbara Cartland than Shakespeare though.

She was a teenager!

@IceInTheStomach

Did you see the sheer happiness on people's faces when she did that as part of her performance for Artist of the Decade?

It made me happy to see the audience so happy and I'm a miserable git 😂

Whiny songs about how all her exs are bad people… nope

I can't be bothered to RTFT but I assume this is a joke.

@MorganKitten

Whiny songs about how all her exs are bad people… nope

There she goes Playing the victim A-gain

(For the stans)

OP I have to unmark this thread or I'll lose hours doing Taylor lyric posts

This is me trying 😂

@MorganKitten

Whiny songs about how all her exs are bad people… nope

Cold was the steel of her axe to grind for the boys who broke her heart. Now she sends their babies presents.