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 like Taylor, she's a good songwriter, one of the best of her generation.

There's many better living songwriters though.

@KrispyKale

So I don't even reach knowing the lyrics let alone being able to analyse them.

Here's The Man if you're interested

Lyric videos are online too

I have to go to the gym now but I'd be here all evening so that's a good thing probably!

I just wish Taylor would pick better tracks as singles. She released Me! From Lover and not Cruel Summer, which is far, far better. All Too Well was never a single. You have to listen to the album tracks to see the quality of her songwriting.

Begin by reading the silk route and you will find the root of your own ignorance. The worst thing that happened to literature was White colonialism.

🙄

@toastofthetown

I love Taylor Swift, but it’s impossible to say who will be remembered in 500 years time. She’s certainly had a lot more mainstream acclaim since folklore/evermore though.

She’s had mainstream acclaim years before Folklore.

People will be snooty about Shakespeare on this thread, but he was considered low brow, vulgar entertainment for the masses in his time

Exactly. The mumsnet of the sixteenth century would have looked down upon our Will, too!

I'm quite incredulous that there apparently hasn't been anyone as good as Shakespeare in the last 500 years. I hope he paid his publicist handsomely.

@HereForThis

Personally enjoying *@Sparklingbrook and @Spoko*'s lyric posts. Makes me feel better for not being able to unclick the rigged vote. Neither is true for me and I'm not a fan of Shakespeare either.

I feel a little bit bad about that rigged vote

@beastlyslumber You should! I can't get over it and I'll take to my grave.

@Namechangeforone

Gosh people are snobs aren't they.

I don't love her music but appreciate her cultural significance and yes she's a great song writer.

Jay Z has written some brilliant lyrics. As has Kanye. In fact a lot of hip hop is very clever if you dig down a bit - double and triple meanings often drawing on much older music or art or whatever, comments on politics presented in an entirely new way.

Lily Allen good too. Lots of good writers about.

I agree! There are some amazing writers and so many are in pop, hip hop and other musical genres that don't always get the serious appreciation they deserve.

Anyone who is clever, original and playful with language will be someone I want to keep listening to.

OP "I feel a little bit bad about that rigged vote"

Put the money in a bag and I stole the key
That was the last time you ever saw me...

I love your vote 😂

@AICM

I have of late, (but wherefore I know not) lost all my mirth, forgone all custom of exercises; and indeed, it goes so heavily with my disposition; that this goodly frame the earth, seems to me a sterile promontory; this most excellent canopy the air, look you, this brave o'er hanging firmament, this majestical roof, fretted with golden fire: why, it appeareth no other thing to me, than a foul and pestilent congregation of vapours. What a piece of work is man, How noble in reason, how infinite in faculty, In form and moving how express and admirable, In action how like an Angel, In apprehension how like a god, The beauty of the world, The paragon of animals. And yet to me, what is this quintessence of dust?

How gorgeous is that! SWOON.

@CorneliaStreet

I just wish Taylor would pick better tracks as singles. She released Me! From Lover and not Cruel Summer, which is far, far better. All Too Well was never a single. You have to listen to the album tracks to see the quality of her songwriting.

I think Me! was an effort to appeal to younger children, as her future market.

I can take or leave All too Well, but I love love love Cornelia Street
We all have/had a Cornelia Street friend

I really am going now...OP your thread is too good!

I can often be heard singing loudly

They say she was seen on occasion
Pacing the rocks, staring out at the midnight sea
And in a feud with a neighbour
She stole his dog and dyed it key-lime green
(I get louder at this point)
FIFTY YEARS IS A LONG TIME
HOLLIDAY HOUSE SAT QUIETLY ON THAT BEACH
FREE OF WOMEN WITH MADNESS
THEIR MEN AND BAD HABITS
AND THEN IT WAS BOUGHT BY ME

Most underrated bit of Hamlet is the "witching hour of night" soliloquy

@OliverBabish

I can often be heard singing loudly

They say she was seen on occasion
Pacing the rocks, staring out at the midnight sea
And in a feud with a neighbour
She stole his dog and dyed it key-lime green
(I get louder at this point)
FIFTY YEARS IS A LONG TIME
HOLLIDAY HOUSE SAT QUIETLY ON THAT BEACH
FREE OF WOMEN WITH MADNESS
THEIR MEN AND BAD HABITS
AND THEN IT WAS BOUGHT BY ME

Me too! On the balcony!

@CorneliaStreet

I just wish Taylor would pick better tracks as singles. She released Me! From Lover and not Cruel Summer, which is far, far better. All Too Well was never a single. You have to listen to the album tracks to see the quality of her songwriting.

I agree (and just noticed your username!!) She doesn't always pick the best tracks for singles. And I'd say her albums need to be listened to as whole pieces because the tracks play off one another and deepen the themes and images in each individual songs.

[quote HereForThis]@beastlyslumber You should! I can't get over it and I'll take to my grave.[/quote]
I think you should write a song about it! Then I'll stan for you too

Also those criticising on this thread have clearly CLEARLY never listened to ‘Exile’ featuring Bon Iver on a lonely Friday evening after a couple of glasses of wine

I can take or leave All too Well, but I love love love Cornelia Street
We all have/had a Cornelia Street friend

I really am going now...OP your thread is too good!

I'm with you @DaisyNGO - Cornelia Street just captures that feeling perfectly. Glad you're enjoying the thread! I may be winning the vote

My husband and I took our daughters to a Taylor Swift concert when they were younger. It was quite a while ago - maybe 12 years ago at this point. I was impressed by her at the time, not expecting a whole lot. She is certainly a very talented musician, performer, and songwriter, and I give her a lot of credit.

This century's Shakespeare, though? That might be pushing it. Bob Dylan, maybe, who is actually a nobel laureate. (Although, perhaps that would be last century at this point!)

@OliverBabish All the feeeeeeeelingssss!

The Last Great American Dynasty is like a three-minute attempt at the great American novel. So good!

Taylor Swift is insanely talented and an excellent songwriter.

I hope that she has a half century or more of artistic expression still ahead of her, during which she continues to grow, experiment, change, reinvent herself and her art, draw on tradition while remaining ever innovative, and influence her contemporaries and all who come after.

She may or may not do all that. Bob Dylan already has, though. He's our Shakespeare.

The

I think I want to be Rebekah.

Snap, Anonymous48 ! Cross post.

Also, ignore the random 'The' at the end of my post.