'Reputation' Shows That The “Old” Taylor Is Definitely NOT Dead | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Entertainment

'Reputation' Shows That The “Old” Taylor Is Definitely NOT Dead

Taylor Swift's latest album is a pure masterpiece.

69
'Reputation' Shows That The “Old” Taylor Is Definitely NOT Dead
Taylor Swift//VEVO

On Nov. 10, international pop singer and songwriter Taylor Swift debuted her sixth album entitled, "reputation."

The album was released following two years of Swift being caught in a media firestorm due to controversies with other celebrities such as Kanye West, Kim Kardashian, Katy Perry and Calvin Harris, and a lawsuit against a radio DJ who groped her in June 2013. When Swift debuted the lead single, “Look What You Made Me Do” and declared that the “Old Taylor” was now dead, many believed that "reputation"would be a hate album about all of the celebrities and media platforms who wronged her.

However, what Swift accomplished with "reputation" proved that the media and speculators were once again wrong about her. "reputation"'s genius lies in the fact that it is nothing that the media expected from Swift, but also the same artist that thousands of fans have loved for over a decade.

The album opens with an electro pop song entitled “…Ready for It?”, in which Swift asks the listeners if they are ready for it. The “it” in question seems to be the rest of the album, the truth about who she really is, what really went down between her and the people who caused unnecessary drama in her life and where she was since all of it happened.

For the second track, Swift employed her close friend and fellow musician, Ed Sheeran for “End Game.” The song also features rapper Future, who has always expressed interest in Swift’s music. In the opening lines of the song, Swift embraces her “big reputation”, and presents the motif of “reputation” and the idea of not letting your reputation define who you are.

That idea continues in the masterpiece that is “I Did Something Bad”, which Swift seems to call out all of the men who have wronged her recently and defend her actions in standing up for herself. It is a powerful anthem for anyone who as every felt like they were mistreated by someone else and received criticism for defending themselves.

“Don’t Blame Me” touches on Swift's reputation as a serial dater and her newfound romance with 26-year-old British actor Joe Alwyn. The song showcases some of Swift’s most powerful vocals as she belts out the final chorus, surrounded by background vocals of her own voice in harmony.

The fifth track on all of Swift's previous albums was known as the most emotional song and “Delicate” definitely did not disappoint. The song musically sounds like a track off of Lorde’s "Melodrama", but the writing is pure Swift.

The lyrics touch upon worrying about how your past experiences and your reputation could affect a new relationship. The song repeats the phrase, “This ain’t for the best / My reputation’s never been worse so you must like me for me.” That phrase is thought provoking and stunning for anyone who was in a new relationship after a particularly rough time in their life.

“Look What You Made Me Do” is the next track and it seems to make a lot more sense as a song amongst the rest of the album that Swift has curated. The song seems to act as a turning point in the album, the moment when Swift began to stop caring what the world thought of her and started living as her true self. Perhaps the "Old Taylor" who has died is just the Taylor who worried about everyone else’s criticisms and the "New Taylor" is just a stronger and more confident woman.

The next track is entitled “So It Goes…”, which details the beginnings of Swift’s relationship with Alwyn. The song seems to capture the feelings thtat you feel when you finally find a person you truly connect with after a bad relationship.

The eighth song, “Gorgeous” is a dreamy, electro-pop number that pretty much sums up the feelings that anyone feels when they’re crushing on someone. It also features an adorable cameo from Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds’ two-year-old daughter, James Reynolds.

“Getaway Car” is a true masterpiece on "reputation",as it details her whirlwind romance with actor Tom Hiddleston after escaping her relationship with Harris. In true Swift fashion, she used the lyrics to reveal what really went down during that time when the media was criticizing her so heavily for going from relationship to relationship. From the sound of the song, Harris was a terrible boyfriend and Hiddleston was simply her savior.

Alwyn receives yet another love song on the album with “King of My Heart.” The song features stunning harmonies and shows Swift pondering if the relationship will be the “end of all the endings.”

Despite “Dancing With Our Hands Tied” being a pop-dance track that seems to pulled off of Swift's last album "1989", the lyrics detailed her fears in the beginning of her relationship with Alwyn and why she felt the need to keep it a secret because of her bad reputation and the media constantly spying on her life.

“Dress” seems to detail the moment that Swift and Alwyn went from friends to a couple. The song is sexy and sultry, almost like a better version of “I Don’t Want to Live Forever” and the bridge gives the listeners more clues about when and how the couple met.

"reputation" would not be complete without on kiss-off to West, Kardashian and all of Swift's former friends. “This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things” is a title pulled straight from a Tumblr meme, but Swift definitely made it work. The highlight of the song is the bridge in which Swift hilariously declares that she will never forgive any of these people.

It’s the perfect song for anyone who has had a friendship with just the worst person.

Swift stated that the final two songs of the album really show how she is feeling right now and the rest of the album captures all of the emotions that she has experienced in the past two years. “Call It What You Want” is a slow drum and bass driven ballad that talks about how her relationship with Alwyn has helped her come to terms with all of the scurrility and drama.

Meanwhile, the final track, “New Years Day” is a love song that could apply to any relationship. It’s a simple, piano and guitar ballad that details the kind of love where someone wants you during your good times and your bad. It is lyrically some of Swift's best work and is definitely a stand out on the album. If you want to cry, check out her performance of the song on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon."

Overall, "reputation"is a stunning album that deserves all of the praise that it is receiving. It is truly Swift’s best work since 2014’s "Red", both lyrically and musically. It proves that Swift is a musical powerhouse who does not deserve to be underestimated.

It centers around the central theme about what happens when you stop worrying about what everyone else thinks about you and start living your life on your own terms.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Entertainment

15 Times Michael Scott's Life Was Worse Than Your Life

Because have you ever had to endure grilling your foot on a George Foreman?

2475
Michael Scott
NBC

Most of the time, the world's (self-proclaimed) greatest boss is just that, the greatest. I mean, come on, he's Michael Freakin' Scott after all! But every once in a while, his life hits a bit of a speed bump. (or he actually hits Meredith...) So if you personally are struggling through a hard time, you know what they say: misery loves company! Here are 15 times Michael Scott's life was worse than your life:

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

12 Midnight NYE: Fun Ideas!

This isn't just for the single Pringles out there either, folks

17024
Friends celebrating the New Years!
StableDiffusion

When the clock strikes twelve midnight on New Year's Eve, do you ever find yourself lost regarding what to do during that big moment? It's a very important moment. It is the first moment of the New Year, doesn't it seem like you should be doing something grand, something meaningful, something spontaneous? Sure, many decide to spend the moment on the lips of another, but what good is that? Take a look at these other suggestions on how to ring in the New Year that are much more spectacular and exciting than a simple little kiss.

Keep Reading...Show less
piano
Digital Trends

I am very serious about the Christmas season. It's one of my favorite things, and I love it all from gift-giving to baking to the decorations, but I especially love Christmas music. Here are 11 songs you should consider adding to your Christmas playlists.

Keep Reading...Show less
campus
CampusExplorer

New year, new semester, not the same old thing. This semester will be a semester to redeem all the mistakes made in the previous five months.

1. I will wake up (sorta) on time for class.

Let's face it, last semester you woke up with enough time to brush your teeth and get to class and even then you were about 10 minutes late and rollin' in with some pretty unfortunate bed head. This semester we will set our alarms, wake up with time to get ready, and get to class on time!

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

The 5 Painfully True Stages Of Camping Out At The Library

For those long nights that turn into mornings when the struggle is real.

3649
woman reading a book while sitting on black leather 3-seat couch
Photo by Seven Shooter on Unsplash

And so it begins.

1. Walk in motivated and ready to rock

Camping out at the library is not for the faint of heart. You need to go in as a warrior. You usually have brought supplies (laptop, chargers, and textbooks) and sustenance (water, snacks, and blanket/sweatpants) since the battle will be for an undetermined length of time. Perhaps it is one assignment or perhaps it's four. You are motivated and prepared; you don’t doubt the assignment(s) will take time, but you know it couldn’t be that long.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments