As COVID swarmed the globe in the summer of 2020, an album transcended the cities, departed from the neon-styled synthesizers, and into the secret of the woods.
Taylor Swift completely transformed from “Miss Americana” in her 2019 album Lover to a wise storyteller in the woods through criticisms of the external world. Lyrically, folklore uses a wide range of sophisticated vocabulary, complex and interconnecting storylines, and allusions to famous literature. The construction of the “teenage love triangle” in the songs “cardigan,” “august,” and “betty” tell a cliché story from three different perspectives. Moreover, ‘the lakes’ naturally refers to famous poets like Wordsworth and the Windermere peaks, a place beloved by many poets where they wished to spend the rest of their lives.
The change in the melody of folklore marks another twisting point in Swift’s style. As the fancy synthesizers of 1989 fade away, she turns to more classic instruments such as pure piano and folk instruments. Aaron Dessner, a new collaborator for Swift, has his fingerprints everywhere in this album. The restraint gives each track a haunting, lingering resonance. The combination of mood conveyed in the melody and the lyrics is surprising, for she successfully creates an immersive atmosphere through seemingly basic instruments and techniques. The jolly intro of “invisible string” hints at the light-hearted lyrics, while the sense of melancholy in “hoax” is elongated throughout the song.
Swift’s attempt to re-create characters is also remarkable. In “the last great american dynasty,” she reforms Rebekah Harkness’s scandalous history through a light, third-person tone while retelling a story in an intimate way.
In “Epiphany,” she recalls the life story of her grandfather, who fought in World War II, and connects it to healthcare workers under the then-contemporary context of the pandemic. New perspectives like these certainly stretch her original song themes that revolve around love, loss, and grief to a more complex and broad level.
Swift's attempts in engaging in new collaborations are also notable. Her song "Exile" features Justin Vernon, a member of the band Bon Iver. The duet between the two contains lyrics carrying accusations and regrets, combined with a heavy melody. Together, they form this heartbroken song reflecting on the fragility of love and the complication of relationships.
Additionally, the entire album was co-written by her boyfriend at the time, with the fake name of William Bowery. For the first time in her career, a close partner directly assisted in producing her songs. The difficulties of celebrity relationships are directly addressed by “peace,” and the strong, negative impact of over-exposing themselves to the public.
The album gave people a long-lasting and firm mental support as the pandemic raged on, with inspiring words such as “hold your hand through plastic now.” Moreover, she addresses how urbanization haunts us down and how she found a haven beyond the city lines: “Take me to the lakes where all the poets went to die, I don’t belong.” Through sixteen stories from the woods, Swift takes listeners on a one-hour journey away from neon lights, and into folklore.