Beginning with the 1, and ending with the lakes (bonus track), Taylor Swift’s folklore album was released on July 24, 2020. This album is perceived as a story about a love triangle, making this one of her most unique albums. In folklore she includes Betty, James, and Augustine as the main characters involved in this love triangle. The songs on this album are not in the order of how the story is told, however there are stories within the songs individually that have their own meanings, and when all put together create a more meaningful story.
To set this album in motion, Taylor Swift decided to start it off with the 1. This song describes how Betty is accepting that her and James are now not together anymore, and she needs to move on despite the memories they had made together. She does consider the fact that if he “would’ve been the one, then it would’ve been fun”. Following the 1, cardigan is Betty’s perspective of how James left her for Augustine, and now she is devastated due to the fact that he was once her everything now she is hurting. The last great american dynasty is about how her leaving her relationship has provoked emotions, and getting involved in another relationship. Next is exile, this song is featuring Bon Iver, and explains Betty and James’ perspectives talking to each other. My tears ricochet at James’ funeral after dying while fighting in the military. mirrorball explains the depths of how lonely you can feel from being far from those that you once loved. This album’s next song is seven, which takes Betty back to her childhood when she was naive and life was more enjoyable. August is about Augustine realizing she had fallen in love with James after their summer fling. James trying to make things right with Betty is described as this is me trying. While listening to illicit affairs you will understand how and why Betty and James relationship altered after James and August’s affair. Invisible string implies the idea that everything that had happened was fate. Mad women is tied to the last great american dynasty, and is about Betty starting over and beginning a new relationship with someone else. Epiphany describes James enlisting in the military. Betty is about James apologizing to Betty for the affair. Peace is about James wanting to do what’s best for Betty because he loved her so he left town. Next is hoax, which explains that Betty saw their relationship as a hoax, meaning that their love wasn’t real even though she had once believed that James loved her. And lastly, the lakes (bonus track), describes how they both need to get away from the drama and start new.
After listening to this story of this love triangle, I have realized that beauty comes out of sad, meaningful stories. Not only do the stories make this album worth listening to, the creativity Taylor Swift has put into the lyrics is amazing. She is very clever with her words and includes many metaphors throughout her songwriting. She did not disappoint with this album.
