I think there’s been a glitch ✨
Midnights Analysis Part II
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Last week, We discussed half of Taylor Swift’s Album Midnights. Today, we are keeping this train rolling and finishing off the album. If you haven’t checked out part I, you can check it out here:
Onward!
#6: The Great War
This song pulls allusions from many of the other tracks which makes it earn it’s rightful place as the first track on the 3AM edition.
All that bloodshed, crimson
Clover
Uh-huh, sweet dream was over
Feels very connected to the spirit of “Maroon” with it’s violent bittersweet imagery. I like to think of “The Great War” as the sequel to “Maroon” and the second cousin of “Afterglow” from Lover.
If you aren’t familiar, “Afterglow” is a slow, twangy, apology song about blowing up on your partner because of unresolved trauma from past relationships.
We can see that the following line from “Afterglow”, “Put you in jail for something/ you didn’t do”, works with “Screaming from the crypt/ telling me to punish you for/ things you never did” from “The Great War”.
Another parallel between these two songs is: “Hey, it’s all me, in my head/ I’m the one who burned us down” from “Afterglow” versus “you said I have to trust more freely/ But diesel is desire, you were playing with fire” from “The Great War”.
And finally, the last connection we can see between these two songs is: “Fighting with a true love/ is boxing with no gloves” from “Afterglow” and “My knuckles were blue like violets” from “The Great War”.
With these lines in mind, I think we can safely tie “The Great War” to Taylor’s Lover era.
We also get references to “tombs”, “Crypt”, and “tore your banners down” conjure images from “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve”.
#7: Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve
*Whistles* this is the “29” of this album. A scathing, scathing, reflection on her relationship with John Mayer: “I damn sure never would’ve danced with the Devil at nineteen” this song talks about the heartbreak that leaves you feeling haunted.
“God rest my soul/ I miss who I used to be”, this relationship was transformative for Swift. But not necessarily in a good way.
“I fight with you in my sleep/ the wound won’t close/ I keep on waiting for a sign/ I regret you all the time.” Ouch. While this is a bonus track, it definitely fits the concept criteria for Midnights.
So, no I do not think it was a coincidence that she released the “Lavender Haze” music video (that she’s been sitting on since before the release of Midnights in October ‘22) on the day John Mayer announced his upcoming tour. It’s a nice, professional FU to steal his thunder.
Artists do this all the time, just earlier this year, Miley Cyrus released “Flowers” on her ex-husband’s birthday. The music video was filmed at the villa where many of his affairs supposedly took place. And the song is an interpolation of “When I was Your Man” which Hemsworth dedicated to Cyrus on their wedding day. Anyway— I just want you to stick with me through these theories. I’m not crazy, I swear!
#8: Glitch
Sonically, this song is giving 1989. It’s smooth, bubblegum pop with synth at it’s finest. Another track from the 3 AM edition (Fun fact: Midnights was released at midnight and the 3AM edition was released three hours later at 3AM).
I love when Taylor goes for high notes, plus the clever “glitch” in the bridge is VERY satisfying.
Now, the internet agrees that this song is about Joe Alwyn, however, I think the song plays nice with “Style” from 1989. It’s giving— I’m not available but I will make myself available for you— energy. Besides the imagery of their relationship of being a “Glitch” feels like a call back to “And I should just tell you to leave 'cause I/ Know exactly where it leads, but I/ Watch us go 'round and 'round each time”. It’s and unexpected, brief interruption.
I say, "I heard, oh
That you've been out and about with some other girl, some other girl"He says, "What you heard is true, but I
Can't stop thinkin' 'bout you and I"
I said, "I've been there too a few times"
Compare that to the below lyrics from “Glitch”
We were supposed to be just friends
You don't live in my part of town, but maybe I'll see you out some weekend
Depending on what kind of mood and situation-ship I'm in
I’m just sayin’.
#9: Midnight Rain
This was one of my favorite songs when the album first dropped. I love the effects used on her voice. I creates a dazzling dissonance that reflects the relationship she depicts in the song.
He was sunshine, I was midnight rain
He wanted it comfortable
I wanted that pain
He wanted a bride
I was making my own name
Chasing that fame
He stayed the same
All of me changed like midnight
We can see there are some thematic references back to “You’re On Your Own, Kid” when she privileges her career over her love life. She acknowledges that it’s a Faustian bargain, and this reaffirms her belief that she can only have one: a career or a romantic partner.
Also, the outro will forever conjure “Haunted” for me from her Speak Now album.
I guess sometimes we all get
Some kind of haunted, some kind of haunted
And I never think of him
Except on midnights like this (midnights like this)
#10: Lavender Haze
Great opener to the entire album, love the synthy feel, the layered vocals. Obviously, this is about her current boyfriend, how she doesn’t want her relationship to be defined or validated by marriage. Also, did you notice that she dropped the music video the day that John Mayer announced his new tour? More on that later…
#11: Sweet Nothing
#12: Labyrinth
#13: Vigilante Shit
Do you guys remember how Taylor Swift disappeared from the public eye from 2015-2017 because she was bullied mercilessly on the internet? Basically, Kanye had reached out to her and asked if he could write about her in a new song. Kim Kardashian, who he was married to at the time recorded the conversation.
The lyrics are:
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So when the song came out, Taylor was furious because she had allegedly agreed to the first part, but not the second. Then Kim released the recording, which conveniently left out the question, and left only Taylor’s consent. So we will never know exactly what she okayed.
The Kardashians and Kanye fans alike launched this smear campaign against Taylor, calling her a snake. They would say things like RIP Taylor Swift. Etc. It got so bad that Instagram limited the number of snake emojis you could post to Taylor’s profile.
So when Taylor came back with her album Reputation, she chose to lean into it.
Anyway, fast forward a few years, Kim and Kanye divorce and Taylor includes this little nugget in Vigilante Shit:
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Additionally, I watch Keeping up with the Kardashians/The Kardashians (sue me, okay? It was my comfort show when I was doing physical therapy last year.) And a big part of Kim’s narrative post divorce is that she is evolving her style since Kanye has been her stylist and dressing her for the last 10 years— some might say, she was even “dressing for revenge”. I think
If you think I am crazy, that’s fine. But Midnights was released on Kim Kardashian’s Birthday. And I can’t make this shit up.
Taylor Swift: Mastermind
I don’t have much to say about the remainder of the album other than, here are the rest of the songs ranked in order of my favorites. These aren’t bad, but I am not coming back to them the way I do the others. Their biggest crime is not being highly singable. They are poetically pleasing and full of emotional turmoil, but as musical pieces— they are not as strong as the others in my opinion.
#14: Question…?
This one has slowly grown on me. I love the bridge. But that chorus is oddly too specific.
#15: Dear Reader
I love this as a poem, rather than a song.
#16: High Infidelity
The story about how she cheated on Calvin Harris with Tom Huddleston is more intriguing that the song itself. However, I do like the bird call thing she does over the bridge.
#17: Paris
This song is fun, but let’s just say I understand why it is on the 3AM edition.
#18: Snow on the Beach
I love Lana but b*tch, where you at?
#19: Bigger than the Whole Sky
Skip.
#20: Mastermind
I know this is a very unpopular opinion, but the final track on this album is my least favorite. I may have talked myself out of this while writing next week’s post. However, I still hold that it is not sonically pleasing to me.
After going through this experience, I have to admit. Taylor, the self admitted “Machiavellian” strategist, has earned her title. Her attention to detail, her creative language, her ability to not only interconnect songs but the sheer interconnectivity across all of her work is astounding.
So, I think I have proven myself to be a Swiftie with this post, but I realized that after all of this, I didn’t actually talk much about the storytelling of this album. So next time, we are going to go through the structure of the album, analyze the hero’s journey and evaluate how Taylor as the main character evolves throughout the album. It will be great fun! And I highly suggest you listen to the album in between now and next week when we dive in! Cheers!
Should I analyze another album? 🤔