Written by both of the aforementioned pair along with Swift’s longtime boyfriend, Joe Alwyn, the song opens with the beginnings of Swift and Alwyn’s relationship and her subsequent social media downfall, before moving on to chronicle the struggles of quarantine and isolation. “evermore” is the last song on the tracklist and is Swift’s second ballad with folk band Bon Iver’s frontman, Justin Vernon. It is hard to review a Taylor Swift album without discussing the titular track, especially considering the notable lack of one in her latest album. The ballads of “dorothea” and “gold rush” mixed in with hints of debut era Taylor Swift like, “no body, no crime” and “cowboy like me” show Swift’s transition as a former pop artist, now sophisticated, alternative-esque songwriter. However, the “folklore” era did not give fans much time to process the 16 song tracklist with its intricate plot, along with the bonus track, (“the lakes”) and the Disney+ exclusive documentary entitled “folklore: the long pond studio sessions.” Not even five months later, Swift surprised fans yet again with a follow-up, sister album to “folklore,” named “evermore.” Released on Swift’s 31st birthday, “evermore” is, to say the least, a beautiful album. This plotline, though not quite essential, is interesting to think about when listening to “folklore,” and its sister album (“evermore”). Betty passes away, and Swift then buys Betty’s Rhode Island home (“the last great american dynasty”). She then escapes to Rhode Island, and at this time, Taylor Swift is born in Pennsylvania (“seven”), and essentially grows up. James ends up dying in battle, and after his funeral, Betty goes crazy, unable to process that James is gone. Though James desperately tries to get Betty back after high school, he realizes the only way to move on is to leave town, and so he joins the army (keep in mind, this is set in the mid-1900s). In an attempt to win Betty back, he explains in “betty” that it was a mistake and he still loves her (“The only thing I wanna do is make it up to you,” and, “If you kiss me, will it be just like I dreamed it? / Will it patch your broken wings? / I’m only seventeen, I don’t know anything, but I know I miss you”), but Betty recognizes her self-worth and moves on from James. However, James consistently cheats on Betty during the summer with the unnamed “august” girl (in order, as told by songs “august,” “mirrorball,” “betty,” “cardigan,” “illicit affairs,” “exile,” and, “the 1”). Throughout “folklore,” Swift tells a story of two high school sweethearts- a girl named Betty and a boy named James. The “folklore” album, Swift’s transition into alternative/folk-pop, included an intricate and exquisite storyline that also flowed into “evermore.” This storyline included the infamous plot that Swift fans call the “betty/james/august” plotline a story from the people who lived in her Rhode Island home before her. “I’ve told these stories to the best of my ability with all the love, wonder, and whimsy they deserve. Picking up a pen was my way of escaping into fantasy, history, and memory,” Swift wrote. “In isolation my imagination has run wild and this album is the result, a collection of songs and stories that flowed like a stream of consciousness. Swift announced the unexpected album on Instagram with nine posts that consisted of a layout of the black and white album cover, as well as a final post that described Swift’s thoughts during the time. “folklore” was released on July 24 of 2020, as a complete surprise to the general public. However, Swift has decided to move past this caricature by diving into the “folklore/evermore” era. Many would criticize fans for liking Swift and her music, simply because of this strongly misjudged persona that the media has painted upon Swift. However, the stigma that surrounds Taylor Swift and her “pop-y, breakup songs” now ceases to exist in her newest album, “evermore.” For years, Swift has been judged and crudely misinterpreted by the media because of her “infamous” love life that would spark inspiration for her future songs. Known for chart-topping albums such as “1989” and “Reputation,” Swift is easily recognizable in the music industry as both a talented singer and songwriter. Taylor Swift: a three-syllable name that everyone in the world has heard of at least once in their lifetime.
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