You might not expect to see a Taylor Swift song on this blog, but this is what’s been on my stereo for the past week or so. I’ve slowly become a fan over the years, especially after folklore came out in 2020. I’m a big believer in giving credit where it’s due, and regardless of whether you like her or not, she is one of the most successful artists of all time. Maria and I were lucky enough to see Taylor at her Era’s Tour back in 2023.

The album has a quieter and more thoughtful sound than her earlier pop hits, and lately it’s really grabbed me. “The 1” is the first track and my favorite from the album. It sets the mood perfectly. It’s soft and sad. The lyric “But we were something, don’t you think so?” says a lot with just a few words. It’s about looking back on a relationship that didn’t last but still mattered. My favorite part is around the two-minute mark, where the band drops out, and as she sings “alone,” they hit the vi (minor 6) chord more strongly than at any other point in the song. Some nice text painting and use of the “sadness” of the vi chord. If you listen to even just a few of her songs, you’ll notice she’s an incredible poet, using metaphor after metaphor to deliver an emotion in a way that makes you question whether the story was your own or just a lyric from a song.

My wife and I saw Taylor live on the Eras Tour when she came to Los Angeles, and it was an incredible show. Each era of her music had its own unique staging and vibe, but when she moved into the folklore set, the whole place shifted. The lights dimmed, the colors softened, and the mood turned inward. She had a very theatrical set for this part of the show that featured a little house in the forest. I included a photo of it below. She performed this song during the show we went to, and it was wild to be in a stadium of 70,000 fans singing at the top of their lungs. It was something I still can’t believe we got to see.

Taylor wrote folklore during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, working remotely with producer Aaron Dessner of the band The National. She recorded her vocals in a home studio, and most of the album came together through email and text. Even with that distance, the songs feel close and honest. Listening to folklore on vinyl at home brings out all the little textures, like the soft piano and the quiet breath in her voice. It’s a beautiful album to sit with when the world feels a little too loud.

Fun Fact 1: “The 1” started out without a chorus and was shaped over late-night texts between Taylor and Aaron Dessner.

Fun Fact 2: “Folklore” won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 2021, making Swift the first woman to win the award three times.

I’m doing good, I’m on some new s###
Been saying “yes” instead of “no”
I thought I saw you at the bus stop, I didn’t though
I hit the ground running each night
I hit the Sunday matinée
You know the greatest films of all time were never made

---

I guess you never know, never know
And if you wanted me, you really should’ve showed
And if you never bleed, you’re never gonna grow
And it’s alright now

---

But we were something, don’t you think so?
Roaring 20s, tossing pennies in the pool
And if my wishes came true
It would’ve been you
In my defense, I have none
For never leaving well enough alone
But it would’ve been fun
If you would’ve been the one

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I have this dream you’re doing cool s###
Having adventures on your own
You meet some woman on the internet and take her home
We never painted by the numbers, baby
But we were making it count
You know the greatest loves of all time are over now
I guess you never know, never know
And it’s another day waking up alone

---

I, I, I persist and resist the temptation to ask you
If one thing had been different
Would everything be different today?

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We were something, don’t you think so?
Rosé flowing with your chosen family
And it would’ve been sweet
If it could’ve been me
In my defense, I have none
For digging up the grave another time
But it would’ve been fun
If you would’ve been the one

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My name is Michael Sanchez and I’m an avid record collector and obscure song searcher. My goal is to post (hopefully) one song a day that’s been on my stereo/turntable frequently. If you don’t like the song… too bad 🙂 You can just wait for the next one. I do use A.I. here and there to help with writing and grammar. All the info I find is from wikipedia/youtube/interviews/news articles/personal stories I’ve heard/random googling. If you notice any mistakes, let me know or just keep it inside and be mad. Thanks!

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