The 5 Best Songs From Taylor Swift's ‘The Tortured Poets Department,’ Ranked
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As a lifelong subscriber to Swiftian prophecy, I've never allowed myself to complete a definitive ranking of Taylor Swift's work. (1) Because I'm a Libra, and making any decision is a daunting task, and (2) Taylor's shapeshifting abilities over the years have made comparison nearly impossible. But that's exactly what solidifies Swift's staying power in an ever-changing landscape: 11 albums in, she's still beating her own records. Unsurprisingly, The Tortured Poets Department is already this year's most streamed album in a single day on Spotify in less than 12 hours since its release. The opening track, "Fortnight" featuring Post Malone, also became the first song by a female artist to instantly debut at No. 1 in U.S. Apple Music history. An extended version of the album dubbed The Anthology then hit streaming services at 2 a.m. and with 31 (!!!) total new tracks that were written amid Taylor's massive Eras tour, there's so much new material to dive into.
18 years of musical eras later, I'm still locked in for a Taylor Swift album release. Perhaps it's the most committed relationship I've been in (albeit parasocial, from afar). At this point, I've dissected all of TTPD's 31 tracks, and I've found myself coming back to the songs outlined below. I've played these five songs at least five times and have examined every piece from production style to lyrical analysis. Here are the best 5 songs from Taylor Swift's The Tortured Poets Department upon a music snob and day-one Swiftie's listens.
"But Daddy I Love Him"
There's truly so much to unpack with "But Daddy I Love Him"—the initial Harry Styles theories, the matured Speak Now vibes, the Little Mermaid reference, which is also a reference to Taylor's birth year, 1989—but that's all surface-level. The hook's melody is a supercut of the Fearless era with 1989 drum kicks while the soft-strung instrumental tinged throughout the track plucked a feathered quill from Stevie Nicks' Fleetwood Mac days.
Hot off criticism surrounding a reported situationship with The 1975 frontman, Matty Healy, Swift continues the forbidden love narrative from "Love Story" nearly two decades later. Whether this callback was intentional is unclear, but one thing's for sure—there's nothing more Swiftian than experiencing a similar sensation through fresh, more experienced eyes. It's easy to picture a stadium of 96,000 and counting scream-singing these words with all of their meanings.
Best Lyrics: "God save the most judgmental creeps / Who say they want the best for me"
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"So Long, London"
The antithesis of Lover's "London Boy" is Tortured Poet's "So Long, London," which was expected to be gut-wrenching in nature as it holds the infamous track five spot on the album. Aside from obvious parallels in its title, listeners have theorized that the track offers a deeper look into the downfall of Taylor's relationship with Joe Alwyn. Sonically, the stacked vocals that introduce "So Long, London" are reminiscent of a church choir—perhaps calling back to the religious imagery laced throughout another Alwyn-inspired Lover track, "False God." The Aaron Dessner-produced percussion builds up throughout, providing a heartbeat feel à la "Wildest Dreams" and "You're Losing Me."
Lyrically, "London" holds up to its track five predecessors. There's power in privacy, but six years of maintaining mystery in the public eye might take a taxing mental toll on someone. This love Taylor once painted golden allegedly left her tainted by wasted youth as she muses through shaky vocals, "I'm pissed off you let me give you all that youth for free." I'll say it: she should've been at the club, and this rightfully landed a spot in Swift's Track Five Hall of Fame.
Best Lyrics: "You swore that you loved me / But where were the clues? / I died on the altar / Waiting for the proof"
Joe's reaction to The Tortured Poets Department, you ask?
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"Clara Bow"
Nearly a decade after Red's vault track "Nothing New" was originally penned, "Clara Bow" goes to show that Swift's "Mirrorball"-induced fear of staying shiny is still present. But don't get it twisted; Even two decades into her career, Taylor Swift's only competition is Taylor Swift.
The layered history of 1920s starlet Clara Bow is a storytelling device within itself, as she was the first "It Girl" ever. There's a shock factor when it comes to the Tortured Poets track, both lyrically and sonically. Its production could pass as a Lucy Dacus deep cut, yet Taylor remains seemingly omnipresent in its lyrics. A cocktail of sparkling ingenues could potentially be the subject of "Clara Bow," but that hasn't stopped fans from pulling up references to Olivia Rodrigo and Sabrina Carpenter given its jaw-dropping outro: "You look like Taylor Swift / In this light, we're lovin' it / You've got edge, she never did." The best part of it all? Swift allows the music to speak for itself.
Best Lyrics: "It's hell on earth to be heavenly"
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"The Prophecy"
While The Anthology portion of The Tortured Poets Department strips back its production like folklore and evermore, there's no denying that pure poetry lies within the album's second half. A lyrical standout is found in "The Prophecy," another Aaron Dessner-produced track in which Taylor reflects on her road to success. With Beyoncé's record-breaking Act II effort, Cowboy Carter, and Lana Del Rey's anticipated pivot to country, Lasso, on the horizon, the genre's renaissance is also upon us. "The Prophecy" is no different, as it slightly calls back to Taylor's folk and country roots with "Landslide"-licked guitar strums and a touch of evermore's "Marjorie" and "Cowboy Like Me."
Throughout the song, Taylor is open about her fears, the fleeting feeling of catching lightning in a bottle, and her longing to share her success with someone as it gets lonely at the top. It isn't easy for someone of Swift's magnitude to retain relatability, especially as a newly minted billionaire. Yet, as someone with an unimaginably wide reach and a never-ending burst of star power, she remains hopeful and begs the question: "Who do I have to speak to, to change the prophecy?"
Best Lyrics: "And I sound like an infant / Feeling like the very last drops of an ink pen"
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"Florida!!!" (feat. Florence + the Machine)
Okay, confession: I was going into the eighth track of The Tortured Poets Department with high expectations because I hail from the Sunshine State, so there was already a giant question mark looming over my head. And then there's the Florence + the Machine feature—how would these two era-defining artists push the envelope together? Thankfully, they did not disappoint this Miami native.
A Destin namedrop was not something I ever expected on a Taylor Swift track, but here we are! I would not be surprised if Taylor pulls this out during her acoustic set at her upcoming Miami stop on the Eras Tour (in which case, I must be in the crowd since it's my hometown. @TaylorNation, you know where to find me).
As someone who recently escaped a depressive episode with a trip to Florida, I must say this song gets it right. From that delightfully strange "weed or little babies" line to Florence's signature bombastic percussion that draws the hook in, "Florida!!!" is one hell of a drug. The juxtaposition of the British singer's hauntingly beautiful vocals over the uptempo pop production is what seals the deal. It sonically captures the essence of Florida, which is clad with beautiful beaches and horrifying legislature.
Upon the second verse, the singers playfully quip, "Is that a bad thing to say in a song?" after a line about dumping bodies into a swamp. And much like a "Florida Man" headline, that's all you need to know to understand the nature of the track.
Best Lyrics: "Florida!!! / Is one hell of a drug / Florida!!! / Go on, fuck me up."
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