Taylor Swift’s album Lover is stacked with romantic songs, but we picked our crown jewel
When it comes to pop music, it’s the summer of Taylor Swift—pastel, tye-dye, butterfly-clad Taylor Swift. The superstar has built up so much anticipation around the release date of her seventh studio album, Lover, that August 23rd has started to feel like a national holiday. Well, Merry Taylor and a Happy Swift to you, lovers! The day has arrived.
After months of Easter egg hunting, Swifties can finally claim their treasure. Lover is officially here—and it’s wrapped in a glittery rainbow bow. Swift’s highly anticipated seventh album was released at midnight on August 23rd, and no, the late drop time didn’t stop fans from going into a frenzy all night long.
i’m about to listen to this album the way god (aka taylor swift) intended: in the dark, with my eyes closed, through headphones. probably crying.
— ellie 🍂 (@eleanorbate) August 23, 2019
Basically, if you look at Twitter, prepare to be flooded with Lover hashtags and Taylor memes.
Fans are so obsessed with Lover, they’re not debating whether the album is good, just which one of the 18 songs is the best.
Lover is an album unlike any of Swift’s previous six. Yes, it’s about love (this is Taylor we’re talking about, and um, it’s in the title), but unlike before, Lover is mostly about the good parts of love—starry-eyed, rosy-cheeked, true love.
The teardrops on Taylor’s guitar have officially dried, and she’s wearing some seriously rose-tinted glasses. Lover reveals personal details about Tay’s love life (in typical coded fashion), and it has us feeling like we’re falling in love ourselves.
Eighteen songs is a lot of hidden messages to decipher, guys. Strap yourselves in, because the games are just beginning. You know Tay is smirking on her rainbow throne as we all try to figure this album out. But, unlike its predecessor Reputation, Lover is more straightforward—Tay isn’t using metaphors for her feelings (well, not as much anyway)—she’s laying a lot out there.
In her Lover’s Lounge live YouTube stream on August 22nd, Taylor revealed that she thought the album would be called Daylight for months—until she wrote the song “Lover”—then she just knew. Personally, we think Lover is the perfect title for this whimsical, romantic album. Here are some highlights.
The opening track “I Forgot That You Existed” basically lets us all know that the vengeful Reputation-era Taylor is dead, so to speak. She could care less about the haters; Tay is far more concerned with her lover, and this leads us into the next blissful 17 tracks.
The next two tracks are beautiful in their own right, but we have to skip to track four: “The Man.” This is one of the most important songs that Taylor has ever written.
It’s a boss anthem about the sexism women face every day—all written to a super-catchy beat.
"I'm so sick of running as fast as I can/wondering if I'd get there quicker if I was a man," she sings.
SHE SAID WHAT SHE SAID #Lover #TheMan @taylornation13 pic.twitter.com/sGaPagWDah
— lauren loves taylor (@SwiftiesOpal) August 23, 2019
Ain’t that the truth. Next, “I Think He Knows” is a breathy, sultry throwback to ’80s synth beats, and we think we know we love it.
Okay, get ready to cry. “Paper Rings” takes on a different tone in the verses with more of a, dare we say it, rock vibe? Tay is urgent, building to a sweet chorus and declaring her desire to marry someone (cough, Joe Alwyn). “I like shiny things, but I’d marry you with paper rings.” Aww, now we want to get married with paper rings. false
The crown jewel of Lover is “Cornelia Street.”
This song for the ages is an all-at-once heartbreaking and hopeful ballad. Swift talks of “sacred beginnings” and sings, “And I hope I never lose you, hope it never ends / I’d never walk Cornelia Street again.” BRB, we’re running to Cornelia Street to cry and look for Taylor.
#Lover WHERE ARE MY CORNELIA STREET STANS AT ?? pic.twitter.com/JXO0HVsF8J
— Mohammad | (@mhd_u6) August 23, 2019
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We’ve gotta go with “Cornelia Street.” The car and rain references are bringing us back to Red Taylor circa 2012, and we can’t get enough of it. Rolling Stone writer and resident Swiftie Rob Sheffield summed up our feelings precisely.
current status: 2% archer, 48% prey, 27% overdramatic, 18% true, 5% a lost glove to go with the lost scarf, 0% calmed down & 100% in love with Cornelia Street
— rob sheffield (@robsheff) August 23, 2019
Okay, we have to talk about “London Boy.” We’re kind of bursting with giddiness about this lyric.
"I guess all the rumors are true / You know I love a London Boy / Boy, I fancy you."
We all knew it, but sing it loud and proud, Tay! This bop details all of Taylor’s fave spots in London, and now we have to go to every single one. But only if Joe would hold hands with us as we walk through Camden Market. Also, NBD, but Idris Elba is featured on this track, asking Taylor to ride a scooter with him through London—can we hop on?
“Soon You’ll Get Better,” which features the Dixie Chicks (an iconic collab) seems to be about her mom’s battle with cancer, and it sent us into tears. “False God” is a trippy ballad filled with sultry trumpets and desperate pleading. We’re feeling frisky listening to this one—and so is Martha Hunt.
just landed and LOVER is out and i’m so proud and emotional and all the things and never been so excited for a connecting flight with this WHOLE album to bop to!!! Cornelia Street, London Boy, CRUEL SUMMER, THE MAN, FALSE GOD (i love sexy Taylor) omg there are so many
— Martha Hunt (@MarthaHunt) August 23, 2019
“It’s Nice to Have A Friend” is giving us Big Little Lies vibes—we’ll just leave it at that. Finally, “Daylight” is a glittering, romantic tune. It’s the perfect closing track to an album full of whimsy, light, and, you guessed it, love.
Check out the best reactions from fans and fellow celebs below.
THESE LYRICS!! @taylorswift13 THANK YOU FOR SAVING POP MUSIC. ❤️👯♀️👯♀️👯♀️
https://t.co/0zPWlJwixz— Hayley Kiyoko (@HayleyKiyoko) August 23, 2019
me trying to show how much I love this amazing album 😭😭😭 #Lover #TaylorSwift pic.twitter.com/GfG8LMZRDS
— TAYLOR SWIFT VOTING TEAM (@forourTaylor13) August 23, 2019
https://twitter.com/udfredirect/status/1164767555900174336
Moods while listening to “Lover” #taylorswift #lover pic.twitter.com/7LwvxSUzco
— Josh (@joshswift_13) August 23, 2019
https://twitter.com/udfredirect/status/1164784537328472064
This is everything inside the #lover box set pic.twitter.com/ujWMqTjwPE
— rachel (taylor’s version) (@rachellord22) August 23, 2019
me walking into work tomorrow after staying up all night to listen to #Lover #LoverAtMidnight #LoverOutNow pic.twitter.com/zpjA9SkY0x
— A.J. (@ajhisnandez) August 23, 2019
Fresh off of her Good Morning America performance, dropping the bomb that she’s re-recording her first five albums (!), revealing her new fashion collection with Stella McCartney, her third music video release of the summer, and her killer album drop, Taylor has us ready to explode with excitement. She also announced that she’s opening the MTV Video Music Awards on August 26th. We hit that record button so fast.
Keep enjoying National Taylor Swift Day, lovers! We sure are.