Breaking down all 31 songs on the pop superstar’s 2024 album, including every track from ‘The Anthology.’
Taylor Swift
BETH GARRABRANT/REPUBLIC RECORDS
Every song on Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department is a work of art and a masterpiece. Let’s get that out of the way first.
But, with 31 dense tracks, there’s bound to be some that stand out for various reasons. After all, Swift is known for her storytelling, lyrical prowess and narrative-driven pop songs.
So, for fun and to encourage conversation, The Hollywood Reporter’s resident Swiftie is ranking all 31 songs off Swift’s latest record.
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“Cassandra”
Our list starts with the day-dream lullaby “Cassandra.” It’s just one of a few songs on this album to deal with concepts and feelings of betrayal. It references the figure Cassandra from Greek mythology, known literally as “she who entangles men,” who was sabotaged by Apollo.
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“Peter”
In “Peter,” Swift says goodbye to a former partner whom she thought she would be with forever. “Said you were gonna grow up, then you were gonna come find me,” the lyrics say. It’s a melancholy reference to Peter Pan, who never did grow up.
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“Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus”
This song tells the story of a fraught relationship that ended with infidelity, either physical or emotional. Swift references Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus as a way to say she doesn’t care who the other person in her relationship was, illustrating an indifference stronger than hatred.
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“How Did It End?”
Swift seemingly references her ex Joe Alwyn on this track, which features lyrical parallels to another song she’s written about that fading relationship, “You’re Losing Me.” She questions and interrogates the slow burnout of their partnership. The line “sitting in a tree, d-y-i-n-g” strikes hard as a parody of the school-age taunt, “k-i-s-s-i-n-g.”
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“Fresh Out the Slammer”
On this track, Swift laments about the desire we have to run back to someone we know isn’t good for us when a relationship ends. She alludes to being set free of a stifling relationship and running toward another one: “Fresh out the slammer, I know who my first call will be to.”
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“The Bolter”
“The Bolter” tells the story of a woman whom you can never get too close to: “Excellent fun ’til you get to know her.” She always runs away. It’s one of Swift’s most narrative-driven songs on the album.
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“Robin”
“Robin,” a piano ballad anchored by the hook “Way to go, tiger,” evokes feelings of childhood, in similarity to former Swift tracks like “The Best Day” and “seven.”
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“Clara Bow”
The titular Clara Bow was one of Hollywood’s first icons. She was a sex symbol and a socialite. The song also references Stevie Nicks, and Swift name-drops herself. It’s an infectious hook with a story rooted in the entertainment industry. Swift explained the song is “a commentary on what I’ve seen in the industry that I’ve been in over time.”
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“The Tortured Poets Department”
The title track of the album is one of the songs that seems to most directly reference Swift’s past relationship with The 1975 frontman Matty Healy, a main character on this record. It does not paint a positive depiction, to say the least. It is, of course, notable that this song gives the album its name. And, yes, Charlie Puth should be a bigger artist.
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“The Prophecy”
One of the most heartbreaking songs on the record, “The Prophecy,” sees Swift lamenting the slow fading of a former relationship. She’s in a desperate state: “Please, I’ve been on my knees, change the prophecy.” It features some of the strongest lyrical work on the album.
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“I Hate It Here”
“I Hate It Here” is an anthem for the dissociators. It’s about going to other worlds to escape. It’s for those of us who turn to movies, music, books and fantastical adventures to get away from reality. It’s blunt and one of the sadder songs on the record (which is saying something).
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“Fortnight” (feat. Post Malone)
The lead single off The Tortured Poets Department features an addictive hook and a major boost from Post Malone. There’s no denying that the poignant and piercing lyric “I love you, it’s ruining my life” has been stuck in the heads of many since the album dropped. It’s the most consumer-facing track and can be thought of as the “cardigan” of this record. An instant smash and another Swift classic, accompanied by a stunning video with cinematography by Killers of the Flower Moon DP Rodrigo Prieto.
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“The Albatross”
Swift assumes her man-eater persona on this track: “She’s the Albatross, she is here to destroy you…She’s the death you chose, you’re in terrible danger.” It’s reminiscent of the identity she’s previously taken on for songs like “Blank Space.” It reads as a warning to Travis Kelce, or any future partners.
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“The Alchemy”
Speaking of Kelce, “The Alchemy” is widely assumed to be one of the few tracks on Tortured Poets that references Swift’s current relationship with the Super Bowl-winning athlete. It’s about undeniable chemistry and when your relationship just feels right. “Who are we to fight the alchemy?”
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“I Look in People’s Windows”
At just over two minutes, this is one of the shortest songs on the album. But darn if it isn’t catchy. It casts Swift as a peeping tom of sorts, watching like a ghost through people’s windows, seeking community and a former lover. It’s got that folklore/evermore cozy cabin vibe and is best enjoyed by candlelight.
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“So Long, London”
Arguably the saddest song on the record, on “So Long London,” it’s heavily speculated that Swift is saying goodbye to Alwyn. It cuts deep as an epilogue to songs off her Lover album, like “London Boy” and “Cornelia Street.” In saying goodbye to her six-year relationship, she also parts ways with one of her favorite cities. It’s the closing of a chapter of her life.
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“loml”
What was that about the saddest song on the record? “loml” once again is heavily speculated to be about Swift’s parting with ex-boyfriend Alwyn. The anagram has a double meaning, standing for “love of my life,” which Swift says she was told “a million times,” as well as “loss of my life,” referencing the relationship as one of her greatest loves.
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“I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)”
On this song, Taylor Swift puts a melody to a common millennial mantra: “I can fix him; no really, I can.” It’s a country-twinged track all about diving head-first into that relationship that you know will end up bad. It’s a siren song about reckless abandon and bad choices.
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“My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys”
One of the few songs that Swift penned solely by herself on Tortued Poets, “My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys” is the type of poppy earworm we know we can rely on Swift for. It’s about the hindsight of knowing a relationship wasn’t built to last. It paints the “boy” in question as an immature child, one who would rather knock over his building blocks than try to spell with them.
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“The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived”
Ouch. A standout song on the record, “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived” pulls no punches when reading down its subject. Heavily rumored to be about Healy, Swift paints the picture of a hopeless, pill-obsessed loser who wrought her emotions and took her on a dark journey. It’s perhaps the cruelest and most direct Swift has ever been on one of her breakup/revenge songs. The subject of this song may never recover.
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“The Manuscript”
Swift likes to end her albums with an epilogue of sorts. As the final track on ‘The Anthology’ version of Tortured Poets, “The Manuscript” serves as just that. It symbolizes the closing of a book and the turning of a new page. It sees Swift looking back on a very old relationship (Jake Gyllenhaal? John Mayer?). She shares a new perspective on the affair as she’s grown older. It further cements Swift as one of our generation’s greatest storytellers, acting as both the closing of a narrative and the opening of another. It, almost literally, closes the book on the Tortured Poets era.
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“So High School”
Tortured Poets is a heavy album, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t bright spots. “So High School” is one of the most upbeat, feel-good songs on the album. It’s a perfect callback to those ‘80s-‘90s dream pop tracks, the kind you’d listen to walking down the hallway between periods. It’s got the sweeping feeling of songs like “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” by Simple Minds or “Head Over Heels” by Tears for Fears. “You know how to ball, I know Aristotle.” It’s a lovey-dovey tribute to those good old days and seems to reference Swift’s relationship with Kelce. It’s one of the happiest moments of the record.
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“Imgonnagetyouback”
Swift and Olivia Rodrigo have a dialogue going between their songs. Rodrigo famously admired Swift and even sampled “Cruel Summer” for her song “deja vu.” Now, Swift has released a song with a similar theme to Rodrigo’s “get him back,” playing with the double meaning of revenge and rekindling. Swift’s take is catchy, and you’ll find it running through your head as you do the dishes.
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“I Can Do It With a Broken Heart”
A standout and celebratory track, “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” shines as an upbeat anthem for staying strong during your toughest moments. It evokes songs like “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” by Kelly Clarkson. It’s a flex for Swift, where she highlights her flawless performances during the Eras Tour, all while going through a breakup. “I was grinning like I’m winning, I was hitting my marks,” Swift brags. On Spotify and YouTube, the song is accompanied by footage from the Eras Tour. This one could break out as a single, with the chance to hit it big like “Shake It Off.”
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“thanK you aIMee”
“I built a legacy that you can’t undo.” Swift does what she does best on this song — folk music and revenge. The capitalized letters in the name of this track all but fully confirm that this song is directed at Kim Kardashian, and it seems to address Swift’s past beef with the reality star and her former husband. It unpacks the feelings Swift had at that time and drags back up the fight that first took center stage during Swift’s reputation era. It’s got the vibe of Swift’s “betty.” Watch out for this one on any tour dates. Who could resist a stadium of people shouting “f–k you, aimee!” (read: “f–k you, Kim Kardashian”).
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“The Black Dog”
As for stadium bangers, “The Black Dog” may just be the black sheep in that category. The song starts out slow and builds to an epic, screeching chorus: “Old habits die screaming!” It’s bound to be a moment where Swifties go wild when they hear it live. The song is heavily rumored to peel back the layers of Healy and how he disappointed Swift almost instantly.
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“Down Bad”
Using a fantastical alien abduction as a metaphor, “Down Bad” is a catchy lament about not getting what you want. It’s about longing for someone and how that can lead to a depression. It’s got some of the best Swift bridges on the album, which automatically catapults it toward the top.
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“Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?”
Swift takes on the witchy persona we’ve seen on albums like evermore on this standout track, “Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?” It’s got a hook that, once again, needs to be shouted by a crowd in a stadium. Preferably howled at the moon in unison. It paints her as a sorceress and a monster. It’s sinister and threatening. Catch us playing this one on repeat at our Halloween parties.
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“Guilty as Sin?”
Another song that is heavily rumored to be about Healy, referencing one of his favorite songs ,“The Downtown Lights.” “Guilty as Sin” finds Swift feeling unfaithful, questioning if thoughts in her head qualify as infidelity. It’s catchy as hell, a seamless blend of pop and country-folk. “I keep recalling things we never did … without ever touching his skin, how can I be guilty as sin?” It’s a tapestry of complicated emotions, woven to melodic perfection.
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“Florida!!!”
It was inevitable that a Taylor Swift and Florence Welch collaboration would reach the top of this list. In a partnership that feels so natural it’s almost a shock it hasn’t happened before, “Florida!!!” goes big, anthemic and loud. It’s a read of the American dream, the American journey and the American experience. It’s existential and haunting. We can only hope for more collaborations from this duo. Taylor x Florence x Bon Iver, when?
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“But Daddy I Love Him”
The top track on our list encompasses everything Tortured Poets is about and, more largely, encapsulates that classic Taylor Swift song feeling. Again, heavily rumored to be about Healy, the song addresses Scott Swift’s disapproval of his daughter’s relationship with The 1975 singer. It’s sweeping and glowing and gives that feeling of reckless abandon one might get from running across an open field at sunset. It’s a shimmer of light on one of Swift’s darkest-feeling entries to date and deserves to be blasted with the windows down on a sunny day.
