The Anthology

As promised The Anthology. Welcome or welcome back to The Clock: A walk through Taylor Swift’s Eras. I know this series isn’t for everyone but it is a rather fun series to write. So, I’d ask that you skip it if it’s not your thing or just be respectful. But without any further delay lets dive into the anthology and my thoughts and feelings as a whole on The Tortured Poets Department Era. Oh how I miss it.

I’ll be following the same protocol I’ve been following as The Anthology has more songs. And since I split this post into two, today I’ll also be covering the singles and I did contemplate covering the set list for the tour, but I’ll save that for when I finally sit down and watch the Era’s Tour movies and show. Which yes, I know I’m running so far behind but hey I’m getting there! Anywho, let’s get to it.

With 31 songs The Anthology sits pretty at two hours and two minutes. Breaking the Swiftie world surprising us all as a double album, oh how we all needed this, though our bank accounts didn’t XD.

Top Three Songs:

The Black Dog
I hate it here.
I look in peoples windows.

Song on Repeat: When it first came out “The Prophecy” currently “Peter”

Favorite Lyric(s): “Now and then I reread the manuscript but the story isn’t mine anymore”

The song you slept on: How did it end?

Though I’ll admit I slept on a lot of the songs in the anthology as I wasn’t in a place to fully understand them at the time.

Most Relatable: I look in peoples windows.

Song that made you cry? All of them.

Overall Thoughts: The surprise double album hit like a ton of bricks and it still holds the weight as many of us scream that we want to be a showgirl but we’re still in our tortured poets era. Though nothing makes us happier than seeing Taylor in her happiest times. The thing is I’ve said it once, I’ll say it a million times. She bleeds on the page like a true The thing is I’ve said it once, I’ll say it a million times. She bleeds on the page like a true writer. True talent and that’s what stands the test of time. Authenticity. A song for every vibe, for every feeling, even the ones you can’t name. And no, I don’t have much else to add to The Anthology because I said it all in the first part, but I will add more thoughts on the singles in a moment. From the depths of cheeky love in So Highschool to the lowest of heart aches in loml. She knows how to capture it, to express it. To really put you there with her. The Kelce Brothers did an article that explained it far better than I could dream, but the kind of talent she has is that of the legends and the ones that truly do live forever. I think I’ll always resonate with The Tortured Poets Department, I’ll always be partial to it. Though struggling to find the words of how or why, maybe ten years from now, I’ll be able to find the words and give hand over the manuscript of my own.

Now onto the singles and remixes.

Fortnight (Feat. Post Malone) BLOND:ISH Remix – This one feels more like a club remix to be honest. I don’t hate it but we’ve talked about this with the remixes in TLOSG. I am partial to original’s most of the time. I also find it a bit overstimulating to be honest but again I don’t hate it, it just wouldn’t be my first pick and I would likely skip it. I’m sorry if you’re reading this and you love this remix.

Fortnight (Feat. Post Malone) Cults Remix – Ohhh okay, I like this one. I can’t really put my finger on it but I do like the Cults remix. It kinda scratches something in my brain?

Fortnight (Feat. Post Malone) Acoustic – This is so much softer. I love it, I would listen to this on a regular basis oh my god. If their harmony wasn’t already highlighted in the song itself it’s so beautiful! And the instrumentals…oh I love this.

I Can Do It With A Broken Heart Dombresky Remix – Honestly as different as this is from the original it’s also not super different either if that makes sense? Both the original and the remix give off dance club vibes which was the whole point of the song in my personal opinion as it’s meant to be about her holding it together while she’s falling apart just for the fans. But I do prefer the original.

My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys Piano – Okay, this was the one that I was putting off, when she released the voice memo I bawled the first time I heard the original lyrics on a facebook reel. My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys, I’ve always said just replace boy with girl and that’s my song. It’s a deeply emotional song as is, but then you hear the memo and you hear her voice. God it hurts, you feel everything. I wanted the single so badly when she dropped it but I couldn’t get it in time. I usually only use what’s been released on Spotify for my lists. But I really wanted to talk about this version. I NEEDED to talk about it.

Luckily someone had also uploaded the full memo as well so I listened to both, thank you Swifites. I love the piano version, it’s soft it focuses on the words being said on the feelings that were happening, without hiding behind a beat. Don’t get me wrong the instrumentals and the beats and all that (sorry I’m not an artist I don’t know all the technical terms) they work with the lyrics to build the story but in the piano version you can focus on the words and take a deeper trip into them. Then with the voice memo and the original, original version of the song, you feel the shaking in her voice, it sounds like she’s been crying, its raw emotion as one commenter said and it’s so true, that’s why that version is preferred because it was so raw and emotional. But I also understand why that wasn’t the end result and why its such a privilege she released it for us to see that vulnerability. And again speaks to why she’s such an amazing and beloved artist.

Thank you all so much for coming back to another Clock post, or if this was your first one, thank you for staying to the end. Drop your favorite song from the album or any thoughts you had below? Don’t forget to like, follow, comment and all the things. I’m so excited for the next half of the year and what that will bring for Stormy Ville. I hope to see you all on Monday for another post! And I can’t wait to

Oh and I will be adding an updated installment to The Life of a Showgirl for the remixes that weren’t out when I posted that post. That should be out before the end of July.

Anyway, as always, stay safe, love hard, and protect your peace ❤

Xoxo Hails.