Evermore, Taylor Swift’s ninth album, is celebrating its fourth anniversary of its release this December. This record was her second surprise drop of 2020 and the sister album of folklore (released in July 2020). This album brought a place of magical escape for music lovers during an insane time in our lives.
I have always categorized this album as a perfect set of songs for Thanksgiving through Christmas. Some songs are literal in their reference to the holiday season, and some are a bit more subtle.
In the song “‘tis the damn season,” Swift sings about a hometown relationship that is revisited during the season. This track is one of my favorites. The bridge is truly a masterpiece. The song and story flow perfectly into the final chorus of the song.
So I'll go back to L.A. and the so-called friends who’ll write books about me if I ever make it / And wonder about the only soul who can tell which smiles I'm fakin', and the heart I know I'm breakin' is my own / To leave the warmest bed I've ever known.
“Champagne Problems” includes an interesting take on “decking the halls,” a common Christmas phrase. Instead of the phrase representing a celebration, it represents the end of a relationship and the grief that comes along with it. It almost is nostalgic, where the speaker in the song is looking back on the failure of the relationship and those they lose from a relationship ending (not just including their partner, but also, their common friends and family).
How evergreen our group of friends / Don’t think we’ll say that word again / And soon they’ll have the nerve to deck the halls that we once walked through.
Evermore truly represents the heartache of the past, while also hopefully looking towards the future. It’s an album that is in a league of its own with its whimsical lyricism. Although the album has been released for 4 years now, it still remains a musical staple for many.
Taylor Swift is finishing up her extremely successful tour this weekend in Vancouver. Although this tour captures the memories of all of her eras, evermore has a prominent role in the set, with witchy choreography during "willow," a standing ovation after "champagne problems," and a heartbreaking performance of "marjorie," that is an ode to Swift's grandmother.
Listen to evermore.
