r/TrueSwifties

I'm tired of people claiming that TLOAS is an objectively "bad" album. When it comes to the topic of Showgirl, there's a LOT of mixed feelings about it. Some love it, some hate it, some are indifferent.

As we've had more time to sit with the album, I've decided that I quite enjoy it. I think the production on this album is very unique compared to Taylor's other works, and is fun!

The one thing that I see people criticize Showgirl the MOST about is the lyricism. And while I agree with some of the critiques that the lyrics can be "cheesy," I don't think it makes it a bad album. I feel like this album definitely tapped into Taylor's happy, dorky side that we saw similar to in Lover.

While this album isn't by any means Taylor's best work imo, I don't think that it's "bad." I do think, however, it is below Taylor's capability levels and it's more comparable to modern pop music that is currently being released.

Anyways, Showgirl is a fun, well-done album that I think will end up getting the Lover treatment in a few years.

Sometimes I feel like the shock value of certain songs on TLOAS overcome recognition of their wit and writing in general. It's always a good idea to revisit them!

This song may seem incredibly straightforward but it is not at all. Not at all. Let us recall the fake feuds and vilification. She has every reason to write an ode to hate and negative attention. Shockingly, it's more than that.

This is a Taylor move beyond Taylor moves. So, yes, it's clear that she has a thick skin. In CANCELLED! she totally embraces that and that change is a necessary piece in making TLOAS. She is moody, savvy, and extraordinarily bright. This is galaxies away from CANCELLED! though. Truly!

So what is Actually Romantic here?

This is a beautiful portrait of Taylor by Taylor herself through amplified figurative language. It's satirical and if the "wet" comment hadn't clued people in I don't think they're ever going to figure it out.

It really reads as though the song isn't an ode to anyone in particular. Although there are a lot of hints Swifties bring up about other artists, it's all part of the same game. It's not really the "Charli XCX" song. It definitely feels more like those attacking her have become her muses. It's certainly a "you" song where she's taking a group of people or a type of person and hitting them with classic Taylor humour when she hits back (Think: "Oh my God you should see your faces"). She's being ridiculous/facetious and having the best time, which seems to be the case in Wood as well.

It's not so much fighting back with words so much as fighting back with wit and humour. Because she has amplified it to the point of a satirical piece, she's doing a two punch approach. First, she writes about it in a biting way. Second, she does it in a way where any response would seem silly.

satire | ˈsaˌtī(ə)r | noun

>the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues: 

In The Life of a Showgirl there is a similar, poignant lyric,

>And all the headshots on the walls // Of the dance hall are of the bitches // Who wish I'd hurry up and die // But I'm immortal now, baby dolls // I couldn't if I tried

(Did anyone hear "hedgehogs"?)

Again, she's being a bit flippant and marking her place in this world. I would say there are a few songs that come across as smug but are actually written as satire. That doesn't mean the content isn't serious. Not at all. It means she's witty as hell and able to get her point across with finesse and creativity.

Sister Songs (?)

Wood:

A celebration of a relationship mired in metaphors that are unserious but, in between the lines (We make our own luck) and abandoning her former superstitious, daydream-filled mode of being (All of that bitching wishing on a falling star). Wood is about passage to a new life. More on that in another post.

Note: These songs are also the ones with sexual lyrics which, again, elevates them to a place of near absurdity and, if not appreciated for what it is, pearl-clutching.