Midnights: The Mastermind of Taylor Swift

A review of Taylor Swift’s highly anticipated 10th studio Album Midnights plus the bonus 3AM tracks.  

By: Anya Patri and Ananya Chittibabu

Taylor Swift is a master of building anticipation for her albums; or should we say a mastermind? For the past few months everyone on the internet has heard about either her announcement of Midnights on the VMA stage or heard fan theories and easter eggs about possible concepts and songs. Well, the anticipation is no more, as this album was released on October 21st at, you guessed it, midnight. It received widespread popularity, even crashing Spotify when it was initially released. With a smooth, synth, electronic pop reminiscent of the past albums Reputation and 1989, Midnights feels completely different from Swift’s other work while having a comfortable, familiar feeling with the lyrics and songwriting. Overall, this album was fun and felt like something both new and nostalgic, and you should definitely give it a listen if you’re in the mood to party and cry simultaneously. Here are some thoughts on our favorite tracks on Midnights! 

Lavender Haze

This song starts with the lyric “meet me at midnight,” hinted throughout the album’s promotion, which is an exciting easter egg. With a chill, bass-heavy beat and distorted vocals, it feels different from a lot of Swift’s previous discography and does a great job of setting up the feeling and vibe of the album as a whole. The song itself is about being in a relationship when you’re under public scrutiny, but not caring about the opinions of others on how you live your life. It is speculated that this song is about Swift’s partner of 5 years, Joe Alwyn, credited as a writer on the track “Sweet Nothing.”

Favorite  Lyrics: 

Anya: you don’t really read into/My melancholia

Ananya: The only kinda girl they see/Is a one night or a wife

Maroon

Maroon can be seen almost as a continuation of her album red. In a past interview she described the feeling of love as the color red and Maroon is a type of red. The song is like a more mature grown up version of her album Red. Like Taylor is looking back at these past relationships in a more mature point of view during one of her sleepless nights. Overall Maroon is a pretty ok song. It’s not a bad song, I just don’t think it’s special or the best track on Midnights. 

Favorite lyric 

Anya: You were standing hollow-eyed in the hallway/ Carnations you had thought were roses, that’s us

Ananya: The mark you saw on my collarbone, the rust that grew between telephones/The lips I used to call home, so scarlet, it was (maroon)

Anti-Hero

This song is a self-aware analysis of one’s own shortcomings, and tackles the idea of being the source of one’s own problems. Swift claimed in an interview that this song was one of her most autobiographical pieces, allowing her to publicly express her deepest insecurities vulnerably for the first time in her career. This song has an almost upbeat tempo that contrasts with the depressing lyrics, leading to a painfully relatable track that makes you want to dance at the same time. This is the breakout single from the album, and for good reason. 

Favorite Lyrics: 

Anya: I’ll stare directly at the sun but never in the mirror/ It must be exhausting always rooting for the anti-hero 

Ananya: I wake up screaming from dreaming/One day I’ll watch as you’re leaving  

Snow on the beach (ft. Lana Del Rey)

Snow on the Beach was one of the most anticipated tracks on midnights after Taylor announced that it would be featuring Lana Del Rey. And after listening to the song many fans were disappointed because Lana only sang background vocals and didn’t have a verse. I personally didn’t really mind that Lana didn’t have a verse and think that the song is one of the best on Midnights. It sounds ethereal and comforting like a song that you listen to to put yourself to sleep. The song itself is one of the most Folklore sounding songs on the album and it’s one of my favorites.   

Favorite Lyrics: 

Anya: This scene feels like what I once saw on a screen/I searched ‘aurora borealis green’/ I’ve never seen/ someone lit from within

Ananya: And it’s like snow at the beach/Weird but it was beautiful/Flying in a dream/Stars by the pocketful

You’re On Your Own, Kid

This song feels the most like Taylor Swift’s signature style, with repetitive guitar strumming and the story of young love. However, this song takes a different turn with the bridge, changing instead to a tale of someone who leaves a small town to pursue their passions only to realize that they aren’t special. Heartbreakingly honest, this song tugs at your heartstrings while ending hopefully with the message that everything happens for a reason, and that being on your own isn’t always a bad thing. Reminiscent of songs like All Too Well and Nothing New, You’re on Your Own, Kid feels like a track on the album Red and makes me want to blast it on a road trip. 

Favorite Lyrics: 

Anya: From sprinkler splashes to fireplace ashes/ I gave my blood, sweat, and tears for this

Ananya: So, make the friendship bracelets/ take the moment and taste it/ You’ve got no reason to be afraid

Midnight Rain

Midnight Rain is very much a pop song, reminiscent of 1989 and Reputation but at the same time it’s very different. When I asked a friend what it sounded like they said it was like someone was massaging their head. The distortion in her voice is different from anything I’ve heard from Taylor before and I think that she did it very well. At first I didn’t really like it because of how different it is but now it’s one of my favorites. I like that Taylor has gone out of comfort zone and started exploring new things. 

Favorite lyrics: 

Anya: I guess sometimes we all get/ Some kind of haunted, some kind of haunted/ And I never think of him/ Except on midnights like this

Ananya: I guess sometimes we all get/ Just what we wanted, just what we wanted/ And he never thinks of me/ Except when I’m on TV

Question…? 

This track is very reminiscent of Swift’s album Red, with a chorus of her asking a past partner questions about why their relationship ended. It conveys the feeling of trying to move on but not being able to perfectly, and while it is not my favorite song on the album, it definitely grew on me over time. This song is catchy and just a fun track to play in the car. With the chorus displaying oddly specific questions about a specific instance of time in a past relationship and the distorted bridge, it seems like Swift and the co-writer and producer Jack Antonoff were simply having fun on this track. 

Favorite Lyrics: 

Anya: Does it feel like everything’s just like second-best after that/ Meteor strike? 

Ananya: Did you ever have someone kiss you in a crowded room/ And every single one of your friends was/ Making fun of you

Vigilante S***

This track reminds me of “no body no crime” from her album Evermore, and it talks about revenge on people in her life. She references Scooter Braun and others who have wronged her during her career. The sound itself is reminiscent of  Reputation, its upbeat yet dark. And it’s quickly become a fan favorite. 

Favorite lyrics: 

Anya:

Ananya: While he was doing lines/ And crossing all of mine/ Someone told his white collar crimes to the FBI

Bejeweled
This is a purely fun song, with an upbeat melody and a chorus that shines on this album. One of my personal stand out tracks, this song has bass-heavy verses and a purely pop chorus that makes you want to walk down a runway. It calls back to iconic songs such as “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend” sung by Maryln Monroe, and Madonna’s “Material Girl.” Bejeweled is definitely a fun song to sing along to when you’re feeling happy or in the mood to wear something fancy. This song feels like it’s right off the tracklist of 1989 and would fit right in with songs such as Blank Space and Shake It Off. 

Favorite Lyrics: 

Anya: what’s a girl to do/ a diamond’s got to shine

Ananya: Best believe I’m still bejeweled when I walk in the room/ I can still make the whole place shimmer

Labyrinth 

Labyrinth is a very slow soft song like Snow on the Beach. She talks about her past loves and finding new love after having your heart broken. It’s a very personal song that reminded me of Red specifically All to Well. It’s definitely one of the most well written songs on Midnights.  

Favorite lyrics: 

Anya: Breathe in, breathe through, breathe deep, breathe out/ I’ll be getting over you my whole life

Ananya: You would break your back to make me break a smile

Karma 

One of the most highly anticipated tracks on this album, karma is a concept that Swift has repeatedly hinted at throughout her interviews, discography, and music videos. This consistent easter egg has even spawned a fan theory about there being a lost album with the same name. This song, however, feels less bitter and more carefree, with a happy-go-lucky beat and lyrics that emphasize how those who do wrong in the world will be subject to karma sooner or later. Swift revels in her current life, asking those who wronged her, “Karma’s a relaxing thought, aren’t you envious that for you it’s not?” This song is fun and whimsical, but still feels true to her lyrical stylings in songs like Message in a Bottle and This is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things. 

Favorite Lyrics: 

Anya: And I keep my side of the street clean/You wouldn’t know what I mean

Ananya: ‘Cause if you dare, you’ll see the glare/ Of everyone you burned just to get there/it’s coming back around

Sweet Nothing

Sweet Nothings is one of the most adorable Taylor Swift songs there is. She co-wrote it with her long time Partner Joe Alywn who also wrote songs for Folklore. The song opens with almost a lullaby type of sound which is very cute. The song is about the sweet nothings that happen between two people in a relationship. Taylor talks about how at the end of the day all she wants to do is go home to the sweet nothings and the privacy of her relationship. This song is very romantic and it’s obviously written by two people who are in love. 

 Favorite lyrics: 

Anya: To you I can admit/That I’m just too soft for all of it

Ananya: They said the end is coming/ Everyone’s up to something/ I find myself running home to your/Sweet nothings

Mastermind

Mastermind feels more like a confession than a story, and details someone who has masterminded their whole relationship in order for it to turn out perfect. One of my personal favorites, this track feels upbeat and light, similar to the album Lover. I loved the lyrical stylings and the simplistic vocal echoes rather than the all out distortion on a couple of other songs which got old pretty quickly. I loved the bridge, since I was underwhelmed by this album’s lack of bridges. It’s a fun love song and definitely an upbeat ending to an emotional rollercoaster of an album. 

Favorite Lyrics: 

Anya: Is this the first time I feel the need to confess?/ And I swear, I’m only cryptic and Machiavellian ’cause I care

Ananya: What if I told you none of it was accidental?/ And the first night you saw me, nothing was gonna stop me

And of course, it wouldn’t be a Taylor Swift album without her going all out. Three hours after the release of Midnights, Swift released 6 more tracks dubbed Midnights: 3 a.m. Edition. While we are not going to review the tracks in their entirety, they don’t necessarily sonically fit the album but instead appeal more to the concept. According to Swift, Midnights is a concept album exploring the stories and feelings of sleepless nights throughout her life. The 3 a.m. tracks definitely fit into this theme, but their production and sound design is very different from the rest of the album. Therefore, it makes sense that they would be released as additional bonus tracks. Here are some of our favorites from the 3 a.m. songs: 

Anya: 

1. Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve
2. The Great War
3. Glitch

Ananya 

1. High Indefelity 
2. Paris 
3. The Great War 

_{Photo credits: Taylor Swift/Republic Records}