The first track is titled “The Fate of Ophelia”, serving as the lead single of the album. This track is packed with references to Shakespeare's Ophelia from “Hamlet.” Swift turns Ophelia’s descent into madness into a metaphor of heartbreak and fragility, which are things she can personally relate to within her life and career. “You dug me out of my grave and saved my heart from the fate of Ophelia,” Swift sings in the chorus of this track. Her references in this song make it stand out from many of the others, giving the album relatability and an intimacy between her listeners. The track also includes its own music video, utilizing many of the metaphors within it that she references throughout it. This track is undoubtedly one of my favorites off the album. I love the upbeat melody, making it extremely catchy and easy to sing along to.

The second track, “Elizabeth Taylor,” is similar to a track included in her previous release, “The Tortured Poets Department,” titled “Clara Bow.” Throughout many of her albums, Swift includes a description of her own feelings about her relationship with fame through many famous women of the past. This track dives deep into how she personally deals with fame and the public attention that comes with it, alongside having a romantic relationship. This track is very upbeat, despite its true meaning. Its meaningful chorus is what makes it stand out the most: “I’d cry my eyes violet, Elizabeth Taylor. Tell me for real, do you think it’s forever?” Swift expresses her uncertainty about her relationship and whether it can survive the demands of fame. This track stands out due to its distinctive beat and word choice. I love the chorus of this track, which is what I believe makes it stand out from the rest.

“Opalite” is the title of the third track, which is about the feeling of calm after finding the right relationship after many difficult ones. In an interview, Swift shares that the inspiration for the song title was her fiancé, Travis Kelce’s birthstone, opal. She utilizes opalite, the man-made version of opal, as a metaphor for how happiness can be ‘man-made.’ I think the best way to characterize this song is that it’s so infectious with happiness. Swift sings the chorus, “Oh my Lord. Never met no one like you before. You had to make your own sunshine. But now, the sky is opalite.” Her expression through these lyrics showcases how she is chooses happiness, after getting through many rough relationships. This track is one of my favorites as well. I love how it serves as an upbeat song that can make you happy just by listening to it. 

The eighth track on the album is titled “Wi$h Li$t.” In this track, she compares and contrasts the luxurious, rich life that many want with what she personally wants, which is a suburbanized life with her fiancé. Some have found that the melody on this track is similar to “Glitch” on her previously released album “Midnights.”  “Glitch” was written about her ex-boyfriend Joe Alwyn, and it can be inferred that she’s repurposing that melody to show her happiness with Kelce. Repeatedly in the song, Swift references her relationship with him, specifically a longing for a love-filled home and children. “Got me dreaming ‘bout a driveway with a basketball hoop. Boss up, settle down, got a wishlist. I just want you,” is sung by Swift at the end of the chorus. I love that this track represents her aspirations, giving her fans a glimpse into what she wants her future to look like. I’m not sure if I’m a fan of the beat and melody of this track; it differs greatly from many of the songs she’s released in the past. 

Jumping ahead again, the tenth track is titled “CANCELLED!” This track covers the concept of how easy it is for a celebrity to get wrongly ‘cancelled’ due to cancel culture. It features a dark-sounding melody with many sharp lyrics, which can be compared to her album released in 2018, “Reputation.” She seems to be critiquing the idea of when women are shamed for being too confident. Through the chorus, she creates a sense of solidarity between others who have also been unfairly treated: “Good thing I like my friends canceled. I like ‘em cloaked in Gucci and in scandal.” I loved her album “Reputation,” so this track sparked my interest when I first heard it, reminding me of many songs on that album. Again, Swift has made another catchy song that will be stuck in your head for days after listening. 

The twelfth and final track on the album is “The Life of a Showgirl,” featuring Sabrina Carpenter. This marks the first of, hopefully, many collaborations between Swift and Carpenter. Their collaboration was teased on Instagram and has been hinted at for a while, knowing the admiration Carpenter has expressed towards Swift. This song gives insight into how strenuous and draining being an artist can be. This song also serves as a close chapter to her success on the Eras Tour. Swift sings, “Wait, the more you play, the more that you pay. You’re softer than a kitten, so you don’t know the life of a showgirl, babe, and you’re never gonna wanna.” I’m not the biggest fan of this song in particular; however, I was excited for Swift’s collaboration with Carpenter.