In defence of the TTPD title track

I see countless hate for this track, still, and people always use it as an example when they’re criticising Taylor or TTPD but I’m just gonna come out and say it, it is probably one of my favourite songs on that album. It’s a song about the desperation of trying to cling on to a relationship you know deep down is failing. It does this with a lyrical style that is very specific, because even though that might make it less relatable to the average listener, the narrator is trying to prove to the muse that no one else knows them like she does, and so therefore, they are the perfect and only match for each other. No matter how chaotic the muse may be in the relationship she’s “seen this episode and still loves the show”. She desperately wants to make it work.

The chorus is aiming to humble the muse and remind him that they’re not these famous, esteemed poets, like Dylan Thomas and Patti Smith, despite the slight self-important pretentiousness the muse displays, shown through how he “uses typewriters” despite it not being a necessity. Instead, they are just regular people, clumsily trying to work their way through a deteriorating relationship.

Now the infamous second verse. Honestly I never found those lyrics that criminal but I guess out of context it does sound a little whack. But here’s the thing, not all types of song-writing has to sound good as a line on its own, so long as it fits within the greater context of the song, which I think these lyrics do. The whole song has this sort of steady stream of consciousness vibe which suits its greater theme of anxiety and the song itself sort of being a last ditch effort to frantically save what’s already too broken to repair. She’s kind of just saying anything she can to bring him back down to earth and focus on fixing their relationship, instead of whatever, assumedly self-loathing, is troubling him in the pre-choruses. This includes, like with the chorus, humanising him. Like no, we’re not Dylan Thomas and Patti Smith, “you smoked then ate seven bars of chocolate”. And “we declared Charlie Puth should be a bigger artist” is 100% a conversation I can picture happening on the couch when you’re relaxing and the person you’re talking with is maybe slightly high. As for the “tattooed golden retriever” bit, again it grounds him and says no matter how hard you try to pretend to be something you’re not, you‘ll still be you. Tattooing a golden retriever doesn’t stop it from being a golden retriever. Also it’s worth noting that I think that line plays into the whole golden retriever boyfriend stereotype and how that contrasts with the persona of a brooding poet he attempts to embody.

The bridge definitely feels like a word vomit, but again it fits with what the song is trying to portray as a whole. When you’re in a relationship hanging on by a thread you’re bound to think “oh what if he screws this up with me?” but then try to counteract that scary train of thought by, in this case, justifying it with “oh but he told Lucy he’d kill himself if I ever leave” and then going on to recall that moment of joy at dinner, trying to assure yourself that it means he’s serious about you and that you’re going to make it through.

Finally, it just sounds good. It’s a good, sleepy pop song that has a touch of anxiety to it and I’m tired of seeing it get hated on when it’s genuinely one of her most underrated songs that captures a state in a relationship slightly different than “the break up” or the “being in love”. Which, don’t get wrong I do like, but I also feel like it’s slightly rarer that she wrights about the moments and feelings leading up to a break up, and I really like it when she does.

TLDR: it’s a somehow upbeat song about desperately trying to hold on to a relationship that’s just about to crash and burn by reminding the other person that not only are you both only human, but you’re the only ones who will ever truly be able to understand each other.