The Taylor Seminars

We're in the thick of the evermore woods now with track 9, "Coney Island." (But first, we do a slight detour back to "Dorothea"). This song is heavy on the "wonder" motif that's found throughout Taylor Swift's discography, and the themes of regret and lost youth are connected to other heartbreaking songs in her discography, including "How Did It End," "Peter," and "Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus."
This song, which is about the dissolution of a relationship (or relationships?) also touches on many other songs in her discography, from "All Too Well" to "Dear John," and Exquisite and Hannah are devastatingly delighted to unpack them with you.
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Cover Art by Alef Vernon:
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We come to "Dorothea," track 8 of Taylor Swift's evermore. This highly underrated song is connected to so many others in Swift's discography--and it's not just "'tis the damn season," which shares the same two characters. We see the motifs of waiting and hometowns and past loves in songs such as "Peter," "the 1," "Midnight Rain," and .... "Ruin the Friendship"?! Be sure to tune in as Exquisite and Hannah explore this beautifully wistful song and how it fits perfectly into Taylor Swift's discography. Also tune in for Hannah's hot take on how to listen to evermore (Exquisite isn't so sure...).
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Enjoy the episode? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support The TaylorSeminars on Ko-fi! ❤️⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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- ⁠⁠⁠⁠@⁠⁠⁠sippingaugust ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠(Hannah)
- ⁠⁠⁠⁠@⁠⁠⁠exquisitewill⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠(Exquisite)
Cover Art by Alef Vernon:
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We're so happy to talk about "Happiness," the 7th track of Taylor Swift's Evermore? This song is filled with beautiful imagery and incredible diction choices that put you in the mind of the protagonist who is grieving the loss of a relationship that she thought would never see a sunset. There are attempts to be "above the trees" but when she thinks back at the painful times, she expresses "fury." Taylor shows us that this version of the protagonist is slowly deteriorating, but one day, she will rise like a phoenix from the ashes and see a "glorious sunrise."

A song that Taylor said was written as she saw the dissolution of her friends' relationships, "Happiness" also shows new nuggets in hindsight. Perhaps Taylor felt some "weapons" were being "pointed at her deepest hurt?" Perhaps there were glimmers of recognition in her friends stories.

Only Taylor knows the conscious and subconscious muses of the song, but one thing is for sure: There is epic lyric analysis because of "Happiness."
Want to support Exquisite on her journey to becoming a professor? Donate here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://gofund.me/ceaf3b27d⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Enjoy the episode? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support The TaylorSeminars on Ko-fi! ❤️⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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Cover Art by Alef Vernon:
- ⁠⁠⁠@⁠⁠⁠alefvernonart⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠on Instagram
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We are back to talking Evermore (again) with one of the more fun songs on the album, "No Body, No Crime." Taylor goes back to her country roots for this song in which women get revenge after being wronged--as they should! Join Exquisite and Hannah as they breeze through this song.
Want to support Exquisite on her journey to becoming a professor? Donate here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://gofund.me/ceaf3b27d⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Enjoy the episode? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support The TaylorSeminars on Ko-fi! ❤️⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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Follow us on Twitter:
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- ⁠⁠⁠@⁠⁠⁠sippingaugust ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠(Hannah)
- ⁠⁠⁠@⁠⁠⁠exquisitewill⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠(Exquisite)
Cover Art by Alef Vernon:
- ⁠⁠⁠@⁠⁠⁠alefvernonart⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠on Instagram
- ⁠⁠⁠@alefvernon⁠⁠⁠ on Twitter ⁠⁠⁠Follow Alef on ⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠

Let's talk about the music video for "Opalite," track 3 on The Life of a Showgirl. Exquisite and Hannah discuss how Taylor Swift brilliantly captured the essence of the song and flexed her prowess as a director. We see a beautiful three-act structure with tons of symbolism and beautiful imagery. Join us for this Showgirl bonus episode!

Want to support Exquisite on her journey to becoming a professor? Donate here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://gofund.me/ceaf3b27d⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Enjoy the episode? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support The TaylorSeminars on Ko-fi! ❤️⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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Cover Art by Alef Vernon:
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