Review: Taylor Swift - Midnights (3am Edition)
By Gloria Martinez & Maisie Wrubel
On Friday, October 21, 2022, at (you guessed it) midnight, singer-songwriter Taylor Swift dropped her tenth studio album, Midnights. Announced at the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) in August, Midnights is Swift’s first entirely new body of work since evermore (2020). Originally 13 tracks, Midnights tells the story of 13 different “sleepless nights” over the course of Swift’s life. At 3am the same night, Swift dropped Midnights (3am Edition), adding 7 additional tracks for a total of 20, which we’ll be reviewing here. Though a lengthy body of work that casual listeners may find daunting, Swift shared that she “think[s] of Midnights as a complete concept album, with those 13 songs forming a full picture of the intensities of that mystifying, mad hour” and included the other 7 songs to offer insight into “the journey to find that magic 13.”
Midnights is undoubtedly Swift’s best pop album and arguably her best body of work to date, marking a return to form for Swift. Her typically diaristic approach to songwriting that she abandoned in folklore (2020) and evermore (2020) becomes the driving force in an album based in self-reflection. As an album, Midnights is sonically and thematically cohesive, with numerous running lyrical motifs that work to tie together the tracks. Despite a shift in genre that many feared would mean a return to “shallow” pop music, she retains the lyrical strength showcased in her recent alternative/folk albums. With more clearly articulated metaphors, fewer throwaway lines, and a refreshing candidness, Swift has once again outdone herself.
Just as Swift’s lyrics are inspired by nights throughout her career, she and her collaborators build on production techniques from her past works and elevate them to create a more mature sound. Midnights features synth-heavy production reminiscent of 1989 (2014) and Reputation (2018), but it doesn’t compete for attention with Swift’s lyrics. More stripped back, Midnights provides a rawer musical backdrop than the often manufactured feel of her other pop music, which has allowed for more experimentation. Certain songs also reflect the brighter pop sound of Lover (2019) and the more folk-based softness of evermore. The production’s combination of these older influences mirrors the album’s lyrical themes of reflection and story collection, situating the listener within the era she returns to in the stories she shares. The quintessential sound unique to Midnights, though, is the synthesized vocals present on tracks like “Midnight Rain,” “Labyrinth,” and “Dear Reader.” They create an atmosphere that is both modern and dreamy, which perfectly aligns with the album’s conceptual focus on dwelling in memory.
Where the album does feel a bit disjointed is in its visual aesthetic and marketing. The promotional photos/videos and album artwork featured furniture/decor and clothing of the 1960s/70s, as well as a Wurlitzer piano commonly used in the era. Theories like the return of “Tumblr sleaze,” circulated the internet, leaving many fans perplexed upon hearing the opening of “Lavender Haze.” Though the sound and visuals don’t exactly align, kudos to Swift for keeping everybody guessing. The quality of the music makes the aesthetics of little consequence.
Track by Track Review
(in album order, with our favorite lyrics)
“Lavender Haze”
“Lavender Haze” addresses the impossible expectations for women in romantic relationships – focusing on how antiquated these expectations are (“the only kinda girl they see // is a one-night or a wife,” and “the 1950s shit they want from me”) – while also celebrating Swift and her lover’s relationship. The song is reminiscent of previous songs of Swift’s which address how her relationship is able to withstand the constant public scrutiny and discourse surrounding her image (“They're bringing up my history / But you aren't even listening”). A highlight of the song is definitely its pulsing production; however, as New York Times critic Jon Caramanica noted, this production also makes the song sound like it’s trying to sonically replicate Maggie Rogers’s “Alaska.”
Talk your talk and go viral
I just need this love spiral
Get it off your chest
Get it off my desk
“Maroon”
Through vivid descriptions, “Maroon” relays the story of a failed relationship and how its memory lingers. Narrative-based and imagery-reliant, it feels the most classically ‘Taylor Swift’ of the tracks on the album, which explains its immense popularity. It opens with a moment in time, with details that convey a comfortable intimacy, before transitioning into a chorus of maroon-tinged imagery that flashes before the listener like memories through Swift’s mind. As the story progresses to their breakup with “I chose you” changing to “I lost you” and references to “hollow eyes.” The repetition of the images in the chorus that follows reads less like an expression of warmth and more like a bloodbath. Swift’s past explanations of her use of the color ‘red’ in earlier works imply that ‘maroon’ similarly signifies passion and intensity of emotion (both positive and negative). Whether or not the subject of “Maroon” is the same as her ‘red’-laden 2012 tracks, the use of this darker shade of red likely connotes a maturity/darkening in the emotion she finds desirable in a relationship and in her understanding of past events. The song’s production also mirrors this darker, deeper shade of red, with prominent bass and heavily reverbed percussion that verges on foreboding.
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”
The first single for the album, “Anti-Hero” offers a glimpse into the mind of Taylor Swift, rife with insecurities. Fears of aging and loneliness, paired with mental health struggles, negative body image, and general self-loathing could have veered away from relatability into a claim of victimhood that Swift is often accused of making. However, even ignoring the lyric, “I’m the problem, it’s me,” she manages to avoid overt self-pity through her candidness. Swift also reflects on her position in the music industry and shares her self perception in lines like “Sometimes I feel like everybody is a sexy baby // And I’m a monster on the hill // Too big to hang out, slowly lurching toward your favorite city // Pierced through the heart but never killed.” Despite the dark lyrical themes (with one verse prophesizing Swift’s murder at the hands of her money-hungry daughter-in-law), some levity is found in the bright melodies on the track, which could be read as an attempt at saving face or just wistful longing for understanding from her audience.
I have this thing where I get older but just never wiser
Midnights become my afternoons
“Snow On The Beach” (feat. Lana Del Rey)
“Snow On The Beach” describes the magical, impossible quality of Swift’s relationship with her partner. The simple, dreamy production of the song mirrors the sensations Swift’s lyrics describe. Although the song employs some unique metaphors, it still comes off as cliché, and the lyrics themselves are simplistic to the point of being crude – “And it's like snow at the beach / Weird but fucking beautiful.” The song features actor Dylan O’Brien (who starred in Swift’s All Too Well: The Short Film) on the drums and singer Lana Del Rey on vocals. The decision to relegate Del Rey to singing harmonies and backing vocals is regrettable, as her voice is barely noticeable on the track. (In other words, Swift “HAIM-ed” her.)
But it's coming down, no sound, it's all around
Like snow on the beach
“You’re On Your Own, Kid”
“You’re On Your Own, Kid” seems to tell the story of Swift’s life and career, beginning with an unrequited childhood love then detailing her rise to fame and the lack of satisfaction coupled with feelings of inadequacy that seemed to be a constant throughout this period (“I search the party of better bodies // just to learn that my dreams aren’t rare,” “I hosted parties and starved my body // like I’d be saved by a perfect kiss”). “You’re On Your Own, Kid” is one of the album’s best pieces of storytelling, particularly because the melodic arc of the song matches the lyrical content well. The highlight of the song is definitely its bridge which builds and builds until it finally breaks free when she realizes “there were pages turned with the bridges burned // everything you lose is a step you take” and decides to move forward, free from the fear of inadequacy that’s been holding her back – “make the friendship bracelets, take the moment and taste it // you’ve got no reason to be afraid.” Swift concludes the song by reassuring herself that even though she may be on her own, that’s not necessarily a bad thing, and she can take what life throws her way – “You’re on your own, kid / yeah, you can face this.” Plus, fans of producer Jack Antonoff’s will appreciate the reference to Bleachers’s “Don’t Take the Money,” in Swift’s lyric “the jokes weren’t funny / I took the money.”
From sprinkler splashes to fireplace ashes
I gave my blood, sweat, and tears for this
I hosted parties and starved my body
Like I'd be saved by a perfect kiss
The jokes weren't funny, I took the money
My friends from home don't know what to say
I looked around in a blood-soaked gown
And I saw something they can't take away
Cause there were pages turned with the bridges burned
Everything you lose is a step you take
So, make the friendship bracelets, take the moment and taste it
You've got no reason to be afraid
“Midnight Rain”
“Midnight Rain” describes the contrasting desires of Swift and her hometown, boy-next-door lover, explaining why their love fell apart. As the lyrics state, “he wanted a bride,” but she was “chasing that fame.” While Swift mostly describes events in the past, the outro brings flashes forward to the present, complicating an otherwise conceptually simplistic song. In the outro, Swift says that she and her lover both “got what [they] wanted,” but they still occasionally think of each other – he when he sees her on TV and she on “midnights like this” – which raises the question of what would have happened if she had stayed with him and pursued the life he wanted instead. The song’s chorus features a polarizing use of autotune, which is arguably one of its strengths, as it adds something sonically interesting to a song which is lyrically somewhat repetitive.
He wanted it comfortable
I wanted that pain
He wanted a bride
I was making my own name
Chasing that fame
He stayed the same
“Question…?”
After opening with a sample from 1989’s “Out Of The Woods,” “Question…?” follows a past relationship where the other person seems to have moved on but things are emotionally unresolved. Much of the song sees Swift asking a series of rhetorical questions with a tone that’s not easily decipherable, read by some as sarcasm and others as helplessness/desperation. The track features some interesting production in the bridge, where Swift’s vocals are pitched up in a way that conveys thinly veiled frustration. Appropriately, the bridge’s lyrical content toes the line between bitterness and bravado, as Swift sings “Does it feel like everything’s just like second best after that meteor strike? // And what’s that that I heard? That you’re still with her? // That’s nice, I’m sure that’s what’s suitable and right.”
Painted all my nights
A color I've searched for since
“Vigilante Shit”
“Vigilante Shit” is possibly the most polarizing song on the album. Sung from the point of view of a seemingly morally gray heroine, it feels like it came straight off Reputation (2017) with its central theme being revenge. However, the lyrics’ attempts at being hard and badass often fail, resulting in cringey lines (don’t get us started on “Draw the cat eye, sharp enough to kill a man”) and the feeling that Swift was maybe trying too hard to replicate the work of artists like Billie Eilish. That being said, the song’s eerie harmonies and baseline definitely create a compelling mood of haunting villainy, which is emphasized by the uniquely stripped-down bridge. It also offers some insight into some very public drama, if that’s of interest. No matter your thoughts on the song, you have to admit that it’s unique.
While he was doing lines
And crossing all of mine
Someone told his white collar crimes to the FBI
“Bejeweled”
The album’s second single features fun, video game-esque production that would be at home on the Wreck-It Ralph soundtrack. Although wordy at times in a way that doesn’t always flow very well (e.g. “did all the extra credit, then got graded on a curve”), the lyrics take a rare backseat to the dance beat and shimmering sound effects. As in many of Swift’s songs, the bridge is the highlight, with an intriguing melody change, compelling word choice, and a smooth transition into the final chorus.
Sapphire tears on my face
Sadness became my whole sky
But some guy said my aura's moonstone
Just 'cause he was high
“Labyrinth”
The most lyrically simple song on the album, “Labyrinth” still manages to be an compelling track and avoids the clichés that some other Midnights tracks tend towards. In both lyrics and production, it captures the uncontrollable and terrifying feeling of falling in love, and the fear of heartbreak that comes with it. It’s incredibly poignant in its simplicity (take, for example, the simple repetition of “uh oh, I’m falling in love” in the chorus) and features the atmospheric production and synth vocals that set Midnights apart from Swift’s other albums. While it is somewhat reminiscent of some of Swift’s more stripped-back tracks from folklore and evermore, “Labyrinth” also embodies the new sound Swift is exploring on Midnights with its darker, synth-centric production. The final chorus / outro of the song especially encapsulates both the distinct Midnights production sound and the feeling of falling in love – with all its complicated dimensions – that the song’s lyrics describe.
Break up, break free, break through, break down
Oh no, I'm falling in love again
“Karma”
A fan favorite on the album, “Karma” provides an interesting twist on the idea of karma, framing it as a positive force – “Karma’s a relaxing thought // Aren’t you envious that for you it’s not?” Joining a pantheon of songs directed at the haters, “Karma” distinguishes itself as a genuine endorsement of taking the highroad. Swift’s delivery and the track’s light, pop sound combine to ward off any unintended bitterness that dragged down earlier attempts at a similar sentiment. Though the bridge promises negative karma for those who bring it upon themselves, the song as a whole is uplifting and a stand-out on the poppier side of the album, with a catchy hook and playful production elements. In spite of the insecurities she shares throughout the album, in “Karma,” Swift acknowledges her staying power in the industry, attributing it to the choices she’s made and how she’s treated people throughout her career. Swift’s message is clear – she’s gotten what she deserves.
Karma's a relaxing thought
Aren't you envious that for you it's not?Sweet like honey, karma is a cat
Purring in my lap 'cause it loves me
“Sweet Nothing”
A cute love song, “Sweet Nothing” details a relationship that acts as physical and emotional protection/shield. Swift expresses her love for someone who asks nothing of her when the world asks too much. Co-written by her current boyfriend, Joe Alwyn (credited as William Bowery), the song seems to serve as a culmination of the many hopelessly romantic tracks in Swift’s discography. Through addressing her insecurities and the darker sides of the industry that have plagued her, and painting her partner as a remedy, it’s clear she has found what she was looking for.
Outside they're push and shoving
You're in the kitchen humming
All that you ever wanted from me was
Sweet nothing
“Mastermind”
A song about “masterminding” a relationship and fearing that doing so is the only way to secure love, “Mastermind” contains an interesting thematic contrast between a dreamy love story and darker insecurities. As in previous works, Swift references how she didn’t have many friends when she was younger and how that motivated her to surround herself with people when she came to fame in her 20s (“No one wanted to play with me as a little kid // So I've been scheming like a criminal ever since // To make them love me and make it seem effortless”). The final chorus contains a quintessential Taylor Swift twist as the lyrics change from “What if I told you I'm a mastermind?” to “You knew that I'm a mastermind.” However, compared to some of the more interesting production choices on the album, those on “Mastermind” are uninspired.
I laid the groundwork and then saw a wide smirk
On your face, you knew the entire time
You knew that I'm a mastermind
And now you're mine
“The Great War”
Probably the best song (lyrically) on the album, “The Great War” utilizes World War I as an analogy for a period of fighting within a relationship. Swift makes explicit references to war more generally, with phrases like “good faith treaties” and “I called off the troops,” as well as to details specific to the era of WWI, like “place a poppy in my hair.” She is also insistent that she and her partner will “never go back to that bloodshed” – an idea that mirrors the original portrayal of WWI as “The War To End All Wars,” which may imply future struggles in the relationship. Aside from Swift’s use of metaphor, the lyrical strength of the track lies in its emotional depth and how it functions alongside other songs on the album. Though both parties are to blame in the narrative, Swift admits considerable fault, citing her inability to communicate (“spineless in my tomb of silence”), her instinct to distance herself (“I drew curtains closed // Drank my poison all alone”), and reactionary tendencies (“your finger on my hairpin triggers”), among others. Rather than presenting these faults as excuses for her behavior, she openly acknowledges how these choices harm her and the relationship she cherishes. Much of the language Swift uses is familiar, repeated in songs like “Lavender Haze” (“Somewhere in the haze, got a sense I’d been betrayed” seems to reference the “lavender haze” of the happy relationship in track 1) and “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve.” The latter is explored in more depth below, but the song details an emotionally abusive relationship – the effects of which seem to be present in her current relationship. Aware of this, Swift writes, “Maybe it’s the past that’s talking // Screaming from the crypt,” which directly references a line about a tomb that won’t close in “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve.” This, along with images of tearing down banners, drinking poison, and fighting in her sleep, draw a clear connection between the two tracks and relay a decade-long emotional journey. The vulnerability, strength of storytelling, and deft word choice make “The Great War” one of Swift’s best.
It turned into something bigger
Somewhere in the haze, got a sense I'd been betrayed
Your finger on my hair pin triggers
Soldier down on that icy ground
Looked up at me with honor and truth
Broken and blue, so I called off the troops
That was the night I nearly lost you
I really thought I lost you
“Bigger Than The Whole Sky”
In arguably the album’s most heart-wrenching song, “Bigger Than The Whole Sky,” Swift grieves the loss of something, likely a person – or the idea of a person – whom she once loved. The song’s lyrics, set to a beautiful melody, focus more on conveying the feeling of loss than the story behind it. She questions her own role in what happened, asking, “Did some force take you because I didn’t pray,” but seems to reach a place of acceptance, despite questioning how she’ll move forward. There is also an obvious lyrical reference to “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve,” as she repeats the phrase “What could’ve been, would’ve been // What should’ve been you.” This could suggest that Swift is mourning a better version of someone she loved or maybe even a version of herself who never experienced the pain a relationship caused. The song has been interpreted in numerous ways, with some listeners relating their experience with a miscarriage and others connecting the loss of a close family member. In this instance, the ambiguity in Swift’s writing adds significant value. If there’s anything that does take away from the track’s poignancy, it’s that it is immediately followed by the incredibly upbeat “Paris.”
So I'll say words I don't believe
Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye
You were bigger than the whole sky
You were more than just a short time
“Paris”
“Paris” is a cute but not particularly memorable track about being caught up in your infatuation with another person and finding romance in privacy. The concept itself – escaping to Paris to explore, drink, and sleep with the one you love – harkens back to Swift’s most youthful moments of hopeless romanticism, which can be quite charming at times. It’s reminiscent (both sonically and lyrical) of the vault tracks, “Message In A Bottle” and “The Very First Night,” from Red (Taylor’s Version) (2021), which do have their place on the album as fun pop songs. That said, the sentiment of “Paris” (hiding your love from the public eye) is also conveyed in “Sweet Nothing,” where its delivery holds more emotional weight. There are also some lyrics that come across as a bit tacky, like a reference to throwing shade, which could have been intentional but is less a meaningful addition to the song and more something to overlook as a listener.
I'm so in love that I might stop breathing
Drew a map on your bedroom ceiling
No, I didn't see the news
'Cause we were somewhere else
“High Infidelity”
“High Infidelity” details a relationship gone sour due to mismatched desires for the future and unfulfilled emotional needs. Swift expresses her dissatisfaction with the traditional American family life her partner covets, envisioning something different for herself – “Your picket fence is sharp as knives” and “Dragged my feet right down the aisle // At the house lonely.” She also reveals the toll the relationship took on her emotionally, as she sings, “You know there’s many different ways that you can kill the one you love // The slowest way is never loving them enough.” As the title of the track (and its possible reference to High Fidelity (2000)) implies, Swift admits to cheating on her partner, expressing little remorse at having found someone better – “Do you really wanna know where I was April 29th? // Do I really have to tell you how he brought me back to life?” In terms of production, “High Infidelity” sounds like it could have been on Swift’s evermore (2020), which Aaron Dessner (main prod. credit) was also heavily involved in. Even lyrically, its central storyline of an affair being a fulfilling escape from a legitimate relationship is incredibly similar to that of evermore’s “Ivy,” though the tone is quite different.
Do you really want to know where I was April 29th?
Do I really have to tell you how he brought me back to life?
“Glitch”
“Glitch” seems to depict a friends with benefits situation that developed into something permanent. The initial relationship is characterized as the happy result of impulsivity and intoxication, held together with a tenuous bind, as Swift sings “Five seconds later, I’m fastening myself to you with a stitch.” She alludes to the illicit nature of their relationship, with lines like “It must be counterfeit” and “In search of glorious happenings of happenstance on someone else’s playground” implying some degree of infidelity or immorality. Glitch takes on two meanings, at first referring to the transition from friends to something more and, as the narrative develops, later comes to represent the unanticipated shift to a long-term, committed relationship. The track is a stand-out on the album production-wise, matching the light lyrical tone and playing heavily into the ‘glitch’ concept with crackling static, well-placed synths, and smooth bass licks.
I think there's been a glitch
Five seconds later, I'm fastening myself to you with a stitch
“Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve”
“Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve” – easily the most devastating song on the album – reflects on and tries to make sense of a traumatic relationship. Central to the song is a power imbalance, as Swift introduces herself as “a child” and the other person as “a promising grown man.” At risk of being presumptuous but for the sake of analysis, the man is rumored to be John Mayer, who dated 19-year-old Taylor Swift as a 32-year old. She addresses his status in the opening verse, describing herself as nothing more than a “splatter” of paint for him to wash his hands of. This emphasizes the relative insignificance of her effect on his public reputation, despite how she’s haunted by the relationship over a decade later. Swift constantly alternates (almost line by line) between acknowledging his abuse of power and shouldering the blame herself, seeming to feel that she betrayed her morals by getting involved with him. In the second verse, she sings, “If you never touched me I would’ve gone along with the righteous // If I never blushed then they could’ve never whispered about this,” questioning what would’ve happened if he’d never pursued her or if she’d never shown any interest. Religious language and imagery is used heavily throughout the song to convey this internal struggle, what she describes as “a crisis of [her] faith,” writing in the chorus, “I would’ve stayed on my knees // And I damn sure never would’ve danced with the devil // At nineteen // And the God’s honest truth is that the pain was heaven.” Despite all the years gone by, she shares her inability to heal from the damage of the relationship (“the wound won’t close”) and profound regret she feels for ever knowing him (“Now that I know, I wish you left me wondering”). Aside from the combined strength of Swift’s songwriting and delivery – showcased in such gut wrenching lines as the pleaded “Give me back my girlhood // It was mine first” – “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve” provides an important commentary on the potential emotional impact of relationships with such an unbalanced power dynamic. For Swift, the effects are long lasting (as evidenced in “The Great War”) and irreversible – “God rest my soul // I miss who I used to be.”
If clarity's in death, then why won't this die?
Years of tearing down our banners, you and I
Living for the thrill of hitting you where it hurts
Give me back my girlhood, it was mine firstGod rest my soul, I miss who I used to be
The tomb won't close, stained glass windows in my mind
I regret you all the time
“Dear Reader”
In “Dear Reader,” Swift seems to be addressing her fans – or possibly her past self – ironically giving advice and then cautioning listeners to “never take advice from someone who's falling apart.” She seems to be addressing her fame and fanbase in a way she never has previously, recognizing that many people look up to her, while also feeling that she isn’t a suitable role model. In this way, “Dear Reader” follows the themes of self-dislike and feelings of inadequacy that appear on other tracks throughout the album such as “Anti-Hero” and “Mastermind.” Once you get past the title’s breaking of the fourth wall, the “Dear Reader,” becomes one of the most lyrically complex and interesting tracks on the album. Sonically, the song is very reminiscent of Reputation, particularly its 12th track “Dress.” However, the experimentation with synthesized vocals in the outro clearly positions it as belonging to Midnights. The chorus of “never take advice from someone who’s falling apart” makes good use of autotune to mirror Swift’s fragile emotional state. As an appeal to her audience, “Dear Reader” makes for a solid closing track, despite not being a standout on the album.
No one sees when you lose
When you're playing solitaire
You should find another guiding light
Guiding light
But I shine so bright
Maisie’s Ranking
You’re On Your Own, Kid
Labyrinth
The Great War
High Infidelity
Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve
Karma
Midnight Rain
Question…?
Lavender Haze
Anti-Hero
Maroon
Mastermind
Sweet Nothings
Dear Reader
Bigger Than The Whole Sky
Glitch
Vigilante Shit
Snow On The Beach
Bejeweled
Paris
Gloria’s Ranking
Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve
Karma
The Great War
Maroon
Glitch
Question…?
You’re On Your Own, Kid
Anti-Hero
Lavender Haze
Bigger Than The Whole Sky
High Infidelity
Labyrinth
Paris
Midnight Rain
Snow On The Beach
Sweet Nothing
Bejeweled
Dear Reader
Mastermind
Vigilante Shit
