"Dorothea" | |
---|---|
Song by Taylor Swift | |
from the album Evermore | |
Released | December 11, 2020 |
Studio | Long Pond Studio (Hudson Valley) |
Genre | |
Length | 3:45 |
Label | Republic |
Songwriter(s) |
|
Producer(s) | Aaron Dessner |
Lyric video | |
"Dorothea" on YouTube |
"Dorothea" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her ninth studio album, Evermore (2020). Swift wrote the song with its producer, Aaron Dessner. The lyrics are from the perspective of an unnamed character reminiscing an old friendship with the titular fictional character, when they were in their adolescence. It tells the story of how the two reconcile when Dorothea returns from Hollywood to their hometown Tupelo for the holiday season. The narrator confesses to Dorothea that they still love her despite the change and hope to reconcile the long lost friendship. The narrator later convinces her to abandon an acting career for a simplistic life in their hometown.
Musically, "Dorothea" is an Americana and country folk song driven by a honky-tonk piano, guitars, and drums. In reviews of Evermore, music critics complimented Swift's songwriting in "Dorothea" for its character study with rich lyrical details. Commercially, the song charted in Australia, Canada, Portugal, and the United States. It peaked at number 47 on the Billboard Global 200.
Taylor Swift conceived her eighth studio album, Folklore , as a set of mythopoeic visuals in her mind, a result of her imagination "running wild" while isolating herself during the COVID-19 pandemic. [1] [2] She surprised with the album's announcement on July 23, 2020, and released it the next day. To satiate her craving to explore more of the "folklorian woods" she visualized in her mind, Swift immediately developed another album as a conclusive counterpart to Folklore, titled Evermore . [3] "Dorothea" was one of the two songs Swift had written for Big Red Machine, a band consisting of her Folklore personnel Aaron Dessner and Justin Vernon, the other being "Closure"; however, the two songs were eventually included on Evermore's track-listing, where "Dorothea" placed eighth. [4] Identical to Folklore's launch, Swift made a surprise announcement of Evermore on December 10, 2020, and released it the next day. [3]
After Evermore's release, Swift performed "Dorothea" as a "surprise song" at the July 8, 2023, show in Kansas City, Missouri, as part of the Eras Tour. She sang it again as part of a mashup with "It's Nice to Have a Friend" (2019) at the tour's Edinburgh stop on June 9, 2024. [5]
"Dorothea" is a country folk song [6] built around honky-tonk piano, [7] [8] tambourine jingles, and guitars, [9] accompanied by "whirling" acoustics. [10] Claire Shaffer of Rolling Stone described it as a "rollicking, Americana piano tune". [11] It features characteristic notes of Swift's lower register in its hook. [12] Her vocal range in the song spans from D#3 to B4. [13] The song is written in the key of E major and has a moderately fast tempo of 120 beats per minute. [14]
Dorothea, a girl who left her small town to chase down Hollywood dreams — and what happens when she comes back for the holidays and rediscovers an old flame.
Lyrically, "Dorothea" and another track from Evermore, "'Tis the Damn Season", together revolve around a fictional story set in Tupelo, Mississippi. The story consists of two characters, Dorothea and an unnamed subject, who were high-school lovers until Dorothea decided to move to Los Angeles to pursue a Hollywood career, subsequently breaking up with her partner who never wanted to leave the town. The track represents the ex’s reminiscing of their past relationship after Dorothea becomes famous, singing about how they are happy for her and wondering if she still thinks of them like they do her. [16] [17] The narrator sings about memories with her, such as a skipped prom and feelings of separation, [9] and attempts to convince Dorothea to return to the simplicity of rural life. [18]
"'Tis the Damn Season" is narrated by Dorothea, who expresses her thoughts about the ex when she returns to Tupelo for winter vacation and reconnects with them. [9] In a Q&A session, Swift answered that Dorothea went to the same school as Betty, James, and Inez, the three characters named in "Betty", even though the two storylines do not intersect. [19]
Brodie Lancaster of The Sydney Morning Herald called "Dorothea" a "masterwork of a character study". [20] NME critic Hannah Mylrea opined that "Dorothea", over "dancing piano lines", portrays the story of a lovelorn man "whose high-school sweetheart left to try and make it in Hollywood", incorporating vocal melodies reminiscent of Swift's self-titled debut studio album, Taylor Swift (2006). [21] Annie Zaleski of The A.V. Club wrote that the song is for those "who struggle with feeling left behind by glamorous old friends". [22] Writing for The Guardian , Alexis Petridis called the song "a particularly luminous tune" that eschews "the old country cliche in which a star tells you their life of fame and luxury is nothing compared to the warm comfort of their old small-town life", instead has a protagonist look at a now-famous friend and attempt to convince their return to the simpler life. [23] The Independent writer Helen Brown said that "Dorothea" has Swift slip "into the mind of a celebrity's hometown pal. [24] Variety critic Chris Willman described the song's narrator as "a honey in Tupelo who is telling a childhood friend who moved away and became famous that she's always welcome back in her hometown", and praised Swift's "empathic wondering"–"how it feels to be at the other end of the telescope". [25]
Upon Evermore's release, all of the album's tracks debuted on both the US Billboard Hot Rock & Alternative Songs and the all-genre Hot 100 charts; "Dorothea" entered at number 13 on the former, and at number 67 on the latter. [26] Elsewhere, it further reached number 47 on Australia's ARIA Singles Chart and number 34 on the Canadian Hot 100. The song debuted at number 47 on the Billboard Global 200 chart.
Credits adapted from the album's liner notes [27] and Pitchfork . [28]
Chart (2020) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [29] | 47 |
Canada (Canadian Hot 100) [30] | 34 |
Global 200 ( Billboard ) [31] | 47 |
Portugal (AFP) [32] | 173 |
UK Audio Streaming (OCC) [33] | 74 |
US Billboard Hot 100 [34] | 67 |
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs ( Billboard ) [35] | 13 |
US Rolling Stone Top 100 [36] | 40 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [37] | Gold | 35,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Big Red Machine is an American indie folk band that began as a collaboration between musicians Aaron Dessner and Justin Vernon. The band is named after the nickname for the dominant 1970s Cincinnati Reds baseball team, which won the 1976 World Series in Dessner's birth year.
Folklore is the eighth studio album by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. It was a surprise album, released on July 24, 2020, via Republic Records. Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, Swift canceled the concert tour for her seventh studio album Lover (2019). She conceived Folklore during quarantine as "a collection of songs and stories that flowed like a stream of consciousness", working with producers Aaron Dessner and Jack Antonoff virtually; Dessner and Antonoff operated from recording studios in the Hudson Valley and New York City, respectively, while Swift recorded her vocals in a home studio at her Los Angeles residence.
"Peace" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her eighth studio album, Folklore (2020). Swift wrote the song with its producer, Aaron Dessner. According to Swift, "Peace" is her most personal song on Folklore. It has a minimal composition of a soft piano and harmonized guitars over an electric pulse, combining elements of R&B, funk, and jazz. In the lyrics, Swift's character pledges her commitment to a lover while acknowledging the downsides she might bring to their relationship.
"Betty" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her eighth studio album, Folklore (2020). It was written by Swift and Joe Alwyn, and the former produced the track with Aaron Dessner and Jack Antonoff. MCA Nashville and Republic Records released the song to US country radio on August 17, 2020. "Betty" is an Americana-inspired song combining country, folk rock, and guitar pop. Its production consists of a harmonica, a pedal steel, guitars, and a key change after the bridge.
"August" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her eighth studio album, Folklore (2020). Swift wrote and produced "August" with Jack Antonoff; Joe Alwyn was credited as a co-producer. A dream pop and guitar pop ballad, "August" features elements of soft rock in its guitars, strings, and vocal reverberation. In the lyrics, an unnamed female narrator expresses her sorrow over James, a 17-year-old boy who reconciles with Betty after a fleeting summer romance with her. She is a character involved in a love triangle depicted in three Folklore tracks, the other two being "Cardigan" and "Betty".
"Invisible String" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her eighth studio album, Folklore (2020). She wrote the song with its producer, Aaron Dessner. The lyrics are about how fate brings two soulmates together and refer to specific moments from their lives, containing references to the literature classics Jane Eyre and The Sun Also Rises. Musically, "Invisible String" is a folk tune with elements of blues, pop, and country. Its spare acoustic arrangement is driven by acoustic guitar strums on a rubber bridge and vocal backbeats.
"Mad Woman" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her eighth studio album, Folklore (2020). The song was written by Swift and its producer, Aaron Dessner. "Mad Woman" is a ballad that confronts gaslighting and the sexist taboo regarding women's anger.
"The 1" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift and the opening track from her eighth studio album, Folklore (2020). She wrote the song with its producer, Aaron Dessner. A folk and soft rock tune with elements of indie folk, "The 1" sets Swift's conversational vocals over a production consisting of piano and percussion. In its lyrics, the narrator fondly introspects a failed romance and details the time when she found "the one" who never came to be. Republic Records released the song for download in Germany on October 9, 2020.
Evermore is the ninth studio album by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. It was a surprise album released on December 11, 2020, via Republic Records, less than five months after her previous studio album Folklore. Evermore was a spontaneous product of Swift's extended collaboration with her Folklore collaborator Aaron Dessner, mainly recorded at his Long Pond Studio in the Hudson Valley.
"Willow" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her ninth studio album, Evermore (2020). It was released on December 11, 2020, by Republic Records as the lead single from the album. "Willow" is a chamber folk love song making use of several metaphors to convey the singer's romantic state of mind, such as portraying her life as a willow tree, over picked guitars, glockenspiel, flute, strings, and percussion.
"No Body, No Crime" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, featuring the American band Haim, from her ninth studio album, Evermore (2020). She wrote the track as a result of her fixation with crime documentaries and podcasts, and co-produced it with Aaron Dessner. A tune featuring styles of country, country rock, and Americana, "No Body, No Crime" is a murder ballad about the murder of a woman named Este, narrated by her friend who avenges her. Republic Records in partnership with MCA Nashville sent the song to US country radio on January 11, 2021, as a single from Evermore.
"Champagne Problems" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her ninth studio album, Evermore (2020). She wrote the song with Joe Alwyn, who is credited under the pseudonym William Bowery, and produced it with Aaron Dessner. "Champagne Problems" is a lo-fi tune driven by a rhythmic composition of piano and guitar riff.
"Coney Island" is a song by Taylor Swift featuring the National, taken from Swift's ninth studio album, Evermore (2020). Swift, Joe Alwyn, and the National's Aaron and Bryce Dessner wrote the song, with the latter two producing it. Matt Berninger contributed guest vocals. Republic Records sent "Coney Island" to US adult album alternative radio as a single on January 18, 2021.
"Long Story Short" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her ninth studio album, Evermore (2020). She wrote the song with its producer, Aaron Dessner. "Long Story Short" is an upbeat song that consists of dynamic programmed and live drums, synths, strings, and guitars; music critics characterize the genre as synth-pop, electropop, folk-pop, and indie rock. The lyrics see Swift reminiscing about a dark part of her past and her contentment with a current state of mind.
"Marjorie" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her ninth studio album, Evermore (2020). A tribute to Swift's late maternal grandmother, the opera singer Marjorie Finlay, the song features bits of advice that Finlay offered to Swift and touches on her guilt over not knowing Finlay to the fullest. It incorporates slow-burning synthesizers, strings, and samples of Finlay's operatic vocals.
"'Tis the Damn Season" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her ninth studio album, Evermore (2020). She wrote the song with Aaron Dessner, who produced it using an instrumental track he had written prior. "'Tis the Damn Season" is a folk song instrumented by a finger-picked electric guitar and programmed drums. Narrated from the perspective of a female character named Dorothea, the lyrics detail her returning to her hometown during the holiday season and engaging in a quickly-faded rekindled relationship.
How Long Do You Think It's Gonna Last? is the second studio album by American indie duo Big Red Machine, which consists of musicians Aaron Dessner and Justin Vernon. It was released on August 27, 2021, via 37d03d and Jagjaguwar record labels. Dessner stated the album is built around themes of childhood, familial dynamics, and mental health. He cited The Last Waltz, the 1978 live album by the Band, as an inspiration for the record.
"Renegade" is a song recorded by American indie band Big Red Machine featuring American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, released on July 2, 2021, by 37d03d and Jagjaguwar. It was serviced to US triple-A radio on the same day as the third single from the band's second studio album, How Long Do You Think It's Gonna Last? (2021).
"Happiness" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, taken from her ninth studio album, Evermore (2020). She wrote the song with Aaron Dessner, who produced it using an instrumental track he had written since 2019. A midtempo ambient ballad, "Happiness" has piano, guitar and synthesizer instrumentation generated by a slow drone that build up. Its lyrics are about a narrator finding happiness after a divorce.
"Tolerate It" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, taken from her ninth studio album, Evermore (2020). She wrote the track with its producer, Aaron Dessner. A slow building piano ballad, "Tolerate It" features a midtempo production and an odd time signature. Inspired by the Daphne du Maurier novel Rebecca (1938), its lyrics are narrated by a young woman who addresses her unstable relationship with an older man who does not seem to like her.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)