The Last Great American Dynasty

Last updated

"The Last Great American Dynasty"
Song by Taylor Swift
from the album Folklore
ReleasedJuly 24, 2020 (2020-07-24)
Studio
  • Kitty Committee (Los Angeles)
  • Long Pond (Hudson Valley)
Genre
Length3:51
Label Republic
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Aaron Dessner
Lyric video
"The Last Great American Dynasty" on YouTube

"The Last Great American Dynasty" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her eighth studio album, Folklore (2020). The life of the American socialite Rebekah Harkness, who once lived in Swift's Rhode Island mansion, inspired her to write the song.

Contents

The lyrics recall Harkness's inherited wealth from her husband and her decadent lifestyle, which became the gossip of the town; the final refrain draws parallels between Harkness's life and Swift's, implying how others scrutinized them both for their personal lifestyles. Aaron Dessner co-wrote and, inspired by the sound of Radiohead's In Rainbows (2007), produced the song. "The Last Great American Dynasty" is an indie-oriented folktronica, country, and guitar pop tune featuring an uptempo arrangement of percussions, layered electric guitars, slide guitar, strings, and electronic elements.

Music critics praised Swift's songwriting from a third-person perspective and the production. The publications American Songwriter , Billboard, Pitchfork, and Uproxx ranked it among the best songs of 2020. "The Last Great American Dynasty" entered the top 10 of charts in Australia, Malaysia, and Singapore, and the top 20 in Canada, New Zealand, and the United States. It was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). Swift performed the song in the concert documentary Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions (2020), as well as on the Eras Tour, from March 2023 to March 2024. [1]

Background and composition

Aiming for an uptempo and enticing sound, the American musician Aaron Dessner composed the instrumentals of "The Last Great American Dynasty" inspired by the electric guitars in Radiohead's album, In Rainbows (2007). [2] He sent the music sample to American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, who was isolating herself due to the COVID-19 pandemic; she liked the sound, and wrote the lyrics to the song in under the time Dessner would go out for a run and return. [3] The lyrics were inspired by the life of American socialite Rebekah Harkness, whom Swift wanted to write about ever since she purchased Holiday House in 2013. [4]

Swift's Holiday House (left) in Westerly, Rhode Island, the setting of "The Last Great American Dynasty". Holiday House on Watch Hill.jpg
Swift's Holiday House (left) in Westerly, Rhode Island, the setting of "The Last Great American Dynasty".

In a 2020 Entertainment Weekly interview, Swift revealed that she first learned about Harkness from a real estate agent who walked her through the property. Consequently, the singer started reading a lot about Harkness's life and found her stories interesting. It led to the development of parallels between Harkness and herself, both of them "being the lady that lives in that house on the hill that everybody gets to gossip about". Swift stated she was looking for a chance to write about Harkness, and finally found it when she heard the instrumental track that Dessner sent. Swift employed a narrative device in the song's lyrics commonly found in country music, which she described as: "the first verse you sing about someone else, the second verse you sing about someone else who's even closer to you, and then in the third verse, you go, 'Surprise! It was me'. You bring it personal for the last verse". [4]

"The Last Great American Dynasty" is a folktronica, [5] country, [6] and guitar pop tune that embraces an alternative, indie-leaning production, making use of classical instruments like slide guitar, viola, violins and drums. [3] [7] [8] [9] Swift's vocal range in the song spans between E 3 to B 4. The song is written in the key of G major and has a moderately fast tempo of 148 beats per minute. [10] In a 2021 exclusive for People , Swift further explained why Harkness inspired the song: "It can be a real pearl-clutching moment for society when a woman owns her desires and wildness, and I love the idea that the woman in question would be too joyful in her freedom to even care that she's ruffling feathers, raising eyebrows or becoming the talk of the town. The idea that she decided there were marvelous times to be had, and that was more important". [11]

Lyrics

The song chronicles the life of Rebekah Harkness (pictured), who owned Standard Oil, founded Harkness Ballet, and resided in the Holiday House. Rebekah Harkness publicity photo.jpg
The song chronicles the life of Rebekah Harkness (pictured), who owned Standard Oil, founded Harkness Ballet, and resided in the Holiday House.

Her name was Rebekah Harkness. And she lived in the house that I ended up buying in Rhode Island. That's how I learned about her. But she was a woman who was very, very talked about, and everything she did was scandalous. I found a connection in that.

— Swift on the inspiration behind "The Last Great American Dynasty", Rolling Stone [12]

"The Last Great American Dynasty" narrates the story and satirizes the vilification of American socialite and composer Rebekah Harkness, who previously inhabited the Holiday House—Swift's mansion in Watch Hill, Rhode Island. [13] [14] Written in a townsfolk third-person narrative, it details the following: Rebekah West, a middle-class divorcée from St. Louis, married William "Bill" Harkness in 1947, who was the heir to Standard Oil, an oil-refining company that was the 19th-century's first and largest multinational corporation in the world. The couple bought a seaside estate in Watch Hill, Rhode Island, and nicknamed it "Holiday House". Bill died of heart attack in 1954, for which Rebekah was blamed by the town. After her then-husband's death, Rebekah inherited his enormous wealth and became one of the wealthiest women in the US. [15] [16] [17] [18]

Rebekah invited "big names" and her "bitch pack"—a group of female city friends—to the house, and spent the new money by throwing numerous high-class events and "outrageous" parties; Watch Hill scorned her for causing the downfall of the Harkness family, calling her the maddest and the "most shameless" woman in the town's history. Pursuing her passion for arts, Rebekah founded a professional ballet company in 1964, called the Harkness Ballet. Further details in the song about Harkness' life include: how she gambled with Spanish surrealist artist Salvador Dalí, "filled" her swimming pool with champagne, when in fact, she had only used champagne to clean the pool, and stole a neighbor's dog and dyed it lime green because of a feud, whereas in reality, it was a cat instead of a dog, which implies the inaccuracy of gossips—one of many lyrical motifs present in Folklore. The lyric "she had a marvelous time ruining everything" refers to the hate she received from the town and tabloids, and how Rebekah is infamous for "not fitting in". [3] [15] [17] [18]

In the song's bridge, Swift reveals her purchase of the Holiday House after 50 years of its vacancy, and in the final chorus, she shifts to first-person narrative, proclaiming herself "the loudest woman" the town has ever seen, and correlates between her celebrity life and Rebekah's controversies. Swift resonates her highly criticized moves with elements of Rebekah's story, and concludes the song with an outro of "I had a marvelous time ruining everything". Mainstream media has linked several moments of Swift's unfavorable press to that of Rebekah's, including the scrutiny the singer faces because of her highly publicized romantic life, her "squad" of popular celebrities, the Fourth of July parties she threw at the Holiday House, Watch Hill residents' concerns about the attention Swift brings to the community, and the governor of Rhode Island, Gina Raimondo, suggesting a tax on secondary homes costlier than $1 million, which was famously dubbed "the Taylor Swift tax". [17] [15] "The Last Great American Dynasty" is thematically feminist, [19] and thus considered to be a prequel to the twelfth Folklore track, "Mad Woman". [20] [21]

Critical reception

Critics praised "The Last Great American Dynasty" for Swift's signature wordplay and the storytelling plot. [11] Hannah Mylrea of NME lauded the song for its brooding instrumentals, Swift's peculiar vocals, and storytelling style reminiscent of works by Mary Chapin Carpenter and Bob Dylan, and pitted it as "a contender for the best Taylor Swift song ever written". [22] Noting its historical details, Americana imagery and "Fitzgerald-esque" lines, Pitchfork writer Julian Mapes hailed the song as "the all-timer, the instant classic" that celebrates society-defying women, and stated that the lyrics "play out in your mind like a storybook", but successfully point out society's reception of assertive women. Mapes also hailed the production as "textural and tastefully majestic". [20] Finding the song's lyricism as the most impressive storytelling from all of Folklore, Mikael Wood of the Los Angeles Times named the song the most humorous of all tracks, ranking it the album's third best song. Wood described it "a detailed portrait of the real-life woman who owned Swift's Rhode Island mansion—and evidently scandalized the town's gentry—decades before the singer did". [23]

PopMatters critic Michael Sumsion labelled the song a shrewd comparison that upgrades a small-town tale into a "towering myth". [14] Callie Ahlgrim of Insider asserted the twist in the song's bridge as "poetic genius". She further compared the final chorus tuning back to the present, underlining the parallels between Rebekah and Swift, to the bridge of Swift's 2008 hit, "Love Story", where Romeo proposes. [24] Chris Willman of Variety opined that Swift has "a grand old time" identifying herself with women who lived decades before her. [21] In congruence, Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone wrote that the song satirizes the upper-class environment of "Starlight", the fifteenth track on Swift's 2012 album Red , and matched the similarities between the songs—the usage of the word "marvelous" and the muses being people who lived decades before Swift's birth. [13]

A highlight from her summer quarantine album Folklore that traces the glamorous, troubled life of 20th-century heiress Rebekah Harkness [...] With the intrigue of a story song and the intimacy of a biography, Swift delves into socialite anthropology and returns with an epitaph for a woman she'll never meet. The real magic is the winking humility of the image in the mirror: a woman criticized endlessly for being too rich and too gauche who knows that living well is still the best revenge.

— Anna Gaca, music critic, "The 100 Best Songs of 2020", Pitchfork [25]

Uproxx writer Philip Cosores regarded "The Last Great American Dynasty" as entrenched in Swift's trademark "melodic warmth" and "vivid details", and complimented Dessner's slow-burning production. [26] Olivia Ovenden of Esquire picked the song as the album's highlight, and commended it for "seamlessly" blending indie sounds with Swift's pop prowess. [9] Jon Caramanica of The New York Times commented that the subject of the song, Harkness, is "a classic Swift heroine", who is purposeful, disruptive and misunderstood. [27] Jonathan Keefe, writing for Slant , thought the song highlights how Swift's "widening worldview" has enhanced her songwriting skills. [28] Caleb Campbell, writing for Under The Radar , found Swift seeing herself in the misogynistic tabloid gossip that afflicted Harkness, but shunning out the "diaristic, reputation-obsessed" semblance of her older catalogue. [29]

Katie Moulton, writing for Consequence of Sound , summarized that the song is a result of Swift's imagination expanding, as she is "consciously trying to write from perspectives not her own". [30] Nick Levine of The Telegraph pondered whether Swift is only acknowledging tensions with Watch Hill locals in the song, or if she is designating herself the successor to Harkness, and picked "The Last Great American Dynasty" as an album standout for exemplifying why Swift is one of the great songwriters of her generation. [31] Billboard listed "The Last Great American Dynasty" as one of its 20 picks for 2020 Song of the Summer, and remarked that the song gives-off "a more summery vibe" despite the generally "chillier" atmosphere of Folklore. [32]

Accolades

In her list ranking all 161 songs by Swift yet, Hannah Mylrea of NME placed the song at number two, only behind "All Too Well" (2012). She was impressed at how "The Last Great American Dynasty" manages to communicate a huge portion of Harkness's life in under few minutes, topping it off with a "banging" chorus. [33] NME placed the song at number eight on its list of 50 best songs of 2020, stating "Swift engaged masterful storytelling techniques over Dessner's glitchy, cantering production, vividly spinning the tale of Harkness' life while drawing parallels between the sexist criticism both women have received [...] It's an astonishing song: one that fuses witty lyricism with megawatt hooks, and a reminder that Taylor Swift is an artist who should never be underestimated." [34] Uproxx listed the track as the 15th best song of 2020, with Caitlin White dubbing it a "quintessential Swiftian creation". [35] Pitchfork named it the 32nd best song of 2020 on its list ranking the year's 100 best songs. [25] Billboard ranked it as the 39th best song of 2020, [36] while American Songwriter listed it amongst its 20 best songs of the year. [37] In 2021, Rob Sheffield placed "The Last Great American Dynasty" at number 17 on his ranking of Swift's 199 songs, [38] while Clash critics named it one of the 15 best songs in her discography. [39]

Commercial performance

Swift performing "The Last Great American Dynasty" on The Eras Tour Taylor Swift The Eras Tour The Folklore Set Era (53109968249) (cropped).jpg
Swift performing "The Last Great American Dynasty" on The Eras Tour

Upon release of Folklore, "The Last Great American Dynasty" reached the top-20 in many countries worldwide. In the US, all of the album's 16 tracks debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 simultaneously, with the song at number 13—the fourth highest-peaking song from the album, behind "Cardigan" (number one), "The 1" (number four) and "Exile" (number six), and one of its five top-20 entries. [40] It further debuted at number 42 on the Billboard Digital Song Sales chart. [41] The song peaked at number 13 on both of the Canadian Hot 100 and New Zealand Top 40 Singles charts. [42] [43]

In Australia, "The Last Great American Dynasty" debuted at number seven on the ARIA Singles Chart; along with four other tracks from Folklore that landed in the top-10, giving the album five top-10 entries in the country. [44] The album spawned five top-10 debuts in Malaysia as well, where the song peaked at number 10 on the RIM Singles chart. [45] On the Singapore Top 30 Digital Streaming chart, it peaked at number nine, marking the fourth top-10 entry from Folklore in the country. [46] The song further arrived at numbers 56, 81 and 89 on Ö3 Austria Top 40, Portugal's AFP Top 200 Singles and Sweden's Sverigetopplistan, respectively. [47] [48] [49]

Credits and personnel

Credits are adapted from the liner notes of Folklore. [50]

Charts

Chart performance for "The Last Great American Dynasty"
Chart (2020–2021)Peak
position
Australia (ARIA) [51] 7
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) [47] 56
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia) [52] 40
Canada (Canadian Hot 100) [42] 13
Malaysia (RIM) [45] 10
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [43] 13
Portugal (AFP) [48] 81
Singapore (RIAS) [46] 9
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) [49] 87
UK Audio Streaming (OCC) [53] 18
US Billboard Hot 100 [54] 13
US Rolling Stone Top 100 [55] 6

Certifications

Certifications for "The Last Great American Dynasty"
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [56] Platinum70,000‡
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil) [57] Platinum40,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI) [58] Gold400,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Folklore</i> (Taylor Swift album) 2020 studio album by Taylor Swift

Folklore is the eighth studio album by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. It was surprise-released on July 24, 2020, via Republic Records. Swift recorded her vocals in her Los Angeles home studio and worked virtually with the producers Aaron Dessner and Jack Antonoff, who operated from their studios in the Hudson Valley and New York City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cardigan (song)</span> 2020 single by Taylor Swift

"Cardigan" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift and the lead single from her eighth studio album, Folklore (2020). Republic Records released the song on July 27, 2020. Written by Swift and its producer, Aaron Dessner, "Cardigan" is a folk, soft rock, and indie rock ballad, with a stripped-down arrangement of a piano, drums, and violins.

"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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Betty (Taylor Swift song)</span> 2020 single by Taylor Swift

"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.

"Epiphany" 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 over an ambient-chamber pop composition consisting of a slow piano line, cinematic strings and howling brass.

"August" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her eighth studio album, Folklore (2020). Swift and Jack Antonoff wrote the song, and the two produced it with Joe Alwyn.

"Seven" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her eighth studio album, Folklore (2020). Swift co-wrote the song with its producer, Aaron Dessner. "Seven" is a folk song with nostalgic lyricism. It blends present and past perspectives: a 30-year-old narrator introspecting on her childhood in Pennsylvania while recalling the purity of her relationship with an old friend and the then 7-year-old narrator incapable of understanding the domestic violence her friend had experienced but realizing it years later. The song is led by Swift's upper register over a swirling piano line, complemented by acoustic guitars, drums, and strings.

"Exile" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift featuring the American band Bon Iver. It is from Swift's eighth studio album, Folklore (2020). "Exile" was written by Swift, Joe Alwyn, and Bon Iver's frontman Justin Vernon, with production by Aaron Dessner and Alwyn. Republic Records released the song to US alternative radio on August 3, 2020.

"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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Lakes (song)</span> 2020 song by Taylor Swift

"The Lakes" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, taken from the deluxe edition of her eighth studio album, Folklore (2020). Written and produced by Swift and Jack Antonoff, "The Lakes" is a midtempo indie ballad, set to acoustic guitar and strings, with themes of introspection and escapism that reflect on Swift's semi-retirement in Windermere, the largest natural lake in England.

"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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">High Watch</span> Colonial house in Rhode Island

High Watch is an 11,000-square-foot (1,000 m2) home in Watch Hill, a historic district in Westerly, Rhode Island, United States. The most expensive private home in Rhode Island, High Watch has been owned by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift since 2013 and is a subject of publicity and media attention, mostly known for being the venue of Swift's annual Independence Day parties, attended by a range of celebrities.

<i>Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions</i> 2020 American documentary concert film and live album

Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions is a 2020 American documentary concert film directed and produced by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, released on Disney+ on November 25, 2020. The documentary is set at Long Pond Studio, an isolated recording studio in a forested area in the Hudson Valley, New York; Swift performs all of the 17 tracks of her eighth studio album, Folklore (2020), whilst discussing the creative process behind the songs with her collaborators Aaron Dessner and Jack Antonoff. Swift made her debut as a film director with the documentary, which is her fourth film to be released on a streaming service, following the releases of The 1989 World Tour Live (2015), Taylor Swift: Reputation Stadium Tour (2018), and Miss Americana (2020).

<i>Evermore</i> 2020 studio album by Taylor Swift

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Willow (song)</span> 2020 single by Taylor Swift

"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.

"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 Dorothea 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 connection.

"Coney Island" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift featuring the American band the National. Swift, Joe Alwyn, and the brothers Aaron and Bryce Dessner wrote the song for Swift's ninth studio album, Evermore (2020). The track was produced by the Dessner brothers, and Matt Berninger contributed guest vocals. An alternative rock and indie folk track, "Coney Island" has lyrics depicting a separated couple's memories in Coney Island. Swift and Berninger respectively sings about their character's perspective reflecting on their past relationship.

"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.

"'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.

References

  1. ↑ Savage, Mark (May 9, 2024). "Taylor Swift Changes Eras Tour Setlist As European Tour Kicks Off in Paris". BBC News. Archived from the original on May 10, 2024. Retrieved May 10, 2024.
  2. ↑ Doyle, Tom (March 2021). "Aaron Dessner: Producing folklore And evermore". Sound on Sound . Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 Gerber, Brady (July 27, 2020). "The Story Behind Every Song on Taylor Swift's Folklore" . Vulture . Archived from the original on July 28, 2020. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  4. 1 2 Suskind, Alex (December 9, 2020). "Taylor Swift broke all her rules with Folklore—and gave herself a much-needed escape". Entertainment Weekly . Archived from the original on March 12, 2021. Retrieved December 9, 2020.
  5. ↑ Freeman, Hadley; Tisné, Léa (June 15, 2024). "The 20 best Taylor Swift songs, ranked" . The Times . Archived from the original on June 15, 2024. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
  6. ↑ Liddle, Rod (August 1, 2020). "Fine Tunes and Spacey, Quiet Grandeur: Taylor Swift's Folklore Reviewed" . The Spectator . Retrieved August 30, 2024.
  7. ↑ Pappis, Konstantinos (July 27, 2020). "Album Review: Taylor Swift, Folklore". Our Culture Mag . Archived from the original on October 28, 2021. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
  8. ↑ Curto, Justin (July 30, 2021). "Your map to the musical woods of Taylor Swift's Folklore" . Vulture . Archived from the original on August 25, 2021. Retrieved September 20, 2021.
  9. 1 2 Ovenden, Olivia (August 3, 2020). "Dance Away The Bad News with the Best Albums Of 2020 (So Far)". Esquire . Archived from the original on May 27, 2020. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  10. ↑ "Taylor Swift 'The Last Great American Dynasty' Sheet Music in G major". Musicnotes.com. July 24, 2020. Archived from the original on October 23, 2020. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  11. 1 2 Chiu, Melody (March 3, 2021). "Taylor Swift Reveals the Empowering Story Behind the Folklore Lyric That Makes Her 'Really Proud'". People . Archived from the original on March 3, 2021. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
  12. ↑ Doyle, Patrick (November 13, 2020). "Musicians on Musicians: Taylor Swift & Paul McCartney" . Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on November 13, 2020. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
  13. 1 2 Sheffield, Rob (July 24, 2020). "Taylor Swift Leaves Her Comfort Zones Behind on the Head-Spinning, Heartbreaking Folklore" . Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on July 24, 2020. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  14. 1 2 Sumsion, Michael (July 29, 2020). "Taylor Swift Abandons Stadium-Pop for a New Tonal Approach on Folklore". PopMatters . Archived from the original on July 31, 2020. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  15. 1 2 3 Mamo, Heran (July 27, 2020). "6 Things to Know About Rebekah Harkness, the Muse Behind Taylor Swift's 'The Last Great American Dynasty'". Billboard . Archived from the original on July 30, 2020. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  16. ↑ Bruner, Raisa (July 24, 2020). "Let's Break Down Taylor Swift's Tender New Album Folklore". Time . Archived from the original on July 31, 2020. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  17. 1 2 3 Walsh, Savannah (July 24, 2020). "Taylor Swift's 'The Last Great American Dynasty' Explained". Elle . Archived from the original on September 17, 2020. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  18. 1 2 Huff, Lauren (July 24, 2020). "The wild true story behind Taylor Swift's 'The Last Great American Dynasty'". Entertainment Weekly . Archived from the original on September 27, 2020. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  19. ↑ Kornhaber, Spencer (July 28, 2020). "Taylor Swift Is No Longer Living in the Present" . The Atlantic . Archived from the original on October 4, 2020. Retrieved October 7, 2020.
  20. 1 2 Mapes, Jillian (July 27, 2020). "Taylor Swift: folklore". Pitchfork . Archived from the original on August 28, 2020. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  21. 1 2 Willman, Chris (July 24, 2020). "Taylor Swift's Folklore: Album Review". Variety . Archived from the original on July 24, 2020. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  22. ↑ Mylrea, Hannah (August 6, 2020). "Taylor Swift – 'The Lakes': the Folklore bonus song decoded". NME . Archived from the original on September 8, 2020. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  23. ↑ Wood, Mikael (July 26, 2020). "Taylor Swift's Folklore: All 16 songs, ranked" . Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on March 29, 2021. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
  24. ↑ Ahlgrim, Callie; Courteney, Larocca (July 25, 2020). "Taylor Swift's 'Folklore' might be the best album of her entire career". Insider. Archived from the original on December 2, 2021. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  25. 1 2 "The 100 Best Songs of 2020". Pitchfork . December 7, 2020. Archived from the original on February 10, 2021. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
  26. ↑ Cosores, Philip (July 27, 2020). "Taylor Swift's 'Folklore' Burns Bright in Dark Times". Uproxx . Archived from the original on September 10, 2020. Retrieved October 2, 2020.
  27. ↑ Caramanica, Jon (July 26, 2020). "Taylor Swift, a Pop Star Done With Pop" . The New York Times . Archived from the original on September 10, 2020. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  28. ↑ Keefe, Jonathan (July 27, 2020). "Review: With Folklore, Taylor Swift Mines Pathos from a Widening Worldview". Slant Magazine . Archived from the original on September 10, 2020. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  29. ↑ Campbell, Caleb (July 29, 2020). "Folklore". Under the Radar . Archived from the original on August 9, 2020. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  30. ↑ Moulton, Katie (July 24, 2020). "Taylor Swift's folklore Dismantles Her Own Self-Mythologizing: Review". Consequence of Sound . Archived from the original on July 24, 2020. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  31. ↑ Levine, Nick (July 26, 2020). "The Last Great American Dynasty: how Taylor Swift found her spirit animal in the eccentric heiress Rebekah Harkness". The Daily Telegraph . Archived from the original on July 29, 2020. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  32. ↑ "Songs of the Summer 2020: Staff Picks". Billboard . September 9, 2020. Archived from the original on September 14, 2020. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  33. ↑ Mylrea, Hannah (September 8, 2020). "Every Taylor Swift song ranked in order of greatness". NME . Archived from the original on September 17, 2020. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  34. ↑ "The 50 best songs of 2020". NME . December 8, 2020. Archived from the original on February 17, 2021. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  35. ↑ "The 50 Best Songs Of 2020". Uproxx . December 2, 2020. Archived from the original on December 2, 2020. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
  36. ↑ "The 100 Best Songs of 2020: Staff List". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 9, 2021. Retrieved December 9, 2020.
  37. ↑ "American Songwriter: Our Top 20 Songs of 2020". American Songwriter . December 10, 2020. Archived from the original on December 10, 2020. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
  38. ↑ Sheffield, Rob (October 26, 2021). "All 129 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked by Rob Sheffield". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
  39. ↑ "Taylor Swift: Her 15 Best Songs". Clash Magazine. January 2, 2022. Archived from the original on May 25, 2022. Retrieved January 6, 2022.
  40. ↑ Trust, Gary (August 3, 2020). "Taylor Swift Charts 16 Songs From 'Folklore' on Billboard Hot 100". Billboard . Archived from the original on August 3, 2020. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  41. ↑ "Taylor Swift – Billboard Digital Song Sales Chart History". Billboard . Archived from the original on December 2, 2020. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  42. 1 2 "Taylor Swift Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  43. 1 2 "Taylor Swift – The Last Great American Dynasty". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  44. ↑ "CARDIGAN LANDS TAYLOR SWIFT SIXTH #1 SINGLE". Australian Recording Industry Association . August 1, 2020. Archived from the original on September 10, 2020. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  45. 1 2 "Top 20 Most Streamed International & Domestic Singles in Malaysia". Recording Industry Association of Malaysia . Recording Industry Association of Malaysia. Archived from the original on August 10, 2020. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  46. 1 2 "RIAS International Top Charts Week 31". Recording Industry Association (Singapore). Archived from the original on August 5, 2020.
  47. 1 2 "Taylor Swift – The Last Great American Dynasty" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  48. 1 2 "Taylor Swift – The Last Great American Dynasty". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  49. 1 2 "Taylor Swift – The Last Great American Dynasty". Singles Top 100. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  50. ↑ Folklore (booklet). Taylor Swift. United States: Republic Records. 2020. B003271102.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  51. ↑ "Taylor Swift – The Last Great American Dynasty". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  52. ↑ "Taylor Swift – The Last Great American Dynasty" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  53. ↑ "Official Audio Streaming Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
  54. ↑ "Taylor Swift Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  55. ↑ "Top 100 Songs, July 24, 2020 – July 30, 2020". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on April 23, 2021. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  56. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2024 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved June 21, 2024.
  57. ↑ "Brazilian single certifications – Taylor Swift – The Last Great American Dynasty" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil . Retrieved July 22, 2024.
  58. ↑ "British single certifications – Taylor Swift – The Last Great American Dynasty". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved July 5, 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.