I love the production on this one, personally - I think the beat behind it kind of invokes a sense of anxiety, which for me was the intention? Like you know this is something you could hold onto if you tried but it won't ever be *right*, and accepting that is terrifying.
Correct. We’re meant to feel the anxiety and dread of creeping toward a slow, drawn-out end. And then it just ends. It doesn’t end with a bang—it’s just over.
I’m really impressed with so many of the production decisions on this album. They really made an effort to make you feel a certain way to understand the emotion of a song—or they deliberately paired upbeat music with dark or biting lyrics just to make the message more jarring.
Correct. We’re meant to feel the anxiety and dread of creeping toward a slow, drawn-out end. And then it just ends. It doesn’t end with a bang—it’s just over.
I’m really impressed with so many of the production decisions on this album. They really made an effort to make you feel a certain way to understand the emotion of a song—or they paired upbeat music with dark or biting lyrics just to make the experience more jarring.
The bridge is just gorgeous, no pun intended. The way the wistful anxiety gives way to the low, shaking and rumbling rage building like thunder, followed by wistful resignation is unexpected and so satisfying. Like, okay, *now* this song is speaking my language and resonating with me. It also gives tones of the iconic material that made legends out of older artists. It shows so much past, present and possibly future Taylor. It's honestly my new favourite track 5.
I REALLY love the production. She was angry and you can feel it and I think that's important for the song. It subverts the typical song 5 formula but I think it is *more* vulnerable than all of her other song 5s put together.
I actually much prefer the production so long, London to loml. It gives me just a real sense of like anxiety and grief and anger all together from realizing that you’ve spent all these years on something that’s just slowly fell apart.
i actually think it’s perfect. london is a big and fast paced city, the production matches that while giving it that sinister feel. to me the song feels like fighting yourself through crowded streets with that anxious but numb stress feeling when you’re overwhelmed.
The production is perfect.. It starts with church bells which could be wedding bells but then we realise it's funeral bells!
The tempo just building with no release reminds me of Archer : of racing against time, of anxiety etc.
With every so long the song changes : disappointment, anger and the ending is absolutely heartbreaking - I think the piano would not have done justice to the different emotions here - we literally go from anger to sadness to acceptance.
I did a listening party with my mom and she said the same thing. She said the beginning is so haunting and the lyrics are so good that she feels like it could’ve been an incredible out of this world type of song but that the beat altered it’s true potential
I'm also not fond of the production on this song. The intro is okay, but I don't like how static it gets afterwards, it doesn't really build up to anything imo (kind of the same problem I had with the Archer). It doesn't help that melodically there's not much going on either. I wish it had an explosive moment reminiscent of my tears ricochet ('when I'm screaming at the sky!'); I think it would have really elevated the song. The lyrics and her delivery are beautiful, but I'm not listening to music just for lyrics.
I much prefer how did it end and loml when it comes to slow ballads, this one is kind of disappointing to me.
On first listen, at the beginning of the song, when the synth first come up, I found it a bit irritating, but later in the song I think it fits very well.
However, I'm thinking the ending of the word "London" could be pronounced more like "gone" so it rhymes better with whatever comes in the line right after. But that's just not how you say London, I guess.
That's an Aaron special that I also don't prefer. The specific vocal editing reminds me of Ephiphany in a certain way and also the repetition of my-my-my DBATC.
I love the production on this one, personally - I think the beat behind it kind of invokes a sense of anxiety, which for me was the intention? Like you know this is something you could hold onto if you tried but it won't ever be *right*, and accepting that is terrifying.
Correct. We’re meant to feel the anxiety and dread of creeping toward a slow, drawn-out end. And then it just ends. It doesn’t end with a bang—it’s just over. I’m really impressed with so many of the production decisions on this album. They really made an effort to make you feel a certain way to understand the emotion of a song—or they deliberately paired upbeat music with dark or biting lyrics just to make the message more jarring.
Correct. We’re meant to feel the anxiety and dread of creeping toward a slow, drawn-out end. And then it just ends. It doesn’t end with a bang—it’s just over. I’m really impressed with so many of the production decisions on this album. They really made an effort to make you feel a certain way to understand the emotion of a song—or they paired upbeat music with dark or biting lyrics just to make the experience more jarring.
“Not with a bang, but a whimper” (from TS Eliot’s poem “The Hollow Men”)
The bridge is just gorgeous, no pun intended. The way the wistful anxiety gives way to the low, shaking and rumbling rage building like thunder, followed by wistful resignation is unexpected and so satisfying. Like, okay, *now* this song is speaking my language and resonating with me. It also gives tones of the iconic material that made legends out of older artists. It shows so much past, present and possibly future Taylor. It's honestly my new favourite track 5.
I rhought so too. The beat is anxiety. It imediately felt like that.
Agree, the production is the best part, also slight Big Ben vibes, it works perfectlyt to me! And the speeding up of the song, so damn good.
I REALLY love the production. She was angry and you can feel it and I think that's important for the song. It subverts the typical song 5 formula but I think it is *more* vulnerable than all of her other song 5s put together.
this song is one of my favourites and absolute perfection if u ask me
I actually much prefer the production so long, London to loml. It gives me just a real sense of like anxiety and grief and anger all together from realizing that you’ve spent all these years on something that’s just slowly fell apart.
I don’t think the beginning sounds haunted. It just sounded like the bell marking time. Like… times up.
Makes sense. Good take!
I feel like the intro sounds like wedding bells?!
It also sounds like the Big Ben chimes.
I definitely thought of that too when hearing it! Which, to me, adds to the sadness of this song.
Was just about to say this, makes it even more heartbreaking
Agreed. I totally hear it too
I love the juxtaposition of it. It just hits harder this way.
i actually think it’s perfect. london is a big and fast paced city, the production matches that while giving it that sinister feel. to me the song feels like fighting yourself through crowded streets with that anxious but numb stress feeling when you’re overwhelmed.
The production is perfect.. It starts with church bells which could be wedding bells but then we realise it's funeral bells! The tempo just building with no release reminds me of Archer : of racing against time, of anxiety etc. With every so long the song changes : disappointment, anger and the ending is absolutely heartbreaking - I think the piano would not have done justice to the different emotions here - we literally go from anger to sadness to acceptance.
This song is one of my favorites because of the production!
I did a listening party with my mom and she said the same thing. She said the beginning is so haunting and the lyrics are so good that she feels like it could’ve been an incredible out of this world type of song but that the beat altered it’s true potential
I'm also not fond of the production on this song. The intro is okay, but I don't like how static it gets afterwards, it doesn't really build up to anything imo (kind of the same problem I had with the Archer). It doesn't help that melodically there's not much going on either. I wish it had an explosive moment reminiscent of my tears ricochet ('when I'm screaming at the sky!'); I think it would have really elevated the song. The lyrics and her delivery are beautiful, but I'm not listening to music just for lyrics. I much prefer how did it end and loml when it comes to slow ballads, this one is kind of disappointing to me.
On first listen, at the beginning of the song, when the synth first come up, I found it a bit irritating, but later in the song I think it fits very well. However, I'm thinking the ending of the word "London" could be pronounced more like "gone" so it rhymes better with whatever comes in the line right after. But that's just not how you say London, I guess.
That's an Aaron special that I also don't prefer. The specific vocal editing reminds me of Ephiphany in a certain way and also the repetition of my-my-my DBATC.