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The Tortured Poet’s Department Rankings

This album took a whole week to listen to, analyze, and process in order to rank and generate an overall opinion on the album as a whole. I have some definite favorites and lyrics that really resonate with me. Instead of fully ranking all 31 songs, I decided to rank my top 17 (the original album has 17 songs, but I decided to include the Anthology. Overall, this is a beautifully written album full of creative lyrics and unreal analogies. This album feels very Folklore coded. 

My Top 17

1. I Can Do it With a Broken Heart 

This is the most catchy song on the album. I have had it on repeat since the release last Friday. This song does make me feel bad about Taylor going through a major breakup during the Eras Tour. “I can read your mind. She’s having the time of her life. There in her glittering prime.”

2. The Black Dog

“Old Habits Die Screaming.” Just. Unreal. 

3. Down Bad
4. loml

Give it to Taylor to always come up with a creative play on words. Love of my life- loss of my life. “I thought I was better safe than starry-eyed.”

5. How Did It End

This song had a very small town- talk of the town breakup feel. The slow and quiet feel of the song reminds me a lot of Folklore and Evermore.

6. The Manuscript

I just LOVE this song. It feels like being the author of your own life, love, and loss and how as you grow and change you put away chapters of your life. Despite, that chapter ending, sometimes you go back and re-read the chapter and remember what that love and pain felt like. This is a melodious and gorgeously written song that tells a story. “The only thing that’s left is the manuscript. One last souvenir from my trip to your shores. Now and then I reread the manuscript. But the story isn’t mine anymore.”

7. Imgonnagetyouback 

Another dual meaning song! Many have speculated this one is about Matty Healy. 

8. The Tortured Poet’s Department
9. I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)

The best thing that has come from this song are the Matty Healy crazy concert memes. 

10. ThanK you aIMee

We all have our own Aimee. Someone who caused us pain and suffering, but that suffering helped us heal. 

11. I Hate it Here

“I hate it here so I will go to secret gardens in my mind.”

12. Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me 

This chorus is constantly in my head. So Evermore coded. 

13.  Florida!!!
14.  So High School
15.  Clara Bow
16. Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus
17.  So Long London

Overall, I love this album. Although it’s a little slower and somewhat side I think it was done beautifully and there are lots of amazing tracks on it.

Xoxo,

Hannahlane